How to Say Welcome in Sign Language

A few years ago I stood nervously at the arrival gate of Chiang Mai airport in Thailand. I had no shared spoken language with the family waiting for me, yet the moment our eyes met, the grandmother pressed her palms together under her chin, bowed slightly, and smiled with her whole face.

In that instant, with the simple Thai wai and the word “sà-wàt-dee kâ,” I wasn’t a stranger anymore. I was welcome.

That single moment reminded me of something profound: every culture on Earth has found a way to say “You belong here.” Sometimes it’s one word, sometimes a gesture, sometimes an entire ritual. And in every case, it is one of the most human things we do.

How to Say “Welcome” in Sign Language

1. Extend your right hand in a flat “B” handshape (palm facing left, fingers together).
2. Start with your hand near the right side of your body.
3. Sweep it in a smooth arc toward the center or left side of your body, ending with the palm facing up.
4. Smile — this part isn’t optional.

That sweeping motion is like opening a door or rolling out a carpet. The same core idea appears in British Sign Language (BSL), Australian Sign Language (Auslan), and many others, with slight regional variations.

Now, let’s travel the globe and hear (and see) how the rest of humanity opens that door.

A World of Welcomes

Language	Word/Phrase	Pronunciation (approx.)	Cultural/Linguistic Insight
French	Bienvenue	byan-veh-NEW	Literally “well-come”; used both formally and warmly. The response is often “merci” but never “de rien.”
Spanish	Bienvenido/a	byen-veh-NEE-do/da	Gendered; entire Latin America adds “mi casa es su casa” – my house is your house.
Italian	Benvenuto/a	ben-veh-NOO-to/ta	Literally “well-found”; Italians often kiss on both cheeks immediately after saying it.
German	Willkommen	VIL-kom-men	Related to “will” (desire) + “kommen”; you are desired here.
Portuguese	Bem-vindo/a	beng-VEEN-doo/da	Brazil adds “fique à vontade” – make yourself at home.
Dutch	Welkom	VEL-kom	Simple and direct; often paired with a firm handshake or three kisses on the cheek.
Swedish	Välkommen	VEL-kom-men	Same Indo-European root as German; Swedes often remove shoes immediately as a sign of welcome.
Russian	Добро пожаловать (Dobro pozhalovat’)	DOH-broh poh-ZHAH-loh-vat	Literally “good to have you arrive”; used formally. Casual: “Заходи!” (Come in!)
Greek	Καλώς ήρθες (Kalós írthes)	kah-LOHS EER-thes	Literally “you came well.” Ancient Greeks wrote it on door lintels.
Mandarin Chinese	欢迎 (Huānyíng)	hwan-YEENG	Literally “joyously receive.” Red banners with this word greet guests at weddings and Lunar New Year.
Japanese	ようこそ (Yōkoso)	YOH-koh-so	Formal; everyday welcome is お帰りなさい (okaerinasai) to family – “you have returned home.”
Korean	환영합니다 (Hwan-yeong-hamnida)	hwan-YOUNG-hamnida	Formal; among friends: 어서 와 (eoseo wa) – literally “come quickly!”
Hindi	स्वागत है (Swagat hai)	swaa-GAT hai	Root “swa” = self; welcoming someone as part of your own self. Often with folded hands (namaste gesture).
Arabic	أهلاً وسهلاً (Ahlan wa sahlan)	AH-lan wah SAH-lan	Literally “family and ease”; you are among family and may relax completely.
Hebrew	ברוך הבא (Baruch haba)	bah-ROOKH hah-BAH	“Blessed is the one who comes.” Used for 3,000 years in Jewish tradition.
Swahili	Karibu	kah-REE-boo	Singular; for many people: Karibuni. Immediate reply is often “asante” (thank you).
Zulu	Siyakwemukela / Wamukelekile	see-ya-kwe-moo-KEH-lah	Deeply communal; guests are sacred – “umuntu ngumuntu ngabantu” (a person is a person through others).
Yoruba	Ẹ káàbọ̀	eh KAH-boh	Literally “you have been well-received.” Often repeated three times with increasing warmth.
Māori (New Zealand)	Haere mai / Nau mai	HIGH-reh my / NOW my	“Come here” / “Come to me.” Part of the full pōwhiri welcoming ceremony on the marae.
Hawaiian	Aloha	ah-LO-ha	Means hello, goodbye, love, and welcome – context is everything.
Samoan	Talofa	tah-LO-fah	Also means love; accompanied by cheek-to-cheek hongi-like pressing and sharing breath (hā).
Cherokee	ᎤᏓᏑᏴᎢ (Osiyo / Siyo)	oh-SEE-yoh	Traditional greeting that also means welcome; often with raised hand.
Inuit (Inuktitut)	Tunngasugit	TOONG-ga-soo-git	Literally “you have been welcomed” – used across Arctic Canada and Greenland.
Fijian	Bula	BOOL-ah	Means “life” and “health”; shouted joyfully, often with clapping.

European Languages :

In most European languages, “welcome” traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *wel- meaning “to wish” or “desire.” The German Willkommen and English “welcome” are cousins. Yet each culture layers its own flavor: the French bienvenue is elegant and slightly formal, while the Spanish bienvenido explodes into hugs and kisses the moment you cross the threshold.

Asian Languages :

From the Arabic Ahlan wa sahlan that treats guests as family to the Japanese ritual of removing shoes and offering the best seat, Asia often elevates welcoming to a moral and spiritual obligation. In India, the Sanskrit-derived atithi devo bhava (“the guest is god”) still shapes everyday behavior.

African Languages :

Across hundreds of African languages, welcoming a stranger is often inseparable from the philosophy of Ubuntu – I am because we are. In many Bantu languages, the word for “welcome” and concepts of community are intertwined. Refusing hospitality can be seen as refusing humanity itself.

Indigenous & Island Cultures :

For Māori, Hawaiian, Samoan, and many First Nations peoples, formal welcoming isn’t casual — it can be an hours-long ceremony involving speech-making, song, shared food, and the pressing of noses (hongi) to share the breath of life. To be welcomed onto a marae or an island is to be adopted, even temporarily, into the community.

Deeper Cultural Insights :

The ancient Greeks inscribed Καλῶς ἦλθες (“you came well”) above doorways. Roman hosts sprinkled salt and offered bread — the root of our word “companion” (com = with, panis = bread). In medieval Japan, samurai removed swords before entering a home as the ultimate sign of trust. The Bedouin tradition of offering coffee three times before any business can be discussed still survives in the Gulf today.

Everywhere, welcoming has been both practical (safety in numbers) and sacred (hospitality to strangers was often believed to entertain gods in disguise — think Greek xenia or Abraham’s three visitors).

Proverbs About Welcome From Around the World

• Arabic: “الضيف يجيب رزقه” – The guest brings his own sustenance (God provides through guests).
• Italian: “Ospite caro, vieni una volta; ospite noioso, vieni due” – Dear guest, come once; annoying guest, come twice.
• Yoruba: “Ẹni tó bá ń wọlé wa, ọ̀run ló ń bọ̀ wá” – Whoever enters your house comes from heaven.
• Japanese: “お客様は神様です” – The customer (guest) is god.
• Irish: “Céad míle fáilte” – A hundred thousand welcomes.
• Hawaiian: “He aliʻi ka āina, he kauwā ke kanaka” – The land is chief, man is its servant (hospitality to all who stand on it).

FAQs :

Why do so many languages have similar-sounding words for welcome?

Because most European languages (and many others) share the ancient Indo-European root *wel- (“to wish/desire”). The idea that a guest is “wished for” or “desired” is remarkably consistent.

What is the oldest known written “welcome”?

One of the oldest is ancient Egyptian (c. 2000 BCE): “iqw ib” – “may your heart be pleased” written in tomb visitor inscriptions.

Is it rude to say “you’re welcome” in some cultures?

In France, replying “bienvenue” to “merci” in Québec used to be considered an anglicism; Parisians traditionally say “de rien” or “je vous en prie.” Times are changing.

Which culture has the most elaborate welcoming ceremony?

The Māori pōwhiri and the Ethiopian coffee ceremony both last hours and involve multiple stages of speeches, songs, and ritual actions before the guest is fully “inside.”

Conclusion:

Whether it’s a silent sweep of the hand in sign language, a shouted “Bula!” under coconut palms, or a quiet Arabic murmur of “Ahlan wa sahlan” over tiny cups of coffee, every version means the same thing:

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