We’ve all heard it before, whether in a text message or in person. But what does “good to hear from you” actually mean? Most people use it when after catching up with an old friend. But when is it appropriate to use it? In this post, we’ll teach you everything there is to know about the phrase “good to hear from you”.
Always using the right words? Make sure:
Check Your TextMeaning of “Good To Hear From You”
The phrase “good to hear from you” is commonly used to express pleasure in receiving news or communication from someone. It is an effective way to”
- Show that you value the relationship
- Express that you are happy to be in touch
Though it’s often said informally, it can also be used as a more formal expression of goodwill. Just like with the phrase “he has risen” you have to use it correctly or your audience will be left confused. Whether you’re catching up with an old friend or reconnecting with a business associate, this phrase is a great way to show that you’re happy to be in touch.
Examples of this phrase in a sentence:
- After running into an old co-worker at the grocery store you might say “It’s always good to hear from you, and I’m glad you’re doing well.“
- After catching up with your childhood friend you might say “It was good to hear from you, we should talk again soon.”
- After receiving a phone call from an old business client your immediate response might be “It’s so good to hear from you, it really has been too long since we last spoke.“
Situations To Use This Phrase
The phrase “good to hear from you” can be used in just about any type of communication: formal or informal. There are a few situations in which the phrase “good to hear from you” is appropriate.
- Text message
- Casual conversation
- Business communication
This is one of the unique sayings that you can use in just about any context. Whether you talking with friends or writing an email to your CEO, this phrase can be used.
What Is An Implied Subject?
An implied subject is simply a subject that is not explicitly stated in a sentence but is understood from the context.
Technically speaking, we should add the implied subject to “good to hear from you” and make it “it’s good to hear from you”. But it is NOT necessary.
“Glad to hear from you” vs “Good to hear from you”
They are both expressions of pleasure after communicating with someone. In other words, they are both ways of saying that you’re happy to have heard from or speak with the person.
So which one should you use? There is no real difference between the two, so it’s really up to you. Some people think that “glad to hear from you” is slightly more personal.
Examples of using these phrases:
- “I’m always glad to hear from you, especially when you have good news to share.”
- “Good to hear from you! I was beginning to think you fell off the face of the earth.”
- “I’m glad to hear from you after all these years.”
“It’s great to hear from you.” or “It was great to hear from you”?
‘It’s great to hear from you’ is more of a general statement. It means that you are generally happy to have communicated with someone at a non-specific time in the past.
On the other hand, ‘it was great to hear from you’ is used when you reference a specific conversation with someone at a specific time in the past.
Alternate Ways To Say It
Here are 8 synonms for “good to hear from you”.
- It’s great to hear from you! Have a great weekend.
- I’m glad you’re still in one piece!
- It’s a relief to hear from you. I was getting worried.
- Hearing from you is the best part of my day.
- Wow, I can’t believe it’s really you! It’s been too long!
- Hearing from you brightens up my day.
- I was just thinking about you the other day!
- It’s good to have you back in my life. I missed hearing from you.
What Are The Best Formal Synonyms To “Good To Hear From You”?
Below are the best synonyms phrases that can be used for “good to hear from you” in a variety of formal situations.
- It is delightful to receive your message.
- I am pleased to receive your communication.
- Your message is greatly appreciated.
- I am grateful for your contact.
- It is a pleasure to hear from you.
- I welcome your correspondence.
- I appreciate your reaching out to me.
- Your communication is valued.
- I am thankful for your message.
- I am honored to be in touch with you.
Just like we saw in our post about the saying “subject to change“, writers should learn to use synonyms properly to match their specific writing context.
Best Responses To “Good To Hear From You”
Here are several responses your can use to answer the phrase “good to hear from you”.
- “I was wondering when you were going to reach out!”
- “I appreciate your taking the time to write me back.”
- “It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.”
- “And how are you doing today?”
- “I’ll be honest, I’m surprised to hear from you.”
- “Thank you for thinking of me.”
- “I’m glad you’re doing well.”
- “It sounds like you’ve been through a lot recently.”
- “If there’s anything I can do to help, please let me know.”
- “I hope things start looking up for you soon.”
- “Hang in there!”
- “In all seriousness, though, it’s good to hear from you.”
- “It’s been too long since we talked.”
What Are The Best Formal Responses To “Good To Hear From You”?
Here are several formal responses your can use to answer the phrase “good to hear from you”.
- “Thank you, I appreciate your kind words.”
- “It’s a pleasure to be in touch. Thank you for reaching out.”
- “I’m grateful for your message. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.”
- “I value our communication. Thank you for getting in touch.”
- “I’m pleased to receive your message. Thank you for contacting me.”
What About Formal Emails
You can definitely use the phrase “good to hear from you” in a formal email. In fact, it can be a nice way to build rapport with your recipient. Just make sure that the rest of your email is appropriate for a formal setting. Otherwise, you might come across as too casual – or even dismissive.
“It’s Been A Minute”
The slang version of “good to hear from you” is “it’s been a minute”. Essentially, it’s a way of saying that you haven’t seen someone in a while, or that you haven’t done something in a while. It’s a phrase that can be used to express surprise, nostalgia, or even relief.
Slang terms like this and “hon” or “hun” should not be used in formal writing. If you’re asking, what does hun mean? It is short for honey!
For example, you might say “It’s been a minute since I’ve seen you!” to an old friend. Remember, this is informal grammar and should NOT be used in a business setting.
What Are Common Grammar Mistakes For “Good To Hear From You”?
When using the phrase “Good to hear from you,” there are a few common grammar mistakes that people might make. Here are three examples:
- Incorrect Subject-Verb Agreement. One common mistake is not matching the subject and verb properly.
- Using “Good” as an Adverb. Another mistake is using “good” instead of the adverb form “well.” Saying “Good to hear from you” is correct, but using “well” in this context, as in “Well to hear from you,” is grammatically incorrect.
- Missing Punctuation. It’s also important to include proper punctuation in the sentence. For instance, not using a comma after “Good” in a sentence like “Good to hear from you” can be a mistake. The correct form with punctuation is “Good to hear from you.”
FAQs
It is correct to say “good to hear from you.” However, you could add the implied subject and verb to make it sound more polite and genuine. For example, “I’m glad to hear from you.”
There are plenty of ways to respond when someone reaches out instead of “nice to hear from you”. You might say “Thank you for getting in touch!”, “I’m glad you contacted me”, “It’s always great to hear from you.”, or “I’m happy to hear from you again.”
It generally means that the person is glad to have had some communication from you, whether it be in person, over the phone, or via email or text. If you’ve been out of touch with an old friend for a while and they suddenly reach out to you, they might say something like “nice to hear from you!” as a way of showing that they’re pleased to have heard from you again.
Yes, “looking forward” is grammatically correct. It is the present continuous tense of the verb “to look.” Someone might say, “I’m looking forward to attending the football game with you tomorrow”. When we use this verb in the present continuous tense, it means that we are focusing our attention on something (or someone) in the future.
You might say “I’m looking forward to going on vacation.” In other words, you are anticipating the vacation and are excited about it. The phrase “look forward” is often used by native speakers in the English language to express excitement about future events.
Depending on the context of the conversation, there are a few different ways to respond to “good to hear from you”. You could say “I appreciate you taking the time to contact me” or “Thanks again for reaching out”. Both these responses have the same meaning, but can be used in different situations.
The Bottom Line
Now you are an expert on the saying “good to hear from you”. Keep in mind, that these tips are just a starting point – feel free to be creative and tailor them to fit the unique needs of your writing. Use these grammar tips to take your writing to the next level. And if you can’t master when to use this phrase, feel free to use our grammar and punctuation checker to proofread your work!