soo dhowow
In Somali, the English phrase "welcome" is expressed as soo dhowow.
The phrase is used as a greeting given upon someone's arrival. When used as Soo dhowow!, it can mean "Welcome!" or "Come in!"
Meaning: greeting given upon someone's arrival (intj)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the verb soo (come/towards) and dhowow (be close/near), literally meaning "come close".
Did you know?
- Because Somali is a highly oral culture with a rich tradition of poetry, greetings like soo dhowow are often expanded into elaborate, rhythmic welcoming poems in formal settings.
- Depending on the region, a welcome might be accompanied by the phrase nabad meaning 'peace', as the concept of 'welcome' is inextricably linked to the establishment of peace between host and guest.
- The concept of welcoming guests in Somali society is so strong that it is traditionally considered a social obligation to welcome any traveler, even a total stranger, into one's home.
Examples in context
- Soo dhowow, saaxiibkay.Welcome, my friend.
- Gurigeenna soo dhowow.Welcome to our home.
Example conversation
Farah arrives at Yasmin's house for a visit.
- YasminSoo dhowow, Farah!Welcome, Farah!
- FarahMahadsanid, Yasmin.Thank you, Yasmin.
- YasminSoo gal gudaha.Come inside.
- FarahWaan imaanayaa.I am coming.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “welcome” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
