What Does "I Miss You" Mean?

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Learn many different ways to express your feelings for someone

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“I Miss You” Meaning

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“I Miss You” vs. “Missed You”

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Romantic Ways to Say “I Miss You”

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Platonic Ways to Say “I Miss You”

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Responding to “I Miss You”

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Expert Interview

In English, “I miss you” is a common phrase that lets someone know that you feel sad about their absence. It’s sometimes said to express love between romantic partners, or as an affectionate gesture between friends or family. We’ll give you the complete definition of the phrase, as well as tell you what “missed you” means in certain contexts. Then, we’ll offer different ways to say “I miss you” both romantically and platonically, and some common ways to respond when someone says, “I miss you.”

Things You Should Know

“I miss you” is another way to say that you feel someone’s absence, or that you’re sad when they’re away from you.
In more casual contexts, “I missed you” can mean that you didn’t see someone at a place or an event where you expected them to be present.
Other ways to say “I miss you” include: “I wish you were here,” “I can’t wait to see you again,” and, “I long for you.”

Section 1 of 5:

“I Miss You” Meaning

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“I miss you” means that someone’s absence makes you sad. When someone says, “I miss you,” it means that they feel poorly when you're not around, or that they feel or notice your absence.^{[1]XResearch source} They wish you weren’t away from them, and they look forward to being reunited with you. “I miss you” is sometimes said to romantic partners to express affection while they’re away. It can also be said to friends or close family. In most situations, it tells the other person that they’re important to you.
- When a girl or a guy you’re romantically interested in says, “I miss you,” it often means that they share your feelings and want to spend time with you.
- Past tense: “I missed you.”
- Future tense: “I will miss you.”
- Example: “I miss you, come back soon!”

Section 2 of 5:

“I Miss You” vs. “Missed You”

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“Missed you” means that you didn’t see someone you expected to. The conjugations “Missed you” or “I missed you” can be used as a more formal statement than “I miss you.” In certain contexts, it means that you expected to see someone at a particular place or event, but they weren’t there or you failed to meet them.^{[2]XResearch source}
- Example: “I thought I might see you at the grocery store, but I missed you.”

Section 3 of 5:

Romantic Ways to Say “I Miss You”

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“I long for you.” This is a more passionate way to say “I miss you” that communicates your strong desire to reunite. To “long for” something means to desire it. You might also say, “I yearn for you.”^{[3]XResearch source}
- “I can’t stand being apart from you. I long for you.”
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“I can’t stop thinking about you.” This sentence tells the other person that, though you’re apart, you think about them frequently.^{[4]XResearch source} You might also say, “You’re on my mind,” which is an idiom that means much the same thing.
- “It’s been too long since I’ve seen you, I can’t stop thinking about you.”
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“I wish you were here with me.” This sentence communicates your desire for someone to be close to you when you’re separated.^{[5]XResearch source} To make it more casual, you might say, “I wish you were here,” or just, “Wish you were here.”
- “I wish you were here with me to watch the sunset.”
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“I’m counting the days until I see you again.” This is a more dramatic way to say “I miss you” that suggests that you’re looking forward to the moment you’re reunited, and keeping track of the time until then.^{[6]XResearch source} You might also say, “I’m counting the moments until we next meet.”
- “You’ve been gone so long that I’m counting the days until I see you.”
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“I’m not complete without you.” This is a very dramatic way to say that you feel like a part of you is gone when the other person is away.^{[7]XResearch source} You could also say, “There’s a hole in my heart without you,” which is a romantic idiom that means the same thing.
- “Hurry home, I’m incomplete without you.”
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“I feel lost without you.” This expression means that, without the other person by your side, you feel disoriented or without purpose.^{[8]XResearch source} Similar expressions are, “You give me purpose,” or, “I’m lonely without you.”
- “I don’t know what to do when you’re gone. I feel so lost without you.”

Section 4 of 5:

Platonic Ways to Say “I Miss You”

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“I look forward to seeing you again.” This is a somewhat formal way to say “I miss you” that tells the other person that you’re excited to be reunited.^{[9]XResearch source} In more professional settings, you might say, “I look forward to our next meeting.”
- “I loved talking with you, and I can’t wait to see you again.”
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“I thought about you.” This is a casual way to say that, while you were apart, you thought about the other person, or saw or heard something that reminded you of them.^{[10]XResearch source} It’s a friendly way to tell someone that you feel close to them.
- “I thought about you yesterday while running errands.”
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“I hope to see you soon.” This statement lets the other person know that you wish to meet with them in the near future, or that you can’t wait to talk to them again.^{[11]XResearch source} It’s a pleasant and casual statement you might say to your friends or acquaintances.
- “I enjoyed our time together, and I hope to see you again soon.”
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“It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.” This is another way of saying that you feel that you don’t see or talk to the other person often enough. You wish you had more occasions to speak to them, and that you hope the next time you meet is sometime soon.
- “It’s been so long since I’ve seen you! We should meet more often.”
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“Please stay in touch.” To “stay in touch” means to stay in contact. This is a somewhat formal way to tell another person to contact you in order to maintain your relationship.^{[12]XResearch source}
- “Here’s my phone number. Stay in touch!”
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“Come visit again soon.” This means that you hope the other person will come to see you again.^{[13]XResearch source} It lets them know that they’re welcome in your home, and that you miss them while they’re away.
- “I love seeing you, come visit again soon!”
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“I want to catch up with you.” This is another way of saying that you want to talk with someone soon. To “catch up” means to tell each other about what’s happened recently in your lives. It’s a great way to stay connected.
- “Do you want to get coffee with me? I want to catch up with you.”

Section 5 of 5:

Responding to “I Miss You”

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“I miss you, too!” When someone says, “I miss you,” saying, “I miss you, too,” is a simple and common response.^{[14]XResearch source} It lets them know that you share their feelings, whether they’re romantic, friendly, or formal.
- “I miss you, too. Let’s talk soon!”
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“I’ll see you again soon.” Telling someone that you’ll see them again soon lets them know that you plan on meeting them again. It tells them that you enjoyed their company, and want to enjoy it again. If you say this, make plans for when you’ll see them next.
- “I’ll see you again soon! Can you meet me next week?”
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“You’re always on my mind.” This is a more romantic response to “I miss you.”^{[15]XResearch source} If someone is “on your mind,” it means that you think about them often. Telling someone this is a touching and intimate way to say that they mean a lot to you. It’s also a great way to respond to a text that says, “I miss you.”
- “I always miss you when you leave, and when you go, you’re always on my mind.”
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“Tell me about your day.” Asking someone to tell you about their day is a nice way to reconnect with a person and start a conversation after they tell you they miss you. It tells them that you care about their life and what kind of things they’ve done since you last saw them.
- “It’s been too long since I saw you, tell me about your day.”
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“I’m so happy to hear from you!” This is a sweet way to tell someone that you’re glad they’re talking to you again after a period of absence. It lets them know that they’re welcome to speak to you, and that you missed them, as well.
- “I was wondering where you went, I’m so happy to hear from you again.”