bienvenue en Amérique
The French phrase for "welcome to america" is bienvenue en Amérique.
This phrase is a greeting used to welcome someone who has just arrived in the United States.
How does it change in a sentence?
In this greeting, bienvenue is used as a noun and remains in the feminine form regardless of the gender of the person being welcomed.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the preposition à instead of en when welcoming someone to a continent or country like America. Avoid saying bienvenue à l'Amérique.
Did you know?
- In Quebec and other French-speaking parts of Canada, you might hear bienvenue used as a response to 'thank you'. This usage is a semantic loan from the English phrase 'you're welcome'.
- In France, the term Amérique usually refers to the entire continent, whereas English speakers often use 'America' to mean only the United States.
- While bienvenue is used to greet someone, the form bienvenu without the final 'e' is used as an adjective to describe someone who is welcome or appreciated.
Examples in context
- Je vous souhaite la bienvenue en Amérique.I wish you welcome to America.
- Bienvenue en Amérique !Welcome to America!
- Enfin, bienvenue en Amérique, mon ami.Finally, welcome to America, my friend.
Example conversation
Gabriel meets Manon at the airport after her long flight.
- GabrielBienvenue en Amérique, Manon !Welcome to America, Manon!
- ManonMerci beaucoup, Gabriel.Thank you very much, Gabriel.
- GabrielTu as passé un bon vol ?Did you have a good flight?
- ManonOui, c'était très agréable.Yes, it was very pleasant.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Amérique, bienvenue, en, CC BY-SA 4.0.
