What does it mean word for word?
The phrase سعيد برؤيتك literally means 'happy with seeing you'. It is composed of 'sa'īd' (happy), 'bi' (with/by), 'ru'ya' (seeing) and the suffix '-ka' or '-ki' (you).
Which one should you use?
While سعيد برؤيتك expresses personal happiness, the formal term تشرفنا (meaning 'we are honored [by meeting you]') is the standard formal way to express pleasure at meeting someone. Additionally, مسرور برؤيتك can be used to mean 'pleased to see you'.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a formal tone, you can use مسرور برؤيتك (pleased to see you) or تشرفنا. In informal settings, you might say أنا سعيد بشوفتك (I'm happy to see you).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In many Arabic dialects, the colloquial phrase فرصة سعيدة (literally 'a happy opportunity') is a very common, more natural way to say 'it was good to see you' or 'nice to meet you'. In Egyptian Arabic, the phrase بحب شوفتك is used to mean 'I love seeing you'.
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to a woman, the final vowel changes from 'ka' to 'ki' to reflect the feminine second-person pronoun, resulting in سعيد برؤيتكِ.
How do you pronounce it?
sa'īd bi-ru'yatik
Did you know?
- While سعيد برؤيتك expresses a personal feeling, the formal greeting تشرفنا uses the plural 'we' to imply that the honor of the meeting extends to one's entire family or social circle.
- The word رؤية used for 'seeing' in this greeting is the same word used to describe a prophetic 'vision' or a spiritual 'dream'.
- The word سعيد (sa'īd) used in this greeting is the same word used for the name 'Said', which is a very common masculine given name in the Arab world.
Examples in context
- أنا سعيد برؤيتك اليوم.Ana sa'id bi-ru'yatik al-yawm.I am glad to see you today.
- يا يوسف، أنا سعيد برؤيتك.Ya Yusuf, ana sa'id bi-ru'yatik.Yusuf, it is good to see you.
Example conversation
Yousef and Maryam meet unexpectedly at a cafe.
- يوسف Youssefمريم! سعيد برؤيتك هنا.Maryam! Sa'eed bi-ru'yatik huna.Maryam! Good to see you here.
- مريم Maryamيوسف! وأنا أيضاً سعيدة برؤيتك.Yousef! Wa ana aydan sa'ida bi-ru'yatik.Yousef! I am also glad to see you.
- يوسف Youssefكيف حالك وكيف هي أمورك؟Kayfa haluki wa kayfa hiya umuruki?How are you and how are things going?
- مريم Maryamأنا بخير، شكراً لسؤالك.Ana bikhayr, shukran li-su'alik.I am fine, thank you for asking.
