What it means
خوشآمد گفتن (khosh-âmad goftan) is a compound infinitive made entirely of native Persian parts: خوش (khosh, “pleasant”) plus آمد (âmad, the past stem of آمدن, “to come”) plus گفتن (goftan, “to say”). Together they mean the act of welcoming someone, literally “to say pleasant-coming.” The fixed greeting form خوش آمدید (khosh âmadid) is the polite plural you hear the moment you step into an Iranian home or shop. A close synonym for the act of welcoming is پذیرفتن (paziroftan), though that leans more toward accepting or receiving a guest rather than the specific verbal ritual of saying welcome.
How to use it
- وقتی مهمونها اومدن، خوشآمد گفتیم. (Vaghti mehmunâ umadan, khosh-âmad goftim.) “When the guests arrived, we welcomed them.”
- مادرم همیشه با گرمی خوشآمد میگه. (Mâdaram hamishe bâ garmi khosh-âmad mige.) “My mother always says welcome warmly.”
- خوش آمدید به ایران! (Khosh âmadid be Irân!) “Welcome to Iran!”
- از طرف همه، خوشآمد میگم. (Az taraf-e hame, khosh-âmad migam.) “On behalf of everyone, I say welcome.”
Cultural note
Welcoming guests is one of the most elaborated rituals in Iranian culture. خوش آمدید is rarely said once: it is repeated, layered with phrases like قدم رنجه فرمودید (you have honored us by stepping here) or خونه خودتونه (make yourself at home). The verbal act of saying welcome, خوشآمد گفتن, is therefore not a formality but the opening move in taarof, the Persian system of courtesy. Failing to welcome someone properly is considered a serious social lapse, regardless of how close the relationship is.