German Phrase
Lange nicht gesehen!
Meaning
Literally translates to 'long not seen', but it is the German equivalent of the English idiom 'Long time no see!'. It conveys surprise and pleasure at meeting someone after a considerable period.
When to use
Use this informal greeting when you run into a friend, family member, or colleague you haven’t seen for weeks, months, or even years. It’s best suited for casual, spoken contexts and should be avoided in formal business emails or letters.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Langenichtgesehen
Lange (adverb)
Used as an adverb meaning 'for a long time' or 'long' when referring to duration.
nicht (negation)
Negates the verb or verb phrase that follows; here it negates the implied 'have seen'.
gesehen (past participle)
Past participle of sehen; in this elliptical expression it stands in for the full clause 'ich habe dich gesehen'.
🗨In Conversation
Lange nicht gesehen!
Long time no see!
Ja, echt! Wie geht's dir?
Yeah, really! How are you?
✕Common Mistakes
Lange nicht sehen!
The verb must be in its past participle form; 'sehen' is infinitive and sounds ungrammatical here.
Lange nicht gesehn
Spelling matters – the correct past participle is 'gesehen' with an 'e' after the 'g'.
Lange nicht gesehen??
In German, a single exclamation mark is enough; double punctuation is considered informal internet slang.
↔Alternatives
Lange nicht mehr gesehen!
Haven’t seen you for a long time!
Wir haben uns lange nicht gesehen.
We haven’t seen each other for a long time.
Es ist eine Ewigkeit her, seit wir uns das letzte Mal gesehen haben.
It’s been ages since we last saw each other.
Cultural Tip
The phrase is colloquial and often accompanied by a warm smile or a hug. In northern Germany you’ll also hear the shortened version 'Lange nicht gesehen' without the exclamation mark in writing, but the spoken intonation always carries excitement. Avoid using it in very formal settings; opt for 'Wir haben uns lange nicht gesehen' instead.