sehr erfreut
The English phrase "very nice to meet you" can be translated into German as sehr erfreut.
A polite expression used to greet someone for the first time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase sehr erfreut literally translates to "very pleased".
Which one should you use?
While sehr erfreut is quite formal, the phrase Freut mich is a much more common, slightly less formal alternative used in everyday social situations.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
sehr erfreut is a formal way to express pleasure at meeting someone and is more common in professional or high-society settings than the English "very nice to meet you". Other formal options include Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen. and Angenehm, Sie kennenzulernen.
How does it change in a sentence?
The word erfreut is a past participle used here as an adjective, meaning the speaker is in a state of having been made happy/pleased by the encounter.
Did you know?
- The word sehr in the phrase sehr erfreut shares an ancient root with the English word 'sore'. While 'sehr' now means 'very', it originally described being 'sore' or 'injured'.
- The formal alternative Angenehm is essentially a one-word greeting. In sophisticated German circles, you can simply say this single word to mean 'pleased to meet you'.
- The greeting Angenehm describes a physical sensation of 'pleasantness', treating the meeting more like a comfortable atmosphere than a personal emotion.
Examples in context
- Guten Tag, ich bin Frau Müller. Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.Good day, I am Mrs. Müller. It's a pleasure to meet you.
- Guten Tag, Frau Müller. Es freut mich ebenfalls, Sie kennenzulernen.Good day, Mrs. Müller. It's a pleasure to meet you too.
- Hey, ich bin Max. Freut mich!Hey, I'm Max. Nice to meet you!
- Sehr erfreut, Sie heute zu treffen.Very pleased to meet you today.
Example conversation
Laura and Lukas meet for the first time at a business event.
- LauraHallo, ich bin Laura.Hello, I am Laura.
- LukasHallo Laura, ich heiße Lukas. Sehr erfreut!Hello Laura, my name is Lukas. Very nice to meet you!
- LauraGanz meinerseits, Lukas.The pleasure is mine, Lukas.
- LukasKommen Sie aus Berlin?Do you come from Berlin?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries sehr, CC BY-SA 4.0.
