また近いうちに
mata chikai uchi ni
In Japanese, "see you again soon" is expressed as また近いうちに (mata chikai uchi ni).
This phrase is a friendly way to say goodbye when you expect to meet the person again in a short time.
Which one should you use?
While また近いうちに implies a specific expectation of seeing the person in the near future, the more general and casual またね is used for a simple "See you" or "Bye".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using また近いうちに on its own is a casual way to say goodbye to friends or peers. For more formal or business settings, you should use the polite version また近いうちにお会いしましょう or the highly formal では、またお目にかかりましょう, which translates to "Until we meet again". In very informal situations with friends, you might instead use またね, じゃあね or また会おうね.
How does it change in a sentence?
To turn the phrase into a complete sentence meaning "Let's meet again soon", you can add the verb 会いましょう to the end to create また近いうちに会いましょう.
How do you pronounce it?
mata chikai uchi ni
Did you know?
- While また近いうちに is friendly, the phrase また今度 is often used as a 'polite refusal'. In social contexts, saying 'next time' can actually mean the person has no intention of scheduling a meeting.
- The word うち in 近いうちに literally means 'house' or 'inside', but here it refers to a window of time, treating the near future as a physical space one resides in.
- In professional settings, using the humble verb お目にかかる instead of 会う to say 'see you' acknowledges a social hierarchy by literally suggesting the speaker is 'appearing before the eyes' of a superior.
Examples in context
- また近いうちにお会いましょう。I hope I'll see you again soon.This sentence is useful for expressing the hope of seeing someone again soon using the form また近いうちに.Tatoeba #195453 by tommy__san, translation #32627 by CK
- また近いうちにね。Mata chikauchi ni ne.See you again soon.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are leaving a cafe after a brief chat.
- 蓮 Ren今日は楽しかったよ。また近いうちにね。Kyou wa tanoshikatta yo. Mata chikauchi ni ne.I had fun today. See you again soon.
- 美咲 Misakiうん、私も！またね。Un, watashi mo! Mata ne.Yeah, me too! Bye.
- 蓮 Renじゃあ、気をつけて帰ってね。Jaa, ki o tsukete kaette ne.Well, get home safely.
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう、蓮くんもね。Arigatou, Ren-kun mo ne.Thanks, you too, Ren.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
