A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "Great to see you" in French
Express delight at seeing someone in French, a warm greeting for friends and acquaintances.
Ravi(e) de te voir !
rah-VEE duh tuh VWAHRcasual
French TTS · 0:01
Use this when you genuinely feel happy to encounter someone you know. It's perfect for bumping into a friend on the street or welcoming someone to your home.
Alternatives
- Content(e) de te voir !Slightly more formal than 'ravi(e)' but still uses 'tu'.
- Ça fait plaisir de te voir !A very common and slightly more effusive way to say it.
Ways to get it wrong
Pronouncing the 'r'
The French 'r' is guttural, made in the back of the throat, not rolled like in Spanish.
Forgetting the 'e' for feminine
Add an 'e' in parentheses, 'ravi(e)', if the speaker is female.
A small cultural note
While 'ravi(e) de te voir' is common, French greetings can sometimes be more reserved than in some English-speaking cultures, especially upon first meeting.
The same phrase in other languages
Frequently asked
How to say great to see you formally?
For a formal situation or someone you address with 'vous', you'd say 'Ravi(e) de vous voir !'.
What if I haven't seen them in a long time?
You could add 'depuis longtemps' (deh-PWEE lohn-TAHN) to the end: 'Ravi(e) de te voir depuis longtemps !'.
Is 'Ravi de te voir' always used for friends?
Yes, this phrase implies a level of familiarity and happiness, so it's best reserved for people you know and address with 'tu'.
