JLPT N5
Welcome Back
Japanese
おかえりなさい
Okaerinasai
Lesson & Usage
- [English equivalent: "Welcome home" or "Welcome back."] The standard response to "Tadaima" (I'm home). It is used as soon as a person enters the house or returns to the office after a long day of work. It is said with a warm tone to acknowledge the person's effort and to welcome them back into the safety of the group.
Culture & Etiquette
- It means "You have returned." The "Genkan" entrance of a Japanese house is a sacred boundary between the stressful outside world and the safe inside world. By saying "Okaerinasai," you are officially welcoming the person back into the safety of the group and letting them know that their place in the home or office has been waiting for them.
