welcome to my home

L

longxianchen

Senior Member
chinese
Hi,
Here is an exercise:

Welcome to my ___.
A. family B. home.

I feel both A and B are right. And even house is possible. But the given answer is only B.

Could you please tell me why?
Thank you in advance
 
    • Myridon

    Myridon

    Senior Member
    Texas
    English - US
    Both are good sentences. A) is what you say to a child you have just adopted or someone who has just married one of your children. B) is what you say who comes to your home.
    Can you see why the exercise picked B?
     
    dojibear

    dojibear

    Senior Member
    Fresno CA
    English - Northeast US
    "Welcome to my family" does not mean "Hello. My family greets you". It means "Now you are part of my family -- welcome!"

    So sentence A happens rarely: it can only be said when a new person "becomes part of" your family, which happens once or twice in a lifetime.

    Sentence B happens often: it can be used any time someone enters your home.
     
    Lun-14

    Lun-14

    Banned
    Hindi
    sdgraham said:
    ... and note that "welcome to my 'house'" is not natural.
    Click to expand...
    dojibear said:
    "Welcome to my family" does not mean "Hello. My family greets you". It means "Now you are part of my family -- welcome!"

    So sentence A happens rarely: it can only be said when a new person "becomes part of" your family, which happens once or twice in a lifetime.

    Sentence B happens often: it can be used any time someone enters your home.
    Click to expand...
    May I very respectfully ask why welcome to my "house" isn't natural to you?
     
    sdgraham

    sdgraham

    Senior Member
    Oregon, USA
    USA English
    "Welcome to my home" is pretty much a fixed expression. "Welcome" has the implication of a substantial personal connection with the person being welcomed, thus "home" is used because of the personal nature of the concept of "home." Thus "welcome to my home" is used for friends and relatives etc.

    You probably would not say "welcome to my home" to a plumber coming to unplug your toilet, but would instead say "come on into the house (or apartment or whatever is appropriate.)

    ... at least in my experience.:)

    Edit: Note the common English expression "make a house a home."

    50 Ways to Make Your House a Home - House & Garden
     
    Last edited:
    PaulQ

    PaulQ

    Senior Member
    UK
    English - England
    I agree with sdgraham. There are emotive associations attached to "home" - the place you have chosen to live; the way you have decorated it, etc. it is very personal to you and is part of your life - this is what you are welcoming the person to. A house is a building - there are hundreds of houses about the place. You may have several houses: "I have a house in France but my home is in England."
     
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