Besuch

Besuch is a German noun that denotes the act of visiting someone or being visited. It can refer to a social encounter, the arrival of a guest at a home, or the occasion of a visit by a person or delegation. The word can also denote the person who visits (a visitor) in contexts such as “Der Besuch ist eingetroffen” or “Wir erwarten Besuch.”

Common phrases include “einen Besuch machen” or “einen Besuch abstatten” to pay a visit; “zu Besuch kommen” to come for a visit; “bei jemandem zu Besuch sein” to be visiting someone; “Besuch empfangen” to receive a guest; and “Besuch bekommen” to have a visitor. In formal or official language, phrases such as “Staatsbesuch” or “Dienstbesuch” describe visits by dignitaries or officials.

Grammar and usage notes: der Besuch is masculine; plural die Besuche. The genitive singular is des Besuchs. It appears in literature and culture, for example in the title Der Besuch der alten Dame, a 1956 play by Friedrich Dürrenmatt, meaning “The Visit of the Old Lady.” The term is widely used in everyday speech as well as in official and literary contexts to describe the act or occasion of visiting.