Bienvenido
/bjembenido/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'hello welcome' is translated into Spanish as Bienvenido.
This phrase is used as a greeting to welcome someone to a place.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word must change to match the gender and number of the people being welcomed. Use Bienvenido when welcoming a man or a mixed-gender group. Use Bienvenida when welcoming a woman. Use Bienvenidos when welcoming a group of men or a mixed-gender group. Use Bienvenidas when welcoming a group of only women. To say 'welcome to [place]', add the preposition a after the word.
How do you pronounce it?
/bjembenido/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often forget that the form must change to match the gender and number of the person or people being welcomed.
Did you know?
- Depending on the context, bienvenido can be used sarcastically to tell someone they have finally arrived after a very long delay, similar to saying 'look who finally decided to show up'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a verbal bienvenido is often accompanied by a physical touch, such as a pat on the shoulder or a handshake, to reinforce the warmth of the greeting.
- The Spanish word bienvenido is a 'calque', meaning it is a direct word-for-word translation of a Germanic concept into Latin roots.
Examples in context
- Bienvenido a nuestro hogarWelcome to our home
- ¡Bienvenida a la fiesta!Welcome to the party!
- Bienvenido a mi casa.Welcome to my house.
- Hola, bienvenido al hotel.Hello, welcome to the hotel.
- ¡Bienvenido al equipo!Welcome to the team!
Example conversation
Mateo arrives at Elena's apartment for a visit.
- ElenaHola, bienvenido a mi casa, Mateo.Hello, welcome to my house, Mateo.
- MateoMuchas gracias, Elena.Thank you very much, Elena.
- Elena¿Quieres pasar?Do you want to come in?
- MateoSí, gracias.Yes, thank you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bienvenido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
