Meaning & use
we keep in touch
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Meaning
phrasefixed phrase
We regularly communicate with each other, usually by phone, email, or meeting, so the relationship stays alive.
Grammar: A full clause with subject 'we' and verb 'keep'. The base phrase is 'keep in touch'; with 'we' it states a fact about two or more people including the speaker.
Patterns
- keep in touch with someone
- keep in touch by email/phone
- we keep in touch
My sister lives abroad, but we keep in touch every week.
Even after university, we keep in touch through a group chat.
We keep in touch mostly by email because of the time difference.
Common combinations
- keep in touch with someone
- I try to keep in touch with my old colleagues.
- keep in touch by email
- We keep in touch by email since she moved away.
- stay in touch
- Let's stay in touch after the course ends.
- lose touch
- We lost touch for years, then met again at a wedding.
Synonyms and how they differ
- stay in contact
- Very similar, but slightly more formal and often used in business writing.
- communicate regularly
- A neutral description; it does not imply a personal relationship as strongly.
Opposites
Word family
- keep in touch phrase
- The base phrase without 'we', used as an instruction or wish.
- touch noun
- In this phrase, 'touch' means contact, not physical touching.
Commonly confused: we keep in touch or keep in contact?
we keep in touch vs keep in contact
Both are correct, but 'keep in touch' is more common in everyday speech; 'keep in contact' sounds slightly more formal.
Practice
Choose the sentence that correctly uses the phrase.
Choose one answer.
'Keep in touch with someone' is the correct pattern. Option 2 has the wrong word order, option 3 omits the preposition 'with', and option 4 uses 'touching' instead of the noun 'touch'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “we keep in touch”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.