laipni lūdzam!
plural
The English phrase "welcome" is translated into Latvian as laipni lūdzam!
laipni lūdzam! is used as a greeting when someone arrives at a destination, such as a business, an event or a specific location.
Meaning: greeting given upon someone's arrival (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the adverb laipni (kindly or generously) and the verb lūdzam (we request or we ask).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
laipni lūdzam! is a formal and standard polite way to welcome someone to a place or an event.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb lūdzam is in the first-person plural form, which implies that we (the hosts) are the ones performing the welcoming.
Did you know?
- The verb lūdzam is the same word used for 'praying' in Latvian. This means that every time someone is welcomed, the phrase carries a hidden linguistic echo of 'we pray' or 'we beseech' the guest to enter.
- While laipni lūdzam! is the standard for arrivals, Latvians do not use this phrase to respond to 'thank you' as English speakers use 'you're welcome'.
- In traditional Latvian rural hospitality, a welcome was often accompanied by the offering of rye bread and salt, a gesture that symbolizes the core of the home's generosity.
Examples in context
- Laipni lūdzam!Welcome!This example shows the use of laipni lūdzam! as a standalone greeting.Tatoeba #11513427 by GemMonkey, translation #4771541 by garborg
- Paldies par sirsnīgo uzņemšanu!Thank you for the warm reception!
Example conversation
Andris greets Linearly at the entrance of his office.
- AndrisSveika, Linearly! Laipni lūdzam!Hello, Linearly! Welcome!
- linearlyPaldies, Andri!Thank you, Andris!
- AndrisLūdzu, ieiec iekšā.Please, come inside.
- linearlyLabi, ejam!Okay, let's go!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “welcome” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
