willkommen

Willkommen is the German word for "welcome." It is used as a greeting given to someone arriving or entering, and it can also function as an invitation or expression of hospitality. In everyday use, it appears as an interjection, for example when greeting guests, and it is common on signs at the entrance of buildings and events.

Etymology and form: Willkommen originates from a historical compound that combines the idea of wishing or desiring (from the German verb wolen/willen) with coming (kommen). The sense is that a guest is wished to come or is desired to come, which over time became the fixed expression we know today. In modern German, the word can appear as a stand‑alone interjection, or as part of longer phrases such as Herzlich willkommen.

Usage details: Although most speakers prefer the phrase Herzlich willkommen to convey warmth, Willkommen itself is widely understood and used, especially in signs and headings. Grammatically, it can be treated as a noun in the phrase ein herzliches Willkommen, though in ordinary speech it is more often heard simply as an exclamation. The related expression Willkommen in Deutschland or Willkommen bei uns translates to "Welcome to Germany" or "Welcome with us."

Context and equivalents: Willkommen is the standard German counterpart of the English "welcome." In other German-speaking areas, equivalents and variations exist, but Willkommen remains the most common and recognizable form. The term is also encountered in cultural and commercial contexts, where it serves as a friendly, neutral marker of hospitality.