been home

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "been home" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate that someone has returned to their place of residence or has spent time there. Example: "I have been home all day." Alternative expressions include "returned home" and "gone home."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

"I've never been home.

The New York Times

"This has always been home".

Independent

I've been home a year now.

The New York Times

Robby had still been home then.

The New Yorker

She had not been home much.

The New Yorker

"Nobody's been home.

The Guardian

This has been home".

The New York Times - Sports

He would have been home.

The Guardian - Sport

Five have been home runs.

The New York Times - Sports

I've never been home since.

The Guardian - Arts

"You haven't been home in six weeks.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "been home" with present perfect (e.g., "I have been home") to indicate you are currently at your residence after an absence. It effectively bridges the gap between past arrival and current presence.

Common error

Do not use a preposition like "to" in phrases like "been to home". While you can say "been at home", the word "home" often functions as an adverb of place, making the preposition unnecessary in many contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "been home" functions as a verb phrase consisting of the past participle of the verb "to be" followed by the adverbial noun "home". According to Ludwig AI, it is a standard way to express presence or arrival at one's residence. In the examples provided by Ludwig, it often follows auxiliary verbs like "has", "have" or "had" to form perfect tenses.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Wiki & General

10%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "been home" is a robust and flexible English phrase that is perfectly acceptable in all levels of writing. Ludwig AI shows that it appears frequently in elite news publications and academic contexts to describe a state of presence at one's residence. Whether you are using it to describe a long-term stay or a recent return, it remains one of the most natural ways to express this concept. Always remember that while "been at home" is a valid alternative, dropping the preposition is standard and often preferred for a more direct tone.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

been back home

Adds emphasis to the fact of returning to a previous state of being at home

stayed home

Emphasizes the choice or act of remaining at home rather than going out

remained at home

A more formal way to describe staying in one's residence

returned home

Focuses on the movement back to the residence rather than the state of being there

spent time home

Implies a duration or a set period of being at home

arrived home

Specifies the exact moment the journey back was completed

stayed in

A more casual phrasal verb meaning to stay at home for the evening

been in the house

Refers more specifically to the physical structure rather than the concept of home

hung out at home

Very informal and implies a sense of leisure and relaxation

been indoors

Focuses on being inside any building, not necessarily a residence

FAQs

How to use "been home" in a sentence?

You can use "been home" to describe a state of being at your residence, for example: "I have "been home" for three hours." It is also commonly used in questions like "Has he "been home" yet?".

What can I say instead of "been home"?

Depending on your focus, you can use alternatives like "stayed home", "remained at home" or "returned home".

Which is correct, "been home" or "been at home"?

Both are correct. "been at home" is slightly more formal and more common in British English, while "been home" is the standard usage in American English.

What is the difference between "been home" and "gone home"?

The phrase "been home" implies the person is currently at home or has visited home and is now elsewhere, whereas "gone home" focuses purely on the action of leaving for home.