If you receive an email where a salesperson closed their pitch to you with “looking forward to speaking with you,” what do they mean?
This post unpacks the meaning and origin of this idiomatic phrase.
Meaning
While you might think that the phrase “looking forward to speaking with you” sounds off, it might surprise you to learn that it is grammatically correct. This phrase describes your excitement at speaking with someone in person or over the phone in the future.
The term is suitable for use in social and professional settings, and you probably hear people use it around you all the time. “Looking forward to speaking with you” means that you have an interest in what the other person has to say as a colleague, or you can’t wait to speak with a friend or family member.
If you’re signing off an email using the phrase, it means that you intend to speak to the person over the phone or in-person during your next conversation. It can also mean that you are meeting with someone at a venue or event, and you look forward to spending time with them.
Example Usage
Via Email, messenger, or chat;
“Hey Mike, I’m looking forward to speaking with you when you get back from Australia.”
“Thank you for the information; The team is looking forward to speaking with you when you arrive on Thursday.”
“We’re all looking forward to speaking with you; the meeting can’t come soon enough.”
Origin
Language experts are at a loss to explain the origin of this idiomatic phrase. So, if we break down the components of the phrase, we find that the use of the word “look” appears in old English, tracing back to the 1200s.
The phrase “looking forward to speaking with you” creates a sense of anticipation in the upcoming meeting between the parties involved. The contextual meaning of “anticipate” only arrived in the early 1600s. Other origins point to the use of “anticipate with pleasure” in the 1800s.
Technically, using “I look forward” means that you’re facing a forward direction. However, many people would go on to use “looking forward to” in an informal context. The use of the phrase in a formal setting changes it to “I look forward to.”
The idiomatic phrase “looking forward to” is the more popular version, but it suits casual expressions, and “look forward to” is the more formal variant.
Phrases Similar to Looking Forward to Speaking with You
- Looking forward to talking to you.
- Looking forward to meeting with you.
Phrases Opposite to Looking Forward to Speaking with You
- I don’t want to see you again.
- Get out of my sight.
- I have no interest in meeting with you.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Looking forward to speaking with you.
- I’m looking forward to speaking with you.
Ways People May Say Looking Forward to Speaking with You Incorrectly
“Looking forward to speaking with you” suits use in social and professional settings, and it’s a way to show the other person that you’re anticipating their call. Using the phrase ingeniously may result in the other person falling out with you.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Looking Forward to Speaking with You
You can use “looking forward to speaking with you” in online chats, emails, social media posts, or anywhere where you’re sending a message to someone telling them you are looking forward to speaking with them on the phone or in person. It’s a statement showing your interest in the other person and what they have to say.