velkominn
To say welcome in Old Norse, the word is velkominn.
velkominn was the greeting for someone arriving, as in you are welcome here.
Meaning: greeting given upon someone's arrival (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
vel means well and kominn means come, so the word is literally well come.
How does it change in a sentence?
velkominn is an adjective, so its ending changes with the person greeted. velkominn is the form for one man, and velkomin is the form for one woman.
When do people say it?
The same word lives on in modern Icelandic.
Did you know?
- While velkominn describes the guest as having arrived well, the Norse also used the word fylgja to describe the spiritual companions who might arrive with a visitor, making the act of welcoming a potentially supernatural event.
- In Old Norse society, welcoming a guest was not just polite but a legal and moral obligation detailed in the Hávamál, a collection of wisdom attributed to the god Odin.
- While English uses 'welcome' as both a greeting and a response to 'thank you', Old Norse did not use velkominn to mean 'you are welcome' after someone said thanks.
Examples in context
- Velkominn í hús mitt.Welcome to my house.
- Sérðu hann? Hann er velkominn.Do you see him? He is welcome.
Example conversation
Olaf greets Helga as she arrives at his house.
- OlafVelkominn, Helga!Welcome, Helga!
- HelgaTakk, Olaf.Thanks, Olaf.
- OlafKomið inn í saln.Come into the hall.
- HelgaGott að sjá þig.Good to see you.
