"to" Preposition usage

Question

Could you please let know why "to" Preposition is not used in first sentence, however in second one it is used.

1) I welcome John.
2) We welcome to “Veeru" junior.

I request you to please let me know when to use it ("to" Preposition) and when not to use in such type of sentences.

Thanks, Charmi

Answer 1

wel·come

noun

• 1. an instance or manner of greeting someone. "you will receive a warm welcome" synonyms: greeting, salutation

Exclamation

• 1 used to greet someone in a glad or friendly way. "welcome to the Wildlife Park"

verb

• 1 greet (someone arriving) in a glad, polite, or friendly way. "hotels should welcome guests in their own language"

• 2 be glad to entertain (someone) or receive (something). "we welcome any comments"

• 3 react with pleasure or approval to (an event or development). "the bank's decision to cut its rates was widely welcomed"

adjective

• 1. (of a guest or new arrival) gladly received. "visitors with disabilities are always welcome"

• 2 very pleasing because much needed or desired. "after your walk, the cafe serves a welcome pot of coffee"

• 3 allowed or invited to do a specified thing. "anyone is welcome to join them at their midday meal"

• 4 used to indicate that one is relieved to be relinquishing the control or possession of something to another. "the job is all yours and you're welcome to it!"

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As for your examples: #1 is grammatically correct, but unlikely. Instead, you would say (present tense, speaking to John) "We welcome you, John" or (past tense, speaking to someone else) "We welcomed John."

In #2, some other word or punctuation is needed to make sense. Assuming "Veeru" is a place, and "junior" is a certain person (e.g. a junior in high school): "Welcome to Veeru, junior(s)!" or "We welcome juniors to Veeru."

And finally, the answer to your question: You don't need "to" in the first one because John is the Direct Object of the verb "welcome". In the second, "junior is (apparently) the Direct Object, whereas "Veeru" is (apparently) the Indirect Object, so it requires "to ".

Answer 2

Welcome can be used as a noun and as a verb.

As a verb, welcome is transitive, it takes a direct object. This direct object does not take a preposition. So in both your sentences, we do not use to:

I welcome John.
We welcome “Veeru" junior.

However, when we use welcome as a noun, we need another verb. That verb will have to take a direct and and indirect object. The direct object is the welcome, the indirect object is the person that we welcome:

I extend a warm welcome to John.
We give a warm welcome to “Veeru" junior.

Now, in headlines, or in the case of welcome, on signs or banners, we usually leave out words from a sentence. In this case, it may not be immediately clear whether welcome is a verb or a noun!

If we see a sign that says:

Welcome to “Veeru" junior!

_Welcome _ is certainly used as a noun. The text on the sign is short for we extend a welcome to “Veeru" junior.

Now, if the sign is shorter:

Welcome John!

It can actually be read in several ways:

• Welcome can be a verb: [We / I] welcome John.
• Welcome can be a noun: [We / I extend a] welcome [to] John.

It can also be read as an imperative: I order you to welcome John.

How do people understand which one is meant?

They do not. The meanings are so similar (John is welcome, and we want him to feel welcome!) that it doesn't matter whether we say we welcome him, we extend a welcome to him or we urge people to welcome him.