See You Later, Alligator…
QUESTION:
Oscar from Peru has heard people say, “See you later, alligator” with someone else answering, “not too soon, racoon.” He wants to know if this is common in the U.S.
ANSWER:
I have never actually heard the version of this popular exchange (conversation) that Oscar mentions. The more common version is: “See you later, alligator,” with the response, “After a while, crocodile.”
This is a funny way that children sometimes say goodbye to each other. It’s just one of those things that we did as kids to be funny. The top picture on the right is of an alligator and the bottom picture is of a crocodile. Why do we use alligator and crocodile? Maybe it’s because they’re so cute and cuddly (making you want to hold them in your arms tightly, close to your body)??
See you later is, of course, a very common way to informally say goodbye. Other ways to informally say goodbye are:
- See you.
- Catch you later.
- Later.
- Bye.
- Nice seeing you.
- Good to see you.
Note that with the expression “See you,” Americans pronounce the “you” as “ya,” so that “See you” is actually pronounced “See ya.” In fact, pronouncing it as “See you” would sound strange to a native speaker.
The other expressions–”catch you later,” “nice to see you,” and “good to see you.”–can be pronounced either way, as “you” or “ya.” The less formal you are, the more likely you are to say “ya” rather than “you.”
I hope that was useful, Oscar, and thanks for the question.
See ya all later!
~ Lucy
July 21st, 2009 at 8:07 am
Dear my goodness, and Good Morning all of my spaceship companions! are you ready for the ride to the seven vivid color rainbows this morning! What is in your mind at this precious moment? is This to much heaven interesting chatting, is this too much heaven colorful exchanging! catch you later, all of my lovely allegators. Your lonesome viet guy in a abandon house. I am hearing a sreaming voice back of this deserted house, and I am smiling to you. Keochua(sour candy).
July 21st, 2009 at 9:31 am
Some years ago there was a song with the lyric:
Hasta luego cocodrilo,no pasaste de caiman,
Hasta luego cocodrilo, no pasaste de caiman,
y al cuac-cuac no me interesa
ya no molestes mas!
El me dijo nena linda, me tienes q perdonar
El me dijo nena linda, me tienes q perdonar
y como ago el cocodrilo, antony se echo a llorar
Esto lo diras en broma, yo ya tengo otro qerer
Esto lo diras en broma,yo ya tengo otro qerer
Y aunq yo ya fui desprecio, solo tengo q decir:
Hasta luego cocodrilo, no pasaste de caiman,
Hasta luego cocdrilo, no pasaste de caiman,
Y si tu ya no me entiendes,
otrto si me entendera.
Hasta luego cocodrilo, no pasaste de caiman,
Hasta luego cocdrilo, no pasaste de caiman,
Hasta… luegooo… cocodrilo…,
YA NO ME MOLESTES MAS!!
In English it is very difficult to translate, but may be it sounds also in USA and South America and that´s the reason of saying “see you later alligator” or “after a while crocodile”.
In the song someone is saying “So long crocodile, your didn´t grown up till caiman” “your love doesn´t interest me any more” and ” for ever don´t bore me”
“He told me your are not serious, you have to forgive me baby”……”and as a crocodile he started to cry”….. and so on.
Yes, I know it is funny, a silly thing, but the song was very very popular here and has also a funny and happy lyric.
I have seen it by Google, what would we do without google?……I don´t really know.
Keochua, please, do it every morning you are really a poet….and I´ll go with you in the spaceship to the vivid rainbow of imagination colous.
That´s for sure.
July 21st, 2009 at 12:41 pm
Hello Lucy,
I’ve never heard people said this version either, but that’s why I try not to miss reading
this wonderful blog on a regular basis, and because you always have something important
to let people know or to make something clear.
Thanks a lot Lucy, keep doing this great job.
Wish Jeff and you the best.
Jorge Ramírez
*** Dominican Republic PRESEEENTE***
July 21st, 2009 at 7:35 pm
Congratulations on English Cafe 200 next week!
July 21st, 2009 at 8:00 pm
they’re so cute and cuddly ?? no wayy! they will bite you!!
July 22nd, 2009 at 2:54 am
Hi Lucy,
You shouldn`t forget, that’s a famous song by Bill Haley.
My opinion is, tha he was the inventor of Rock ‘n Roll.
best wishes….detlef
July 22nd, 2009 at 1:36 pm
The English Cafe 200… Maybe we will find a video with Jeff singing a song and also we will see Lucy again…
Good to see you
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:06 pm
To Back up Lucy,I have never heard of see you racoon Either . But See you later, alligator is common place. Mostly used by children ,and some times by girls ,particularly in a couply relation ship. they use it in reffer to guys . I suspect,There is a slight conotation of flirting or being charming to it. But, there is a better , and more wildly common expression. the expresion goes like that : Good morning sunshine
Mostly used by Guys in reffer to thrie girls ( girl friends) on the phone when they call them in the morning, particularly at noon when they still sound half-sleep.
Lucy , How about see you around ,particularly when in a party.
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:16 pm
My dear blog mate Nina.
Now you are talking .
Let’s cross our fingers and hope that we are bestowed the honour this time around. Hope ,we could catch a glance at Lucy, who is very dear to all of us. I Myself desperately looking forward to it. Let’s appeal to Jeff. He may talk her into it.
Still no pressure Lucy, Do as you see fit that as you thought us “Beggars can’t be choosers.”
Yours,
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:34 pm
English Coffe 200 , Man, It is something, isn’t it ?
Jeff, Way to go . You are a Golden boy,bro ,you really are.
July 22nd, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Dear my goodness! And all of my cronies! English Cafe 200 is coming pretty soon, Time fly into a streak of light, it is so accelerated that spark off some of my thought! ! I just discovered the light about 2 month ago; sure I missed a lot of glamorous sequels that the supreme couples stroked onto my path of life. Cafe‘ve been tasting so good I swallowed a very drop it. Sometime, I felt not enough! I devoured the cup too. Believe it or not? It is true. Even with that diminutive of time, I‘ve still harvested a ample amount knowledge’s about English America cultures. Let’s give cafe200 a big smooching, it is a time for celebration, it is a time for music food and dancing. Throwing some festival, merry confetti all over the wind, and sing the song” time for celebration, come on!”. I don’t spot Lucy yet; maybe my goodness is 200 year old and ugly. I still revere my supremacy power for long long time. Your Viet guy in CA; Keochua(Sour-candy).
July 23rd, 2009 at 2:47 am
Hi ! Delightful this language , the Spanish ! So soft , so tranquila , so sweet … like the Julio Iglesias’ songs . We have a TV channel with Spanish movies from South America .
We often use “Oh, my corason !”
Thank you for your song , Emiliano .
All the best for you all . See you later , alligators on the spaceship admiring the rainbow .
Tania
July 23rd, 2009 at 6:52 am
Lucy, don’t you think they did it that way simply because later rhyme alligator.
By now,
July 26th, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Thanks Lucy for your wonderful blogs! a friend of mine asked me about it and now Here’s the answer!
Just a short thank-you note for all the workers in the ESLpod site . .
Thanks a million !
Catch ya later!
Fatima~
July 27th, 2009 at 7:32 am
Tania, from time to time I like to listen to Julio Iglesias because I agree absolutely with you, so nice voice and quite so good music. I like all the
songs he did from South America, I like also M.Dolores Pradera. She has a strong voice and a very hearted way of singing all the Latino music.
M.Dolores Pradera also was born in Madrid too and live in Chile several years.
Do you know Tania that Julio Iglesias was born the same year than me?, we have same age and he was born in Madrid too.
El es mi colega. (he is my chap)
Joan Manuel Serrat was born also the same year than Julio and me, but he was born in Barcelona instead of Madrid. I like him very much too.
Rocio Durcal, she wasn´t here any more, was also born in Madrid, very near the street I was born too, and more or less same age also if she
would be alive now.
The great Placido Domingo was born also in Madrid, two years before than me……you may see Madrid has something special that make great
singers…….but not me. I´m so sorry, I would like to sing as Jeff does so well, but I am horrible.
July 27th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
It’s so interesting because my son is learning English now in preschool. He just learned this topic a few weeks ago. “See you later, alligator. After a while, crocodile”. Now I knew where it is from.
July 28th, 2009 at 1:46 am
Hi ! Unfortunately I do not know very well latino music , but J. Iglesias , H. Iglesias , R. Martin … and you forgot the great Carerras from Barcelona . Carreras visited twice my country . He is fantastic .
Indeed , Madrid is Madrid .
But I watched TV a concert with P. Domingo , Pavarroti and Carerras which took place in China .
I have never seen such a wonderful show … such , such nice .
By the way , do you know P. Domingo was in love with a Romanian opera singer ?
Emiliano , thank you for your kind information .
All the best for you all ,
Tania
August 1st, 2009 at 1:18 am
I’d like to ask you something about “saying goodbye”.
When I watch the movie or meet someone who’s foreigner,
they use to say “Nice meeting you”.
Could you pls let me know the difference between “nice to meet you” & “nice meeting you”?