schön, Sie kennenzulernen
The English phrase "good to meet you" is expressed in German as schön, Sie kennenzulernen.
This phrase is a polite way to express that you are happy to meet someone for the first time. It is specifically used for initial introductions rather than for recurring meetings with someone you already know.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, schön, Sie kennenzulernen translates to "nice to get to know you".
Which one should you use?
The default form schön, Sie kennenzulernen is used for formal situations. If you are speaking to a peer or someone you know well, you can use the informal version schön, dich kennenzulernen.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Bavarian, a variation meaning "Hi, nice that we've met!" is Servus, schee, dass ma uns g'sehen ham!
How does it change in a sentence?
To adjust the phrase for different people, you can change the pronoun. Use dich in the informal version when speaking to one person you know well, or use euch to address a group of people informally.
Did you know?
- In many German-speaking regions, it is traditional to maintain firm eye contact while saying schön, Sie kennenzulernen, as looking away can be perceived as untrustworthy or uninterested.
- The word kennenzulernen is a combination of 'know' and 'learn', reflecting the German view that meeting someone is the start of a process of learning who they are.
- The formal Sie used in the phrase is written with a capital 'S' to distinguish it from the word 'sie', which means 'she' or 'they'. This capitalization rule was only introduced in the 17th century to prevent confusion in writing.
Examples in context
- Schön, Sie kennenzulernen!Good to meet you.This example shows how to use the phrase schön, Sie kennenzulernen.Tatoeba #181000 by MUIRIEL, translation #2865955 by sundown
- Es ist schön, Sie kennenzulernen.It is good to meet you.
- Es war schön, Sie kennenzulernen.It was good to meet you.
Example conversation
Lukas and Hannah are meeting for the first time at a business networking event.
- LukasGuten Tag, ich bin Lukas. Schön, Sie kennenzulernen.Good day, I am Lukas. Good to meet you.
- HannahSehr angenehm, Lukas. Mein Name ist Hannah.Very pleasant, Lukas. My name is Hannah.
- LukasFreut mich sehr, Hannah.I am very pleased, Hannah.
- HannahGleichfalls! Ich freue mich auf unser Gespräch.Likewise! I am looking forward to our conversation.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Sie, schön, sie, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
