Welcome VS Invite; Herbal Remedies

First, my wife Sheila wants to know if you have any herbal remedies for lack of energy?  We are also interested in recipes for Chinese food.  Any suggestions?  I have few ideas that would answer these questions.

 

Second, I could like to explain something.  The word 请 can mean "to invite or request or ask" or "please."  I think my Chinese friends do not understand the English use of "welcome" or "invite" in English.  Why?  I will tell you.

 

Often, I tell someone "I hope to go to China in 2011."

 

My Chinese friends respond by saying "I welcome you to China."  While I am delighted to be welcomed to China, I need to explain the use of the words "invite" and "welcome" in this context.

 

Perhaps you told me "I hope to visit the US in 2011."

 

I would respond by saying "I invite you to visit the US."  When you arrive in the US and visit me I would say "Let me welcome you to the US!"

 

That is, "I welcome you" is usually used AFTER the person arrives.  You could say "I hope to welcome you" or "I will welcome you when you arrive."  But it is premature to welcome me before I arrive!  The welcoming is done AFTER the person arrives.  You can invite me to visit at any time.  For clarity you can say "I will be delighted to welcome you to China" because that is "future tense."  The Chinese language, I am told, does not use future tense in this sense.  I think this is why my Chinese friends are welcoming me when it is too early to welcome!  HA!  They would do better to invite me, because I have never been to China yet.

 

I hope this helps your understanding of the English language!

 

pH