willkommen in Amerika
/vɪlˈkɔmən ʔɪn aˈmeːʁika/word by word
The German phrase for "welcome to america" is willkommen in Amerika.
This phrase is a greeting used to welcome someone who has just arrived in the United States.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Willkommen means "welcome".
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the phrase as a standalone greeting or a complete sentence, you must capitalize the first word. Note that the preposition in is used rather than zu because the phrase expresses being welcomed within the boundaries of the country.
How do you pronounce it?
/vɪlˈkɔmən ʔɪn aˈmeːʁika/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use zu (to) instead of in when translating this phrase. However, willkommen in is the correct idiomatic form for arriving in a country.
Did you know?
- In Germany, a common way to welcome guests is with the phrase Herzlich willkommen, which adds the word for 'heartfelt' to make the greeting warmer.
- The root of Willkommen is linked to the word 'Wille', which means 'will' or 'desire' in German. Therefore, to welcome someone is literally to say they are 'will-come' or 'desired to come'.
- While willkommen means 'welcome', the German language has a distinct word Willkommensgruß specifically for a welcoming greeting or gesture.
Examples in context
- Guten Tag! Herzlich willkommen in Amerika! Wie fühlen Sie sich hier?Good day! Welcome to America! How do you feel here?
- Hallo und willkommen in Amerika! Hoffentlich gefällt es Ihnen hier.Hello and welcome to America! Hopefully, you like it here.
- Schön Sie in Amerika zu haben! Viel Spaß bei Ihrem Aufenthalt.Nice to have you in America! Enjoy your stay.
- Wir sagen: willkommen in Amerika!We say: welcome to America!
Example conversation
Hannah meets Felix at the airport.
- HannahHallo Felix, willkommen in Amerika!Hello Felix, welcome to America!
- FelixVielen Dank, Hannah!Thank you very much, Hannah!
- HannahWie war dein Flug?How was your flight?
- FelixEr war sehr lang und anstrengend.It was very long and exhausting.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (willkommen, in, Amerika) and can differ in connected speech.
