How to Say Welcome in French: Bienvenue (and What It Isn't)
Welcome in French is bienvenue - for greeting someone to a place, not replying to thanks. Learn the agreement rule and welcome-home phrases.
Welcome in French is bienvenue, pronounced /byehn-vuh-NÜ/ - used to welcome someone to a place: bienvenue en France, bienvenue chez moi. It does not reply to merci in France (that’s de rien); the formal soyez le/la bienvenu(e) even agrees in gender and number with the guest.
Quick answer
Welcome in French is bienvenue, pronounced /byehn-vuh-NÜ/ - used to welcome someone to a place: bienvenue en France, bienvenue chez moi. It does not reply to merci in France (that’s de rien); the formal soyez le/la bienvenu(e) even agrees in gender and number with the guest.
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Bienvenue: welcoming someone somewhere
Bienvenue en France, bienvenue chez moi (welcome to my place), bienvenue à bord (welcome aboard).
The bienvenue trap (cross-ref)
In France, bienvenue never replies to merci - see the full France/Quebec split in why bienvenue isn’t you’re welcome in France.
Soyez le/la bienvenu(e): the agreement twist
Bienvenu agrees with the gender and number of the person(s) welcomed - a genuinely surprising grammar fact for a phrase this common:
| Form | For |
|---|---|
| soyez le bienvenu | a man |
| soyez la bienvenue | a woman |
| soyez les bienvenus | a group |
Welcome-home and hosting phrases
bienvenue à la maison, fais comme chez toi (make yourself at home), entrez, je vous en prie (please, come in).
Hosting phrases, correctly used
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Questions about this note
Does bienvenue mean you're welcome?
Not in France - it welcomes someone to a place; see our you're welcome guide for the full picture.
How do you say welcome home in French?
Bienvenue à la maison.
What does soyez le bienvenu mean?
A formal "welcome," agreeing in gender: le bienvenu (man), la bienvenue (woman), les bienvenus (plural).
How do you welcome someone into your home?
Entrez, je vous en prie - fais comme chez toi (make yourself at home).
Is bienvenue used the same way in Quebec?
No - in Quebec it also means "you're welcome," unlike in France.