ようこそ

Japanese

Japanese phrasebook

This entry is part of the phrasebook project, which presents criteria for inclusion based on utility, simplicity and commonness.

Etymology

/joku koso/ → /jou koso/ → /joːkoso/. From the adverb 良く (yoku, “well”) and the emphatic particle こそ (koso). The medial -k- was elided and the resulting -ou- monophthongized into a long vowel (ウ音便 (u-onbin, “u-euphony”)).

Pronunciation

• (Tokyo) よーこそ [yóꜜòkòsò] (Atamadaka – [1])
• IPA^(key): [jo̞ːko̞so̞]

Adverb

ようこそ • (yōkoso) 

1. welcome (greeting given upon someone's arrival)

   日(に)本(ほん)へようこそ！

   Nihon e yōkoso!

   Welcome to Japan!

   地(ち)球(きゅう)へようこそ！

   Chikyū e yōkoso!

   Welcome to Earth!

   私(わたし)たちの家(うち)へようこそ。

   Watashitachi no uchi e yōkoso.

   Welcome to our home.

Usage notes

Usually follows へ (he, locative particle of a direction to an area, to), similar to "welcome to (an area)", or on its own.