Phrasal verbs · Free lesson
Look forward to meeting or look forward to meet?
“I want to meet you” uses meet. “I’m looking forward to meeting you” uses meeting. The expressions follow different patterns.
Professor Scott MendozaMeaning in this lesson
look forward to
To feel pleased or excited about something that is going to happen.
Example
“We’re looking forward to meeting our new neighbors.”
We feel happy about the chance to meet them.
The short answer
Use look forward to meeting. In this expression, to is followed by a noun or an -ing form, not the base verb meet.
Here, to is followed by a noun or an -ing form.
In look forward to, the word to is a preposition. It belongs to the whole expression; it is not the infinitive to in “want to meet.” Put a noun phrase after it, such as the reunion, or use an -ing form to name an activity: meeting, seeing or joining. That gives you “look forward to meeting,” not “look forward to meet.”
Name an event or an activity.
I’m looking forward to the class reunion.
We’re looking forward to meeting our new neighbors.
I’m looking forward to seeing your photos.
The expression keeps to in both patterns. What follows is either a noun phrase or an -ing form; it is not a bare verb such as meet.
Write a natural closing or reply
Choose the expression
Use look forward to when you feel positive about a future event.
Name what you anticipate
Add a noun such as the visit, or an activity such as meeting your team.
Check the verb form
If an action follows to in this expression, use meeting, not meet.
Try it now
Check what you’ve learned.
Read all answers and explanations
Complete: I’m looking forward to ___ you.
meetingUse the -ing form after look forward to.
Which noun phrase fits the pattern?
I’m looking forward to the workshop.The noun phrase the workshop follows to.
Choose the sentence that expresses positive anticipation.
I’m looking forward to the reunion.The expression looks ahead to something welcome.
Put it into practice
Improve the message.
Keep your team’s plan to meet the other team on Friday. Fix the form after look forward to.
We’re looking forward to meet your team on Friday.
See a model answer
We’re looking forward to meeting your team on Friday.
The edit changes only the verb form that needs repair. It keeps both the planned meeting and its date.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Can I put a noun after “look forward to”?
Yes. You can name the future event directly rather than describing an action.
“We’re looking forward to the festival.”
Is “I look forward to meeting you” also correct?
Yes. It is common in formal messages. “I’m looking forward to meeting you” is also correct and often sounds more conversational. Both keep the -ing form after to.
Take it into your day
Think of something you expect to enjoy. Say it once with a noun and once with an -ing form: “the visit” and “visiting…”
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