Nice To: Standard Pattern
Nice To: Standard Pattern records a directly documented English construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced pattern rather than turning one attested complement into a universal prohibition.
Use “nice to” when describing kind, friendly, or polite behavior directed toward a person.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| kind, friendly, or polite behavior directed toward a person | nice to + person | Use the documented person-directed complement. |
| an action described as pleasant or agreeable | nice + to-infinitive | This is a different construction even though the surface sequence also contains “nice to.” |
| the person responsible for the kind act | nice of + person | This is a separate documented pattern, not the focus of this page. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you saying that someone behaves kindly, politely, or pleasantly toward a person?
If yes: Use “nice to” followed by that person or group.
If no: If “to” introduces a verb (“nice to meet…”) or you are using the separate “nice of” construction, apply that different pattern instead.
Caveat: This page covers the person-directed “nice to + person” pattern; it does not claim that every sequence containing “nice to” has that function.
Examples
She was nice to the new student.
“To” introduces the person receiving the kind behavior.
Please be nice to your brother.
The complement names the person toward whom the behavior is directed.
It was nice to hear from you.
Here “to hear” is an infinitive and belongs to a different construction.
Further guidance
Construction
Use “nice to” when describing kind, friendly, or polite behavior directed toward a person.
Style Boundary
“Nice” also appears in other constructions such as “nice of” and “nice to” plus an infinitive; this page covers only the person-directed complement.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- NICE | English meaning — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct Cambridge dictionary evidence for “nice to” when describing kind, friendly, or polite behavior toward a person.