집에 돌아온 것을 환영해
jibe doraon geoseul hwanyeonghae
In Korean, "welcome back home" is expressed as 집에 돌아온 것을 환영해 (jibe doraon geoseul hwanyeonghae).
This phrase is a literal way to express welcoming someone back to their home. While you can use the longer phrase 집에 돌아온 것을 환영해, native speakers more commonly use the much shorter, more colloquial 어서 와 (informal) or 어서 오세요 (polite) to welcome someone home.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 집에 돌아온 것을 환영해 breaks down into 집에 (to home), 돌아온 것 (the act of having returned) and 환영해 (welcome).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a formal or polite setting, you can use 집에 오신 것을 환영합니다 or change the ending to 환영합니다 to create the polite version 집에 돌아온 것을 환영합니다.
How does it change in a sentence?
To make the phrase polite or formal, you change the verb ending from 환영해 to 환영합니다.
How do you pronounce it?
jibe doraon geoseul hwanyeonghae
Did you know?
- In a typical Korean household, a person returning home is more likely to be greeted with 밥 먹었니? (Did you eat?) than a direct welcome back. Food-related inquiries are often a way of expressing care and affection for someone's well-being.
- The word 어서 in 어서 오세요 literally means 'quickly' or 'hurriedly', turning the phrase into a request for the guest to enter the home without hesitation.
- When welcoming a child, Koreans often say 우리 집 ('our home') instead of 'my home'. This reflects a cultural emphasis on collective belonging over individual ownership.
Examples in context
- 안녕하세요, 선생님! 집에 돌아오신 것을 환영합니다.Hello, teacher! Welcome back home.
Example conversation
Seoyeon arrives home after a long trip.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo서연아, 집에 돌아온 것을 환영해!Seoyeona, jibe doraon geoseul hwanyeonghae!Seoyeon, welcome back home!
- 서연 Seo-yeon고마워, 현우야. 정말 보고 싶었어.gomawo, Hyeonwuya. jeongmal bogo sipeosseo.Thanks, Hyeonwu. I really missed you.
- 현우 Hyeon-woo여행은 어땠어? 힘들지 않았어?yeohaengeun eottaesseo? himdeulji anasseo?How was the trip? Was it not too tiring?
- 서연 Seo-yeon조금 힘들었지만 정말 좋았어.jogeum himdeureotjiman jeongmal joasseo.It was a bit tiring, but it was great.
