begrüßen
to greet
To welcome someone during an encounter with a greeting or a gesture.
EXAMPLE
Der Portier begrüßte jeden Gast mit einem freundlichen Lächeln.
The porter greeted every guest with a friendly smile.
begrüßen
to greet / welcome
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Meanings
begrüßen
to welcome
To approve of a decision, development, or measure and express one's agreement or pleasure about it.
EXAMPLE
Ich begrüße es sehr, dass das Unternehmen nun flexiblere Arbeitszeiten anbietet.
I very much welcome the fact that the company now offers more flexible working hours.
Usage tips
Inseparable verb
'Begrüßen' (to greet / welcome) is an inseparable verb. The prefix 'be-' remains firmly attached to the verb in all tenses and sentence positions.
EXAMPLE
Er begrüßte seine Kollegen am Morgen.
He greeted his colleagues in the morning.
Word family
The verb 'begrüßen' (to greet / welcome) is derived from 'der Gruß' (the greeting). The prefix 'be-' makes the verb transitive, which means it always needs an accusative object to whom the greeting is directed.
EXAMPLE
Der Redner begrüßte das Publikum.
The speaker greeted the audience.
Context clues
You can recognize the meaning from the object: if the object is a person, it means 'willkommen heißen' (to welcome). If the object is a thing or a subordinate clause (e.g. a decision, a measure), it means 'gutheißen' (to approve of).
EXAMPLE
Die Kanzlerin begrüßte den Präsidenten am Flughafen.
The chancellor greeted the president at the airport.
Sentence structure with 'es'
To express that you approve of an action or event, the structure 'es begrüßen, dass ...' (to welcome the fact that ...) is often used. Here, 'es' is a placeholder for the following subordinate clause.
EXAMPLE
Wir begrüßen es, dass die Stadt mehr in den öffentlichen Nahverkehr investiert.
We welcome the fact that the city is investing more in public transport.
Compare with
begrüßen vs freuen
to look forward / to be pleased
When responding positively to a decision, both words can express approval. „Sich freuen“ mainly shows personal joy, while „begrüßen“ usually expresses formal or matter-of-fact approval of a decision, development, or measure. Use „begrüßen“ especially in official statements, even when personal joy is also possible.
begrüßen
Der Stadtrat begrüßt die Entscheidung für den neuen Spielplatz.
The city council welcomes the decision to build the new playground.
freuen
Ich freue mich über die Entscheidung für den neuen Spielplatz.
I am pleased about the decision to build the new playground.
In real life
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