bienvenido a España
/bjembenido a espaɲa/from spelling rules
The English phrase "welcome to Spain" is translated into Spanish as bienvenido a España.
This phrase is a greeting used to welcome someone who has just arrived in Spain.
What does it mean word for word?
The word bienvenido is a combination of bien (well) and venido (come), which literally means "well-come". The preposition a is used to mean "to" when indicating the destination of the welcome.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word bienvenido must change depending on whom you are addressing. Use the feminine form bienvenida if you are welcoming a single woman. Use the plural form bienvenidos if you are welcoming a group of people. If you are welcoming a group consisting only of women, use the feminine plural form bienvenidas.
Did you know?
- The word España might be a translation of a Punic phrase meaning 'island of the hyrax', an animal that the early settlers of the Iberian Peninsula likely mistook for a local species.
- Spanish has no single word that captures the full breadth of the English 'welcome'. To express 'you are welcome' after someone says 'thank you', Spanish speakers use de nada, which literally means 'of nothing'.
- While bienvenido describes a guest who has arrived, the same word can be used as an adjective to describe something that is 'welcome' or 'timely', such as a 'welcome' rain during a drought.
Examples in context
- Bienvenido a España, amigo.Welcome to Spain, friend.
- ¡Bienvenido a España! ¿Cómo estuvo tu vuelo?Welcome to Spain! How was your flight?
- Bienvenido a España, es un placer verte.Welcome to Spain, it is a pleasure to see you.
Example conversation
María meets Javier at the airport.
- María¡Bienvenido a España, Javier!Welcome to Spain, Javier!
- JavierMuchas gracias, María.Thank you very much, María.
- María¿Tienes mucho sueño?Are you very sleepy?
- JavierUn poco, pero estoy muy feliz.A little, but I am very happy.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries España, a, bienvenido, CC BY-SA 4.0.
