Dictionary / Japanese / Welcome home
How to Say "Welcome home" in Japanese
おかえりなさい
okaerinasai
Literally: (You have) come home
お
(polite prefix)
かえり
coming home
なさい
(gentle request)
Polite or casual
Politeおかえりなさい
Casualおかえり (okaeri)
おかえりなさい is polite and warm, fine for anyone. In families and between friends, おかえり is usual. It is always a reply: the person who arrives says ただいま (tadaima), I'm home, and the people already there answer おかえりなさい. It is also used for welcome back, after a trip or an errand.
Correct
おかえりなさい
What people say wrong
いらっしゃいませ
Welcome, said by shop and restaurant staff to customers. Said to someone coming home, it treats them like a customer.
The mistake to avoid. English uses "welcome" for guests and family alike, so learners reach for いらっしゃいませ, the greeting heard in every shop. That is only for customers. When someone comes home, the exchange is fixed: they say ただいま, and you answer おかえりなさい. In many offices, the same pair is used when a colleague comes back from a meeting outside.
In context
ただいま。おかえり。
Tadaima. Okaeri.
I'm home. Welcome back.
ただいま戻りました。おかえりなさい。
Tadaima modorimashita. Okaerinasai.
I'm back. Welcome back. (at work)
おかえりなさい、旅行はどうでしたか。
Okaerinasai, ryokō wa dō deshita ka.
Welcome back. How was your trip?