French · Greetings & Essentials
"Welcome!" in French: bienvenue
bienvenue
Welcome in French as a greeting is bienvenue. Bienvenue à Paris means welcome to Paris. For "you're welcome" after thanks, use de rien or je t'en prie—not bienvenue.
At the door
Bienvenue ! Entrez.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce bienvenue
Say it
byan-vuh-NEW
/bjɛ̃.və.ny/
byan-vuh-NEW. Bien nasal; venue like vuh-new.
"Welcome!" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| bienvenue | welcome Greeting on arrival. | Greeting on arrival. |
| bienvenue à… | welcome to… Before a place. | Before a place. |
| soyez les bienvenus | welcome (formal plural) Hosting guests. | Hosting guests. |
| de rien | you're welcome After merci—not bienvenue. | After merci—not bienvenue. |
How to use bienvenue in real life
- 1At the door
Bienvenue ! Entrez.
Welcome! Come in.
Standalone greeting.
- 2City trip
Bienvenue à Lyon.
Welcome to Lyon.
Bienvenue à + city.
- 3Group
Bienvenue chez nous, tout le monde.
Welcome to our place, everyone.
Bienvenue chez nous.
Mistakes English speakers make with bienvenue
Incorrect: Merci ! — Bienvenue.
Correct: Merci ! — De rien.
After thanks, de rien / je t'en prie; bienvenue is the arrival greeting.
Incorrect: Welcome à Paris.
Correct: Bienvenue à Paris.
Use bienvenue.
Good to know
Shop signs say Bienvenue. Hosts say bienvenue chez nous. English speakers often misuse bienvenue for "you're welcome"; French separates the greeting from the thanks reply.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Guests arriving for dinner
ChatPal
Bienvenue ! Laissez vos manteaux ici.
Welcome! Leave your coats here.
You
Merci. Bienvenue dans notre petit chaos.
Thanks. Welcome to our little chaos.
ChatPal
Bienvenue quand même. Vous avez faim ?
Welcome anyway. Are you hungry?
You
Oui ! On apporte le dessert.
Yes! We're bringing dessert.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Welcome!" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Welcome!" in French
How do I say welcome?
Bienvenue.
How do I say welcome to Paris?
Bienvenue à Paris.
How do I say you're welcome?
De rien or je t'en prie—not bienvenue.
How do you pronounce bienvenue?
Byan-vuh-NEW.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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