Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 환영합니다 | hwanyeonghamnida | |
| 잘 오셨습니다 | jal osyeotseumnida | |
| 어서 오세요 | eoseo oseyo | [ʌ̹sʰʌ̹ o̞sʰe̞jo] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 어서 오십시오 | eoseo osipsio | [ʌ̹sʰʌ̹ o̞ɕʰipɕ͈io̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
These expressions are used to greet someone upon their arrival. While the noun 환영 refers to the act of welcome and the verb 환영하다 means to welcome or affirm someone's arrival, the phrases in this pack are used for the actual greeting.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 잘 오셨습니다 literally means "You have come well".
Which one should you use?
The form 환영합니다 is a formal way to say welcome, often used in announcements or signs. In contrast, 어서 오세요 is the standard phrase used by staff to greet customers entering a shop or restaurant. The phrase 어서 오세요 can also be understood as "Come in quickly".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For highly professional settings, such as hotels or high-end department stores, use the very formal 어서 오십시오. For common service situations like a cafe or a store, use 어서 오세요.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "Welcome to [Place]", Koreans often use the structure [Place]에 오신 것을 환영합니다, which literally means "Welcome the fact that you have come to [Place]".
How do you pronounce it?
hwanyeonghamnida
Did you know?
- The greeting 어서 오세요 is often shouted in unison by all staff members when a customer enters a Korean restaurant, creating a loud and energetic atmosphere.
- The word 어서 used in these greetings can be traced back to the 15th century, appearing in the 'Seokbo sangjeol' as 어셔 in 1447.
- The phrase 잘 오셨습니다 implies that the guest made a correct or timely decision by visiting.
Examples in context
- 타토에바에 오신 것을 환영합니다!Welcome to Tatoeba!This sentence shows how to use 환영합니다 to welcome someone to a specific place.Tatoeba #5020798 by Queserasera, translation #1205289 by bart
- 환영합니다.Welcome.Tatoeba #5548645 by YUJIHEE, translation #138919 by CM
- 제 채널에 오신 걸 환영합니다.Welcome to my channel.This sentence uses 환영합니다 to welcome someone to a channel.Tatoeba #13259034 by atitarev, translation #7701941 by soliloquist
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hyunwoo arrives at a small art gallery hosted by Seoyeon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon현우 씨, 진심으로 환영합니다.Hyeonu ssi, jinsimeuro hwangnyeonghamnida.Hyunwoo, you are sincerely welcome.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo초대해 주셔서 감사합니다, 서연 씨.Chodaehae jusyeoseo gamsahamnida, Seoyeon ssi.Thank you for inviting me, Seoyeon.
- 서연 Seo-yeon전시회가 마음에 드셨으면 좋겠어요.Jeonsihoega maeume deusyeosseumyeon jokesseoyo.I hope you like the exhibition.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo정말 멋지네요. 잘 구경할게요.Jeongmal meotjineyo. Jal gugyeonghalgeyo.It is really wonderful. I will enjoy looking around.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “welcome” translations and entries 어서 오세요, 어서 오십시오, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 어서, 어서 오세요, 어서 오십시오, 잘, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
