German Phrase
Hi, freut mich, dich kennenzulernen.
Meaning
A friendly, informal way to say “Hi, nice to meet you.” The speaker expresses pleasure at meeting the listener for the first time.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual settings – when you meet a peer, a new classmate, a friend of a friend, or anyone you’d address with “du”. In formal situations you would replace “dich” with “Sie”.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Hi,freutmich,dichkennenzulernen.
Freut mich
A fixed expression meaning “I’m pleased” or “Nice to meet you”. It uses the verb freuen in the 3rd person singular with the reflexive pronoun mich.
kennenzulernen (infinitive with zu)
After “freut mich” the verb that describes the action appears as an infinitive with zu (kennenzulernen).
dich (accusative)
The person you are meeting is in the accusative case because it is the direct object of kennenlernen.
Comma placement
In German, commas separate the introductory “Hi” and the main clause, but they are optional in casual speech.
🗨In Conversation
Hi, freut mich, dich kennenzulernen.
Hi, nice to meet you.
Mich auch! Ich bin Anna.
Me too! I’m Anna.
✕Common Mistakes
freut mich dich kennenzulernen
Missing the comma and the required “zu” before the infinitive; the correct form is “freut mich, dich kennenzulernen.”
Freut mich, dich kennen zu lernen.
The verb “kennenlernen” is written as one word, not two separate words.
Freut mich, dich kennenzulernen.
If you keep the informal “dich”, you must not switch to the formal “Sie”. Use either all informal or all formal.
↔Alternatives
Hallo, schön dich kennenzulernen.
Hello, nice to meet you.
Freut mich, dich zu treffen.
Glad to meet you.
Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.
Nice to meet you (formal).
Cultural Tip
Germans often keep the first meeting brief and polite. “Freut mich” is informal; for business or older acquaintances you should use the formal “Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.” Also, Germans tend to shake hands or give a light hug depending on the region and personal comfort level.