Che bello vederti
The English phrase 'nice to see you' is expressed in Italian as Che bello vederti.
This is a friendly expression used to tell someone that you are happy to see them again. It is used specifically when you have met the person before. Do not use it when meeting someone for the first time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Che bello vederti literally translates to 'How beautiful to see you'.
Which one should you use?
While Che bello vederti is used for seeing someone you already know, you should use Piacere di conoscerti when meeting someone for the first time. For a slightly more formal alternative to the default form, you can use È un piacere vederti.
How does it change in a sentence?
To address a group of people instead of one person, change the ending of the pronoun from -ti to -vi, resulting in Che bello vedervi. If you want to use the default phrase in a formal context with one person, use Che bello vederla.
Did you know?
- While Che bello vederti is warm, Italians often accompany it with a 'doppio bacio' or two cheek kisses to physically reinforce the joy of seeing a friend again.
- The word bello describes the feeling of the encounter as 'beautiful' rather than 'nice', reflecting a common Italian tendency to use aesthetic terms to describe positive emotions.
- The word bello descends from the Latin bellus, which was a diminutive form of 'handsome' used to describe something pleasing or fine.
Examples in context
- Che bello vederti qui!How nice to see you here!
- Che bello vederti dopo tanto tempo.How nice to see you after such a long time.
- Che bello vederti, come stai?How nice to see you, how are you?
Example conversation
Alessandro and Martina bump into each other at a cafe.
- AlessandroMartina! Che bello vederti!Martina! It's so nice to see you!
- MartinaAnche per me, Alessandro!For me too, Alessandro!
- AlessandroCosa fai qui in città?What are you doing here in town?
- MartinaSono qui per lavoro.I am here for work.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bello, che, CC BY-SA 4.0.
