Cool MateBe welcome vs Enjoy yourself
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Be welcome
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Enjoy yourself
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Enjoy yourself
| Be welcome | Enjoy yourself | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //biː ˈwɛlkəm//🇺🇸 //bi ˈwɛlkəm// | 🇬🇧 //ɪnˈdʒɔɪ jɔːˈsɛlf//🇺🇸 //ɪnˈdʒɔɪ jɔˈsɛlf// |
| Meaning | Feel free to be here or join us. | Have a good time and be happy. |
| Example | When you arrive at the party, just be welcome and enjoy the festivities. | When you go on vacation, make sure to enjoy yourself. |
| Register | Neutral | Neutral |
| How common | Beyond 10,000 (less common) | Top 2,000 (common) |
| Collocations | be welcome at any time, be welcome to join, be welcome in our home, be welcome to participate, be welcome among friends | enjoy yourself fully, enjoy yourself at a party, enjoy yourself during a holiday, enjoy yourself responsibly |
| Common mistakes | Saying 'be welcomed' instead of 'be welcome'., Confusing with 'welcome' as a noun. 'Be welcome' is a greeting., Using in the wrong context, such as formal business situations. | Omitting 'yourself' and saying just 'enjoy'., Using 'enjoy yourself' in overly formal settings where a simple 'have fun' is more suitable., Misplacing the focus on 'yourself' when addressing a group. |
| Usage notes | Used when greeting someone, it’s polite and friendly. Appropriate in informal and formal settings. | Used to encourage someone to have fun, commonly in social situations. More formal alternatives exist but this is widely accepted. |
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Frequently asked questions: Be welcome vs Enjoy yourself
What's the difference between Be welcome and Enjoy yourself?
Be welcome: Feel free to be here or join us. Enjoy yourself: Have a good time and be happy.
Which is more common: Be welcome and Enjoy yourself?
Enjoy yourself is the most common in everyday English.
Can you show an example of each?
Be welcome: When you arrive at the party, just be welcome and enjoy the festivities. Enjoy yourself: When you go on vacation, make sure to enjoy yourself.
Can I use Be welcome and Enjoy yourself interchangeably?
Not always. Be welcome and Enjoy yourself 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.