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) |
The word is used as a greeting when someone arrives. You can use 환영합니다 specifically to say 'Welcome to [Place/Event]', such as 'Welcome to Korea'.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase 잘 오셨습니다 literally means 'You have come well'.
Which one should you use?
While 환영합니다 is a direct and formal translation of the concept of 'welcoming' someone, often seen in announcements or written signs, 어서 오세요 is the most common way to say 'welcome' when greeting a guest or customer entering a shop or home.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For formal situations, 환영합니다 is a standard choice. The very formal version of 어서 오세요 is 어서 오십시오, which is typically used in highly professional settings like hotels or high-end department stores. For informal situations, you can use 어서 와 to say welcome or 잘 왔어, which means 'you came well'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun 환영 refers to the act of a 'welcome' or 'reception', while the verb 환영하다 means 'to welcome'.
How do you pronounce it?
hwanyeonghamnida
Did you know?
- In Korea, the greeting 어서 오세요 is often shouted loudly by staff the moment a customer crosses the threshold of a shop to acknowledge their presence immediately.
- The word 어서 used in 어서 오세요 can be traced back to the 'Seokbo sangjeol', a text written in 1447.
- The word 환영 is a Sino-Korean noun, meaning it is built from Chinese characters to form the concept of 'reception' or 'welcome'.
Examples in context
- 타토에바에 오신 것을 환영합니다!Welcome to Tatoeba!This sentence uses 환영합니다 to welcome someone to Tatoeba.Tatoeba #5020798 by Queserasera, translation #1205289 by bart
- 환영합니다.Welcome.This sentence uses 환영합니다 as a simple 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
- 어서오십시오! 반갑습니다.Welcome! Nice to meet you.
- 어서 와! 오랜만이야.Welcome! It's been a while.
- 잘 왔어! 내가 너를 밖에서 기다리고 있었어.Welcome! I was waiting for you outside.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Minjun welcomes Seoyeon to his new office.
- 민준 Min-jun제 사무실에 오신 것을 환영합니다.je samusire osin geoseul hwangyeonghamnida.Welcome to my office.
- 서연 Seo-yeon초대해 주셔서 감사합니다, 민준 씨.chodaehae jusyeoseo gamsahamnida, Minjun ssi.Thank you for inviting me, Minjun.
- 민준 Min-jun여기 편하게 앉으세요.yeogi pyeonhage anjeuseyo.Please have a seat here.
- 서연 Seo-yeon사무실이 정말 멋지네요.samusiri jeongmal meotjineyo.The office is really nice.
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.
