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Questions & Answers about Wir bekommen heute Besuch.
Why is the present tense used here instead of a future form with werden?
In German you often use the simple present to talk about future events when there’s a clear time adverb like heute. So
- Wir bekommen heute Besuch
replaces a longer future form like - Wir werden heute Besuch bekommen
What does bekommen mean in this sentence?
Literally bekommen means “to receive.” In the fixed expression Besuch bekommen it idiomatically means “to have visitors” or “to receive a visit.”
Why isn’t the verb besuchen used instead?
The verb besuchen means “to visit someone” (i.e. the subject goes to them). Here we want to express that someone is coming to us, so we use the noun Besuch plus bekommen (literally “to receive a visit”).
Why is Besuch singular and without an article? Shouldn’t it be einen Besuch or Besuche?
Besuch is a non‑count (collective) noun when referring to visitors as a group. In idiomatic phrases like Besuch bekommen, no article is needed and you don’t pluralize it.
Could we also say Wir haben heute Besuch? What’s the difference?
Yes.
- Wir haben heute Besuch literally means “we have visitors today” (often implying they may already be here).
- Wir bekommen heute Besuch emphasizes the expectation or arrival of guests.
Where does the time adverb heute belong in German word order?
Time adverbs usually occupy the “middle field” right after the finite verb. So Wir bekommen heute Besuch is standard. You can also front Heute for emphasis, which triggers verb‑second inversion:
- Heute bekommen wir Besuch
Can bekommen be replaced by kriegen or empfangen?
Yes.
- kriegen is a colloquial alternative to bekommen.
- empfangen is more formal (“to receive” or “to welcome” guests), e.g. Wir empfangen heute Gäste.
What’s the difference between Besuch and Gäste here?
Besuch focuses on the act of visiting or “a visit” in general, while Gäste specifically means “guests.” Both work:
- Wir bekommen heute Gäste is fine, but Besuch bekommen is the more common fixed expression.