Sofia · Learn Spanish How to say it in Spanish How to Say Welcome in Spanish (+ Variations You'll Hear)
The way to say “welcome” in Spanish is ¡Bienvenido! — pronounced byen-veh-NEE-doh — literally “well come,” just like the English. There’s one twist English doesn’t have: the word changes to match who you’re welcoming. A man is bienvenido, a woman is bienvenida, a group is bienvenidos (or bienvenidas if it’s all women).
And one giant clarification before anything else: this is “welcome” as a greeting. If you want “you’re welcome” as the reply to “thank you,” that’s a completely different phrase — de nada — and mixing them up is the #1 mistake learners make with this word. We’ll sort both out below.
The main way to say it
¡Bienvenido! — byen-veh-NEE-doh
Pronunciation notes:
- Four syllables, stress on the third: byen-veh-NEE-doh.
- The v in Spanish sounds like a soft b — bien-beh-NEE-doh is actually closer to what natives say.
- The opening bien is one quick syllable: “byen,” not “bee-en.”
Now the agreement rule, because Spanish welcomes people precisely:
| Who arrives | You say |
|---|---|
| One man | ¡Bienvenido! |
| One woman | ¡Bienvenida! |
| A mixed group or all men | ¡Bienvenidos! |
| A group of women | ¡Bienvenidas! |
Add the destination with a: Bienvenidos a México (welcome to Mexico), Bienvenida a la familia (welcome to the family).
Variations
| Spanish | Pronunciation | When to use it |
|---|---|---|
| ¡Bienvenido/a/os/as! | byen-veh-NEE-doh | The standard welcome, matched to the guest |
| ¡Pásale! | PAH-sah-leh | Very Mexican: “come on in!” — at the door |
| Pásale, estás en tu casa | … ehs-TAHS en too KAH-sah | ”Come in, make yourself at home” — the full Mexican welcome |
| Mi casa es tu casa | mee KAH-sah ess too KAH-sah | ”My house is your house” — famous for a reason; Mexicans really say it |
| Siéntete como en tu casa | SYEN-teh-teh KOH-moh en too KAH-sah | ”Make yourself at home” |
| Adelante, por favor | ah-deh-LAHN-teh | Formal “please, come in” — offices, usted situations |
| ¡Qué gusto verte! | keh GOOS-toh VEHR-teh | ”So good to see you!” — welcoming a familiar face |
| ¡Qué milagro! | keh mee-LAH-groh | ”What a miracle!” — teasing welcome for someone you haven’t seen in ages |
The cultural star here is ¡Pásale! At a Mexican home, the door opens and before you can say a word you’ll hear “¡Pásale, pásale! ¿Ya comiste?” — “Come in, come in! Have you eaten?” Hospitality in Mexico moves fast: you’ll be welcomed, seated, and holding a plate within minutes. Estás en tu casa (“you’re in your own house”) isn’t a figure of speech so much as a standing policy — and the correct response is warm thanks, not taking inventory of the fridge.
Hear it in context
Arriving at a friend’s house:
— ¡Hola! Ya llegamos. — ¡Bienvenidos! Pásenle, pásenle, están en su casa. — Gracias. Trajimos un pastel. — ¡No se hubieran molestado! Siéntense, ¿qué les ofrezco de tomar?
— Hi! We’re here. — Welcome! Come in, come in, make yourselves at home. — Thanks. We brought a cake. — You shouldn’t have! Sit down — what can I get you to drink?
A new coworker’s first day:
— Ella es Laura, empieza hoy en el equipo. — ¡Bienvenida, Laura! Qué gusto tenerte aquí. — Gracias, estoy muy emocionada. — Cualquier cosa que necesites, aquí estamos.
— This is Laura, she starts on the team today. — Welcome, Laura! Great to have you here. — Thank you, I’m really excited. — Whatever you need, we’re here.
Notice pásenle and siéntense in the first dialog — Mexican Spanish uses ustedes for any group, so door-side commands take the plural form.
Common mistakes
- Using “bienvenido” to mean “you’re welcome.” Someone says gracias? The answer is de nada (“it’s nothing”), no hay de qué, or the very Mexican con gusto / para servirle. Answering “¡bienvenido!” to a thank-you is a direct English calque and a guaranteed puzzled look.
- Forgetting gender agreement. Greeting a woman with “¡Bienvenido!” is a small but visible slip. Match the ending to the person: bienvenida.
- Welcoming a group with the singular. Two or more people get bienvenidos (or bienvenidas). English “welcome” never changes, so this one takes conscious practice.
- Saying “bienvenido a” when you mean “you’re welcome to…” English “you’re welcome to use the pool” is an offer, not a welcome: in Spanish, puedes usar la alberca con confianza. (Eres bienvenido does exist — eres bienvenido cuando quieras, “you’re welcome anytime” — but it’s about people being welcome, not permission to do things.)
- Ignoring ¡Pásale! because it’s not in the textbook. If you only ever say bienvenido at the door, you’ll sound like a hotel lobby sign. Mix in pásale and estás en tu casa and you’ll sound like a host.
Related phrases
A good welcome is the start of a whole evening — here’s the rest of it:
- How to say Cheers in Spanish — guests welcomed, glasses raised
- How to say I Miss You in Spanish — for the goodbye at the end of the night
- How to say Good Luck in Spanish — send your guests off to their next adventure
To handle everything between hello and welcome, see our guides to Spanish greetings and introducing yourself in Spanish.
FAQ
How do I say “you’re welcome” in Spanish? De nada. Also common in Mexico: no hay de qué, con gusto, and the courteous para servirle. Never bienvenido — that’s only the greeting.
What does “¡Pásale!” literally mean? “Pass on in.” It’s the everyday Mexican way to usher someone through the door. For a group: ¡Pásenle!
Is “mi casa es tu casa” really used, or is it a cliché? Really used — sincerely. You’ll also hear the polite-form version está usted en su casa. It expresses hospitality, not a literal transfer of property.
How do I welcome someone formally? Bienvenido/a plus usted forms: Adelante, por favor. Está usted en su casa. Perfect for meeting a partner’s parents or receiving a client.
Want to nail the difference between bienvenido and de nada before your next trip? Practice a doorway role-play with Sofia, an AI Spanish tutor who welcomes you in real Mexican Spanish.