Be my guest vs Make yourself at home

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Be my guest

Informal Top 3,000 (common)

Make yourself at home

Top 2,000 (common)

Most formal: Make yourself at home Most common: Make yourself at home

	Be my guest	Make yourself at home
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //biː maɪ ɡɛst// 🇺🇸 //bi maɪ ɡɛst//	🇬🇧 //meɪk jɔːˈsɛlf æt hoʊm// 🇺🇸 //meɪk jɔʊrˈsɛlf æt hoʊm//
Meaning	You can use my things or do what I suggest.	Feel comfortable in someone's house.
Example	I have extra chairs for the party. Be my guest and take one.	When you enter, please make yourself at home and enjoy the snacks.
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 3,000 (common)	Top 2,000 (common)
Collocations	be my guest, as you wish, feel free to	make yourself comfortable, make yourself feel welcome, make yourself at ease
Common mistakes	Used in formal invitations, where it might seem too casual., Confused with 'be my guest!' as a sarcastic remark when refusal is expected.	Using it in formal business settings where it feels too casual., Confusing it with 'make yourself comfortable' which has a different tone., Not using it when inviting guests over.
Usage notes	Used informally to invite someone to use your space or resources. Not suitable for formal contexts.	Used when welcoming someone. Suitable for informal settings, not for formal occasions. A friendly invitation.

See it in real clips

Sherlock › S1 E1

Something cold will do. John, have a cup of tea, make yourself at home.

Make yourself at home

Frequently asked questions: Be my guest vs Make yourself at home

What's the difference between Be my guest and Make yourself at home?

Be my guest: You can use my things or do what I suggest. Make yourself at home: Feel comfortable in someone's house.

Which is more formal: Be my guest and Make yourself at home?

Make yourself at home is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Be my guest and Make yourself at home?

Make yourself at home is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Be my guest: I have extra chairs for the party. Be my guest and take one. Make yourself at home: When you enter, please make yourself at home and enjoy the snacks.

Can I use Be my guest and Make yourself at home interchangeably?

Not always. Be my guest and Make yourself at home are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.