bienvenue
/bjɛ̃.v(ə).ny/
The English phrase welcome is translated into French as bienvenue.
bienvenue is the most common and straightforward translation of welcome in French. It can be used as a greeting given upon someone's arrival or as a noun referring to the act of greeting someone's arrival.
Meaning: greeting given upon someone's arrival (intj)
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, bienvenue may be replaced by benvenue or au plaisir.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as a standalone greeting or an interjection to welcome someone, the word is always the feminine singular form 'bienvenue'.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /bjɛ̃.v(ə).ny/ and has 3 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use bienvenue to mean 'you are welcome' in response to 'thank you'. In French, you should use de rien or je vous en prie instead.
Did you know?
- The French word bienvenue and the English word 'welcome' are distant cousins. Both are derived from a Proto-Germanic term meaning 'a welcome guest or arrival'.
- The feminine ending of bienvenue is mandatory when used as a greeting, regardless of who is arriving. It acts as a noun meaning 'a welcome'.
- The word bienvenue can function as an adjective to describe a person who is 'welcome' or 'well-received'. In this specific grammatical role, the ending changes based on the gender of the person.
Examples in context
- Bienvenue à Kyïv !Welcome to Kyiv!Tatoeba #13028328 by Rovo, translation #13026386 by rul
- Bienvenue à bord !Welcome aboard!Tatoeba #181448 by Aiji, translation #54349 by Dejo
- Bienvenue en enfer !Welcome to Hell!Tatoeba #3423898 by GB3, translation #3423897 by rul
- Bienvenue dans notre entrepriseWelcome to our company
- Soyez les bienvenus à notre conférenceYou are welcome to our conference
- Je vous souhaite la bienvenue à cette cérémonieI welcome you to this ceremony
- Nous vous accueillons avec plaisir dans notre établissementWe welcome you with pleasure to our establishment
- Bienvenue à toi dans notre groupeWelcome to you in our group
- Sois le bienvenu chez moiBe welcome at my place
- Sois la bienvenue dans notre équipeBe welcome in our team
- 149 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas arrives at Léa's house for a visit.
- LéaBienvenue chez moi, Lucas !Welcome to my home, Lucas!
- LucasMerci beaucoup, Léa.Thank you very much, Léa.
- LéaEntre, je t'attendais.Come in, I was waiting for you.
- LucasC'est très gentil de ta part.That is very kind of you.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “welcome” translations and entries bienvenue, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bienvenue, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
