Is “Looking Forward to Seeing You” Grammatically Correct?

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How to use this phrase accurately
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“Looking forward to seeing you” is a casual way to tell someone you’re excited and happy about meeting with them in the future. You can also use it to express anticipation about meeting someone for the first time. In this article, we’ll explain when and how to use this phrase and whether it’s grammatically correct. We’ll also teach you some alternative ways to say this phrase and how to say it in other languages, like Spanish. Read on to learn more!

The Meaning of “Looking Forward to Seeing You”

“Looking forward to seeing you” is a casual and grammatically correct phrase. It’s a popular way to say you’re excited about meeting with someone in the future. It is incorrect to say “looking forward to see you.”

Section 1 of 6:

Is “looking forward to seeing you” grammatically correct?

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  1. In the phrase “looking forward to…,” “to” is used as a preposition. When “to” is used as a preposition, it has to be followed by a noun, pronoun, or the -ing form of a verb (called the gerund or present participle) to be grammatically correct. [1]
    • So, it is grammatically correct to say “looking forward to seeing you” (but it is not grammatically correct to say “looking forward to see you”).
    • Additional examples :
      • “I look forward to meeting you” is correct; “I look forward to meet you” is incorrect.
      • “I’m looking forward to taking a vacation” is correct; “I’m looking forward to take a vacation” is incorrect.
      • “Looking forward to hearing from you” is correct; “Looking forward to hear from you” is incorrect.”
    • Note : Be careful about mixing up “to” as a preposition with “to” as a part of an infinitive verb. An infinitive is the base form of a verb with the word “to” in front of it, like “to see,” “to sleep,” and “to eat.” So, it’s correct to say “I am excited to see you” instead of “I’m excited to seeing you” because “to see” is an infinitive. [2]
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Section 2 of 6:

Can you say "looking forward to see you"?

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  1. No, "looking forward to see you" is not grammatically correct. Because "to" is used as a preposition in this phrase, it must be followed by a noun, pronoun, or a gerund (the -ing form of a verb, which turns it into a noun). For this phrase to be correct, we would have to change "see" to its gerund form: "seeing." [3]
Section 3 of 6:

When and How to Use “Looking Forward to Seeing You”

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  1. If you’re excited to hang out with a friend or finally meet up with someone you’ve been talking to online, use this phrase to let them know you’re excited to see them. You can also use “looking forward to seeing you” in professional communications. Say or send it in emails to coworkers, colleagues, or clients you have a friendly relationship with.
    • “Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow! We’re going to have so much fun together!”
    • “Looking forward to seeing you at the company picnic tomorrow! I can’t wait to catch up with you and the other team members around the state.”
    • Note : In casual speech and written communication, dropping the first few words from a sentence is common practice. This is called left-edge ellipses or deletion. So while “I am looking forward to seeing you” may be more grammatically correct, it’s perfectly acceptable to say “looking forward to seeing you.” [4]
  2. In formal contexts, it’s best to say “I am looking forward to seeing you” or “I look forward to seeing you” because these phrases are more grammatically correct. So, they help you sound more polite and respectful. For instance, you might use either of these phrases when expressing your eagerness to meet with an important business client, a senior professional at your company, or a well-respected member of your community.
    • “I am looking forward to seeing you at the shareholder meeting tomorrow. We have a lot of exciting news to share about the company.”
    • “I’m impressed by your research. I look forward to seeing you at the conference next month.”
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Section 4 of 6:

Casual and Professional Alternative Phrases

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  1. There are a lot of different ways to express your excitement about seeing someone you haven’t hung out with in a while. You can also use these phrases to express your eagerness to meet an online friend or date for the first time.
    • “Can’t wait to see you!”
    • “Counting down the days until I get to see you!”
    • “I’m so ready to see you. Can it be next weekend yet?”
    • “I can’t wait to catch up with you!”
    • “I miss you so much. I’m glad I get to see you soon!”
    • “I’m so pumped about seeing you!”
    • “I’m thrilled I get to see you tomorrow!”
    • “Looking forward to it!”
    • “I can’t contain my excitement about seeing you so soon!”
    • “I’m excited to finally meet you!”
  2. Check out these alternative ways to let colleagues, coworkers, and clients know you’re excited to see them at a meeting or business event in the future. These phrases are appropriate to say or to send in emails and messages.
    • “I’m looking forward to meeting with you.”
    • “I’m excited to speak with you soon.”
    • “I’m looking forward to hearing from you.”
    • “I look forward to our conversation.”
    • “I’m eagerly awaiting our meeting next week.”
    • “I’m excited about the opportunity to speak with you.”
    • “It will be great to see you at the conference again.”
    • “I eagerly anticipate our meeting.”
    • “It will be a pleasure to meet with you.”
    • “I’m enthusiastic about our upcoming meeting.”
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Section 5 of 6:

“Looking Forward to Seeing You” Meaning

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  1. “Looking forward to seeing you” is a common way to express your excitement or anticipation about a future meeting with someone. You typically use it when you’re reuniting with someone you haven’t seen in a long time or when you’re meeting someone for the first time. [5]
    • “Looking forward to seeing you this weekend! It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other. I can’t wait to hear how you’ve been doing!”
    • “Looking forward to seeing you at the party! Grant has told me such nice things about you. I can’t wait to meet you in person!”
    • “Looking forward to seeing you at the meeting on Tuesday. I’m excited to hear how your marketing services can help our company grow.”
Section 6 of 6:

How to Say “Looking Forward to Seeing You” in Different Languages

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  1. Want to tell someone you’re looking forward to seeing them in Spanish, French, or Italian? Check out the phrases below! Like in English, these phrases are casual and friendly ways to let someone know you're excited about meeting with them in the near future.
    • Spanish : “Tengo ganas de verte” (tehn-goh gah-nahs deh vehr-teh). [6]
    • French : “J’ai hâte de te voir” (zhay aught duh tuh vwah). [7]
    • Italian : “Non vedo l'ora di vederti” (nohn vay-doh lor-ah dee veh-dehr-tee). [8]
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      Expert Interview

      Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about pronunciation, check out our in-depth interview with Patrick Bateman .

      References

      1. ↑ https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/english-language/gerunds/
      2. ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/gerunds_participles_and_infinitives/infinitives.html
      3. ↑ https://advice.writing.utoronto.ca/english-language/gerunds/
      4. ↑ https://awweir.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/tallinn-handout-weir.pdf
      5. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/eb/qa/The-Meaning-of-Looking-Forward-to-Something-
      6. ↑ https://youtu.be/D8cFXLI13-0?feature=shared&t=127
      7. ↑ https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/french-english/j-ai-h%C3%A2te-de-te-voir
      8. ↑ https://dailyitalianwords.com/useful-everyday-italian-phrases-with-pronunciation/

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