アメリカへようこそ
Amerika e yōkoso
アメリカへようこそ (Amerika e yōkoso) is the Japanese way to say "welcome to america".
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 phrase is composed of アメリカ (America), へ (to/towards) and ようこそ (welcome).
Which one should you use?
The standard form is アメリカへようこそ. You may also see ようこそ、アメリカへ, which carries the same meaning. For a much more polite and formal expression, you can use アメリカへのご来国、歓迎いたします, which translates to "We warmly welcome your arrival to America."
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle へ indicates the direction or destination of the welcome, translating to "to" or "towards".
How do you pronounce it?
Amerika e yōkoso
Did you know?
- The phrase ようこそ is actually a shortened version of the phrase よくこそおいでくださいました, which means 'you have done well to come'.
- While ようこそ is used for welcoming people to a place, Japanese has a different word, いらっしゃい, for welcoming customers into a shop or restaurant.
- When saying ようこそ, it is common to accompany the phrase with a slight bow. The depth of the bow changes depending on whether you are welcoming a casual friend or a high-ranking official.
Examples in context
- 日本からのお客様、アメリカへようこそ。Nihon kara no okyaku-sama, Amerika e yōkoso.To our guests from Japan, welcome to America.
Example conversation
At the airport arrivals gate, a friend meets a friend who just landed.
- 大翔 Hirotoアメリカへようこそ！Amerika e yōkoso!Welcome to America!
- 美咲 Misakiありがとう、大翔。Arigatō, Hiroto.Thank you, Hiroto.
- 大翔 Hiroto長旅でお疲れ様。Nagatabi de otsukaresama.You must be tired from the long trip.
- 美咲 Misaki少し疲れたけど、嬉しい。Sukoshi tsukareta kedo, ureshii.I'm a little tired, but I'm happy.
