WEL-kuhm
/ˈwɛlkəm/
welcome is pronounced WEL-kuhm (/ˈwɛlkəm/). Welcome is a friendly greeting or reception extended to someone arriving or joining. It can function as a verb meaning to greet or receive someone warmly, or as a noun referring to the act of greeting or the reception itself. In usage, it conveys warmth, hospitality, and inclusion, signaling that a person is invited or accepted.
Welcome is a friendly greeting or reception extended to someone arriving or joining. It can function as a verb meaning to greet or receive someone warmly, or as a noun referring to the act of greeting or the reception itself. In usage, it conveys warmth, hospitality, and inclusion, signaling that a person is invited or accepted.
"- We’d like to welcome you to the team and show you around."
"- The host greeted us with a warm welcome at the door."
"- A handwritten note can make guests feel welcome in a new place."
Sound it as /ˈwel.kəm/ in US/UK pronunciation. Start with an open front vowel in /e/ as in “bet,” followed by a light /l/ with the tongue near the alveolar ridge. The second syllable is a reduced /kəm/, where /ə/ is a schwa and /m/ is a bilabial nasal. Stress is on the first syllable: WEL-come. In careful speech you’ll hear a crisp /l/ followed by a clear /k/ and a quick, relaxed final /əm/. Audio reference: compare with recordings of native speakers saying “welcome” to feel the rhythm.
Common errors: (1) Overemphasizing the second syllable, making it /ˈwɛl koʊm/ instead of a quick /kəm/. (2) Slurring the /l/ into the following /k/ and producing /wɛlkʊm/ with a harder transition. (3) Misplacing the schwa; some learners insert a full /u/ sound or over-round the vowel. Correction: keep /ˈwel.kəm/ with a light, neutral middle vowel in /kəm/, and practice the separation between /l/ and /k/ by isolating the alveolar and velar articulations; use rapid repetition to smooth the transition.
In US/UK/AU, the first syllable keeps /ˈwel/ with a rhotic influence minimal in non-rhotic accents; the main variation is vowel quality in /e/ (short e vs. closer to /e/); AU tends to be non-rhotic with a softer /ɪ/ in some speakers. All share the /ˈwel/ onset and a reduced /kəm/ second syllable; differences are subtle in vowels in /e/ and the degree of vowel reduction in the second syllable. Overall, the rhotacization is limited; the primary cue remains the first-stressed /ˈwel/.
The difficulty lies in the rapid reduction of the second syllable to /kəm/ with a neutral schwa and the clean, crisp transition from /l/ to /k/. Many learners struggle with keeping the /l/ distinct before a velar /k/ and with reducing the second syllable without elongating it. Achieve precision by practicing tempo-controlled syllables: WEL - /kə/ m, ensuring a short, unstressed vowel and a quick /m/. IPA cues help anchor the placement.
A word-specific nuance is the boundary between /l/ and /k/, which can blur in rapid speech resulting in /ˈwɛlkəm/ if not careful. Another is the consistent primary stress on the first syllable across contexts, even when the phrase is extended (e.g., “a warm welcome”). Keeping the /l/ clear while the tongue shifts to /k/ requires light practice with the alveolar ridge and velum, and practicing with connected speech helps preserve natural rhythm.
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The word welcome comes from the Old English welceme, formed from wel = well, good and cuman = to come. The phrase essentially meant ‘that which comes with wellness or good fortune’ and later narrowed to a friendly reception for arriving people. By the 12th century, welcome referred to the act of greeting someone with hospitality; by the 14th–15th centuries, it also described the feeling of being received politely. The semantic journey shows a shift from a literal sense of “to come well” to a social act of inviting and acknowledging someone's presence. In Middle English, “welcume” appeared in literature and official records, gradually becoming standardized as “welcome.” The modern sense integrates both the action of greeting and the sentiment of warmth and acceptance, frequently appearing in phrases like “you are welcome” and “welcome to the family.” The word’s usage spans hospitality, events, hosts’ responses, and everyday politeness, maintaining a core of inclusion and positive recognition across centuries. Its etymology reflects a cultural emphasis on hospitality as a social glue, evolving with English-speaking communities while preserving the core idea of a favorable reception.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "welcome" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "welcome"
-son sounds
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