“Nice to meet you” is one of the most common ways to say hello politely. It’s very versatile in formal and informal contexts. But is it the most effective phrase?
This article will explore other ways to say “nice to meet you.” We’ll dive deep into the best options to help you come up with new things to say!
Other Ways to Say “Nice to Meet You”
- Pleased to make your acquaintance
- It’s a pleasure
- I’m glad we could meet
- Happy to finally meet you
- Happy to make your acquaintance
- It’s lovely to meet you
- It’s great connecting with you
- Hey!
- Hello!
- A pleasure to meet you
- Nice of you to stop by
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “Nice to meet you” is suitable and correct in formal contexts (both written and spoken).
- You could say “pleased to make your acquaintance” in very formal situations to mix up your language.
- “It’s a pleasure” is a much better option in spoken English, making it more useful informally.
You should keep reading through this article to learn more about the best options! We’ve included the best ways to write the phrases in and out of emails to help you.
You could always skip to the last section to learn whether “nice to meet you” is correct to say. If that’s why you’re here, you know where to go!
Pleased to Make Your Acquaintance (Formal)
“Pleased to make your acquaintance” is an excellent formal synonym showing you’re meeting someone for the first time. You can use it in all kinds of formal contexts.
The best part about making someone’s “acquaintance” is that you don’t need to meet them in person. You can say it in an email, on the phone, or even in an online chat. As long as it’s your first encounter with someone, you can say “pleased to make your acquaintance.”
Generally, this phrase works better in formal cases than “nice to meet you.” It’s very professional and shows a positive and polite attitude before someone’s gotten to know you properly.
The only issue comes from sounding too forced or professional in spoken situations. Some people prefer slightly more relaxed tones in formal speaking. In these cases, “nice to meet you” is still more effective.
Here are a few examples to show you how it works:
Well, I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance, Mathew. I hope this is the start of something new.
Dear George,
I was pleased to make your acquaintance the other day. I hope we can continue working in this capacity.
Yours,
David
It’s a Pleasure (Informal)
“It’s a pleasure” is an informal alternative for “nice to meet you.” You’ll find success with this one in spoken situations when meeting new people.
Since the phrase works best when meeting someone for the first time, we encourage using it when a friend introduces you to someone you haven’t met. It’s a great way to show a friend of a friend that you’re polite and happy to see them.
“It’s a pleasure” also transitions well to formal situations. However, it’s best to use it in formal speaking rather than writing. Just like “nice to meet you,” it isn’t always the most effective phrase when written formally, but it works well when speaking formally.
Here’s a quick look at some examples to give you a hand:
It’s a pleasure, David. I hope we can discuss some of these issues in detail!
It’s a pleasure, Sally. What have you been doing for the last few weeks, then?
Is It Correct to Say “Nice to Meet You”?
“Nice to meet you” is grammatically correct and suitable in formal and informal situations. You can use it when you first meet someone and are happy to do so.
It’s basically a polite and professional way to say “hello.” However, it only works on the first meeting since “meet you” implies you haven’t met someone before.
You may use the phrase in virtual contexts, too. You do not have to be in front of someone physically to “meet” them. Instead, you can use it when video calling them or meeting them online.
You might want to say something like this in a virtual situation:
- Nice to virtually meet you
You may also say “nice meeting you” in some instances:
- Nice to meet you
- Nice meeting you
Both of these phrases are correct. However, they introduce a different tense.
“To meet” implies you have just met someone. It’s often the first thing you say to someone before starting a meeting.
“Meeting” implies you have finished meeting someone. You usually say it once you’re leaving a meeting.
Feel free to bookmark this page and refer back if you’re worried about getting it wrong! You never know when it might come up again, after all!