أهلاً بعودتك
ahlan bi-‘awdatik
The Arabic phrase for "welcome back" is أهلاً بعودتك (ahlan bi-‘awdatik).
Meaning: welcome back (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of ahlan (welcome) and bi- (with/by) + awdatik (your return).
How does it change in a sentence?
The ending of the word awdatik changes depending on whom you are addressing: use the suffix -ka in أهلاً بعودتكَ when addressing a male, and use the suffix -kum in أهلاً بعودتكم when addressing a group of people.
How do you pronounce it?
ahlan bi-‘awdatik
Did you know?
- In many Arabic-speaking cultures, أهلاً بعودتك is often accompanied by the phrase نورت or نورت البيت, which means 'you have brought light to the house'.
- The word أهلاً in the phrase comes from the word 'family' or 'kin', implying that the person returning is being welcomed as if they were part of your own household.
- In many Middle Eastern cultures, saying 'welcome' is often accompanied by a physical gesture of placing the right hand over the heart to show sincerity.
Examples in context
- أهلاً بعودتك. لقد اشتقنا إليك!Welcome back. We missed you!This example shows how to express that the person was missed after saying أهلاً بعودتك.Tatoeba #618530 by saeb, translation #599638 by kebukebu
- أهلاً بعودتك من السفر.Ahlan bi-awdatika min as-safar.Welcome back from your travels.
- أهلاً بعودتك إلى المنزل.Ahlan bi-awdatika ila al-manzil.Welcome back to the house.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Omar greets Nour at the airport after her long trip.
- عمر Omarأهلاً بعودتك يا نور!Ahlan bi-awdatiki ya Nour!Welcome back, Nour!
- نور Nourشكراً لك يا عمر.Shukran laka ya Omar.Thank you, Omar.
- عمر Omarكيف كانت الرحلة؟Kayfa kanat ar-rihla?How was the trip?
- نور Nourكانت رحلة رائعة.Kanat rihla ra'i'a.It was a wonderful trip.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
