Long time no see Meaning in English
expression
ˈɫɔŋ/ /ˈtaɪm/ /ˈnoʊ/ /ˈsi
LAWNG-TIME-NOH-SEE
lˈɒŋ/ /tˈaɪm/ /nəʊ/ /sˈiː
LONG-TIME-NOH-SEE
Definition
A friendly greeting said when you see someone after not seeing them for a long time.
Usage & Nuances
Informal, usually used between friends or acquaintances. Not literal grammar; borrowed from Chinese. Can sound playful or casual. Often used as the first thing you say upon seeing someone after a long gap.
Spanish: cuánto tiempo - cuánto tiempo sin vertePortuguese (BR): quanto tempo - há quanto tempo não te vejoPortuguese (PT): há quanto tempo - quanto tempo sem te verChinese (Simplified): 好久不见Chinese (Traditional): 好久不見Hindi: बहुत दिन हो गए हैं (मिले हुए)Arabic: لم أرك منذ زمن طويلBengali: অনেক দিন পরে দেখা - অনেক দিন দেখা হয়নিRussian: давно не виделисьJapanese: お久しぶりVietnamese: Lâu quá không gặpKorean: 오랜만이야 - 오랜만이에요Turkish: Uzun zamandır görüşmüyoruz - Seni uzun zamandır görmedimUrdu: بہت دنوں بعد ملے ہیںIndonesian: Lama tidak bertemu
Example Sentences
Long time no see! How have you been?
basic
Hey, long time no see. It's good to see you again.
basic
Long time no see, my friend!
basic
Wow, long time no see! I barely recognized you.
natural
If you see Lisa, tell her I said 'long time no see'!
natural
We bumped into each other and I just said, 'long time no see,' and we both laughed.
natural