German Phrase
Es ist mir eine Ehre, dich kennenzulernen.
Meaning
This phrase is a formal way to express that meeting someone is a significant privilege. It uses the noun 'Ehre' (honor) to elevate the importance of the encounter beyond a standard greeting.
When to use
Use this in highly formal situations, such as meeting a dignitary, a respected elder, or a person of high professional standing. It is generally too formal for casual social events with peers.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Es istmireine Ehredichkennenzulernen
Dative Case
The word 'mir' is the dative form of 'ich', used here because the honor is attributed to the speaker.
Infinitive with 'zu'
For separable verbs like 'kennenlernen', the 'zu' is placed between the prefix and the verb stem.
🗨In Conversation
Es ist mir eine Ehre, dich kennenzulernen.
It is an honor for me to meet you.
Ganz meinerseits, vielen Dank.
The pleasure is mine, thank you very much.
✕Common Mistakes
Es ist mir eine Ehre, dich kennenlernen.
The infinitive requires 'zu' in this structure, making it 'kennenzulernen'.
Es ist mich eine Ehre, dich kennenzulernen.
The dative pronoun 'mir' is required here to indicate to whom the honor belongs.
↔Alternatives
Schön, dich kennenzulernen.
Nice to meet you.
Es freut mich sehr, Sie kennenzulernen.
I am very pleased to meet you (formal).
Cultural Tip
In Germany, the distinction between 'Du' and 'Sie' is crucial. While this phrase uses 'dich', in many situations where you would use the word 'Ehre', you would likely also use the formal 'Sie' (kennenzulernen) unless there is a specific reason for familiarity.