Cool MateBe welcome vs Make yourself at home
When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.
Be welcome
Beyond 10,000 (less common)
Make yourself at home
Top 2,000 (common)
Most common: Make yourself at home
| Be welcome | Make yourself at home | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | 🇬🇧 //biː ˈwɛlkəm//🇺🇸 //bi ˈwɛlkəm// | 🇬🇧 //meɪk jɔːˈsɛlf æt hoʊm//🇺🇸 //meɪk jɔʊrˈsɛlf æt hoʊm// |
| Meaning | Feel free to be here or join us. | Feel comfortable in someone's house. |
| Example | When you arrive at the party, just be welcome and enjoy the festivities. | When you enter, please make yourself at home and enjoy the snacks. |
| 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 | make yourself comfortable, make yourself feel welcome, make yourself at ease |
| 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. | 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 when greeting someone, it’s polite and friendly. Appropriate in informal and formal settings. | Used when welcoming someone. Suitable for informal settings, not for formal occasions. A friendly invitation. |
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Frequently asked questions: Be welcome vs Make yourself at home
What's the difference between Be welcome and Make yourself at home?
Be welcome: Feel free to be here or join us. Make yourself at home: Feel comfortable in someone's house.
Which is more common: Be welcome and Make yourself at home?
Make yourself at home 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. Make yourself at home: When you enter, please make yourself at home and enjoy the snacks.
Can I use Be welcome and Make yourself at home interchangeably?
Not always. Be welcome 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.