bienvenido a la familia
/bjembenido a la familja/from spelling rules
The English phrase "welcome to the family" is translated into Spanish as bienvenido a la familia.
This greeting is used to make a new member feel accepted and happy to join a family group.
What does it mean word for word?
The word bienvenido is a compound of bien (well) and venido (come), literally meaning "well-come".
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes depending on who you are welcoming. Use bienvenida a la familia if the person being welcomed is female. Use bienvenidos a la familia if you are welcoming a group of people or a mixed-gender group. If you are welcoming a group consisting only of females, use bienvenidas a la familia. In written text, you can use bienvenido/a a la familia to indicate that the welcome applies to either a male or female recipient.
Did you know?
- The word familia has a surprising history, as it originally referred to the 'slave staff' of a Roman household rather than just blood relatives.
- When welcoming someone to the family, it is common to accompany the phrase with a besito or a kiss on the cheek, even if the two people have never met before.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, the concept of familia extends beyond blood relatives to include very close friends, known as familia elegida or chosen family.
Examples in context
- Bienvenido a la familia, José. Nos alegra tener a un hombre tan maravilloso como tú en nuestras vidas.Welcome to the family, José. We're thrilled to have such a wonderful man in our lives.
- Es un placer tenerte en la familia, Ana. Esperamos compartir momentos inolvidables.It's a pleasure to have you in the family, Ana. We look forward to sharing unforgettable moments.
- ¡Es genial tenerte en la familia! Sabes que siempre serás bienvenido en nuestra casa.It's great to have you in the family! You know you'll always be welcome in our home.
- ¡Bienvenido a la familia, hijo!Welcome to the family, son!
- Eres una parte importante, bienvenido a la familia.You are an important part, welcome to the family.
- Bienvenido a la familia, nos alegra mucho tenerte.Welcome to the family, we are very happy to have you.
Example conversation
Alejandro is greeting Sofía, his new sister-in-law, at a dinner.
- AlejandroHola, Sofía. ¡Bienvenido a la familia!Hi, Sofía. Welcome to the family!
- SofíaMuchas gracias, Alejandro. Estoy muy feliz.Thank you very much, Alejandro. I am very happy.
- AlejandroTodos estamos muy contentos de tenerte aquí.We are all very glad to have you here.
- SofíaEs un placer conocer a todos.It is a pleasure to meet everyone.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries a, bienvenido, familia, la, CC BY-SA 4.0.
