Ways to say it
| Turkish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| hoş geldiniz | /ˈhoʃ ɡeldiniz/ | formal, plural |
| hoş geldin | /hoʃ ɟelˈdin/ | singular |
The phrases are used as a greeting given upon someone's arrival. For a more colloquial way to say welcome, which literally means "come in", you can use Buyur.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase hoş geldin literally translates to "you came pleasantly".
Which one should you use?
hoş geldin is the singular and informal version, while hoş geldiniz is the plural and formal version.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Use hoş geldin when speaking to one person you know well or someone younger than you. Use hoş geldiniz when speaking to more than one person or to a single person in a formal or polite context.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The standard polite response to these greetings is hoş bulduk, which means "we found it pleasant" and uses the first-person plural form of the verb bulmak (to find).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /ˈhoʃ ɡeldiniz/. The /h/ is like the [h] in home, /ʃ/ is like the [sh] in shoe, /ɡ/ is like the [g] in ago, /i/ is like the [ee] in creek, /n/ is like the [n] in not and /z/ is like the [z] in zone.
When do people say it?
When someone says hoş geldiniz or hoş geldin, the standard polite response is hoş bulduk, meaning "we found it pleasant".
Did you know?
- The phrase hoş geldiniz is an example of a 'calque', where the structure of the greeting was likely modeled after Classical Persian expressions.
- In some traditional settings, the greeting hoş geldiniz is accompanied by offering a glass of Turkish tea or a coffee to the guest.
- The response hoş bulduk uses the first-person plural 'we' even if only one person is arriving and responding.
Examples in context
- Eve hoş geldin Tom.Welcome home, Tom.This sentence demonstrates using hoş geldin to welcome someone home.Tatoeba #7115067 by tulin, translation #6825888 by CK
- Siber uzaya hoş geldin!Welcome to Cyberspace!This sentence demonstrates using hoş geldin to welcome someone to a digital space.Tatoeba #4756057 by deyta, translation #54158 by rul
- Bu dünyaya hoş geldiniz!Welcome to this world!This sentence demonstrates using hoş geldiniz to welcome people to a world.Tatoeba #4523217 by duran, translation #58252 by Dejo
- Merhaba, hoş geldinizHello, welcome
- Sofranıza hoş geldinizWelcome to your table
- 184 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Burak is arriving at Selin's office for a meeting.
- SelinHoş geldiniz Burak Bey.Welcome, Mr. Burak.
- BurakTeşekkür ederim Selin Hanım.Thank you, Ms. Selin.
- SelinLütfen içeri geçin.Please, come inside.
- BurakÇok naziksiniz.You are very kind.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “welcome” translations and entries hoş geldiniz, hoş geldin, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hoş, hoş geldiniz, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
