Knowing how to say come in in Spanish lets you welcome guests into your home, invite clients into an office, or navigate everyday social situations with native speakers. While English relies heavily on the simple two-word phrase, Spanish offers several distinct variations depending on who you're talking to, whether you're addressing one person or a group, and how formal the setting is.
In Spanish, welcoming someone isn't just about translating words; it's about matching social context. If you use an informal command with your boss or an older neighbor, it sounds jarring. If you use a stiff formal phrase with a close friend, it feels cold. This guide breaks down the exact phrases you need, complete with grammar rules, regional quirks, and practical usage tips.
The Core Verb: Entrar
At the heart of inviting someone in is the Spanish verb entrar, which means to enter. Because "come in" is a command telling someone to perform an action, you'll use the imperative mood.
Depending on your relationship with the listener, you'll switch between the informal tú form, the formal usted form, or the plural forms when speaking to multiple people.
Informal: Entra (Tú)
When you're talking to a friend, a family member, a child, or someone your own age whom you're on a first-name basis with, you use the second-person singular informal form (tú).
- ¡Entra! — Come in!
- Entra, por favor. — Come in, please.
You can also use the verb pasar (to pass / to happen), which is actually much more common in everyday conversational Spanish when telling someone to step inside.
- ¡Pasa! — Come on in! / Go ahead!
- Pasa a la sala. — Come into the living room.
Formal: Entre / Pase (Usted)
When addressing someone older, a person in a professional environment, a client, or someone you don't know well, you must use the formal usted form.
- Entre, por favor. — Please come in.
- Pase usted. — Go right ahead / Please come in.
Using pase or entre in professional settings shows respect and establishes proper social boundaries. If you visit a doctor's office or a business meeting in a Spanish-speaking country, hearing "Pase, por favor" is standard practice.
Plural: Entren / Pasen (Ustedes / Vosotros)
If you are inviting more than one person into a space, you need the plural imperative.
- ¡Pasen, pasen! — Come on in! (Very common when welcoming a group of people through your front door at a dinner party).
- Entren, por favor. — Please come in (formal plural in Latin America, standard plural in Spain if using ustedes).
In Spain, when speaking informally to a group of friends, you use the vosotros form:
- ¡Pasad! — Come in! (Informal plural used primarily in Spain).
Everyday Variations and Natural Phrases
Native speakers rarely speak straight from textbook conjugation tables. They use natural idioms and conversational fillers to make invitations sound warm and welcoming. Here are the most common variations you'll hear in everyday life.
Adelante
Perhaps the most versatile word you can learn for this situation is adelante. It literally means "forward," but it is universally used to mean "come in," "go ahead," or "proceed."
- Someone knocks on your office door, and you call out: ¡Adelante! — Come in!
- You're holding a door for someone, gesturing for them to walk through first: Pase, adelante. — Go ahead.
It requires no conjugation, works in every Spanish-speaking region, and fits both formal and informal contexts.
Pasa y ponte cómodo
When inviting a close friend or family member into your home, hospitality dictates that you make them feel relaxed immediately. You'll often hear phrases that combine the invitation with an offer to get comfortable.
- Pasa y ponte cómodo. — Come in and make yourself comfortable (male or general).
- Pasa y ponte cómoda. — Come in and make yourself comfortable (female singular).
- Pasen y pónganse cómodos. — Come in and make yourselves comfortable (plural).
Estás en tu casa
Another pillar of Spanish-speaking hospitality is letting guests know they should feel as though they are in their own home. While not a direct translation of "come in," it is almost always paired with the initial greeting.
- ¡Hola! Pasa, estás en tu casa. — Hello! Come in, make yourself at home.
Regional Differences Across the Spanish-Speaking World
While verbs like pasar and entrar are understood everywhere, different countries and regions have distinct preferences for inviting people inside.
Mexico and Central America
In Mexico, warmth and hospitality are paramount. You will frequently hear "Pasele" or "Páselale", which is a regional variation of pase. It adds a friendly, encouraging suffix to the command.
- ¡Pásele, güero/amigo! — Come on in, my friend!
Argentina, Uruguay, and the Southern Cone
In these regions where the voseo pronoun (vos instead of tú) is standard, the imperative conjugation changes slightly. While standard informal commands use entra, regional speakers often use forms derived from vos, though pasa remains widely used and understood.
Spain
In Spain, pasa and adelante dominate casual speech. If someone knocks on a shop door or an office door, shouting "¡Pase!" or "¡Adelante!" through the door is standard etiquette.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Language learners often make a few predictable errors when trying to translate English phrasing directly into Spanish. Keep these pitfalls in mind:
- Don't use literal structural translation: Avoid trying to translate word-for-word as "Ven en" (ven means come, but ven en sounds unnatural and grammatically incorrect in this context). Stick to entra, pasa, or adelante.
- Mismatching formality: Using entra with a stranger or an authority figure can sound overly familiar or presumptuous. Default to pase or adelante when unsure of the social dynamic.
- Forgetting plural agreement: If three people arrive at your door, saying "¡Entra!" only addresses one person. Use "¡Pasen!" or "¡Adelante!" to acknowledge the entire group.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the single most common way to say come in Spanish?
The word adelante is the most universal and foolproof option. It works for offices, homes, formal meetings, and casual visits without requiring any conjugation changes.
Can I use "entrar" by itself when talking to someone?
No. If you want to tell someone to enter, you must conjugate it into the imperative mood (entra for informal, entre for formal). Saying just the infinitive verb entrar sounds like reading a dictionary entry rather than giving an invitation.
What should I say if someone knocks on my office door?
The quickest and most professional response is simply "¡Adelante!" (Come in!) or "¡Pase!" (Go ahead / Enter).
Is "pasa" used for physical entry only?
While primarily used for walking through a door, pasa is also used figuratively to invite someone to sit down at a table, join a conversation, or step closer to something.
