One of the things I enjoy the most about traveling is meeting new people. On the plane, at a restaurant and even in a store, there are always opportunities to meet cool people from all over the globe and practice languages at the same time.So, if you’d like to practice your French skills when you travel, here is a useful article to learn “Where are you from?” in French, and how to answer. Show
Combine it with “Hello in French” and “Introduce oneself in French” for the perfect conversation starter! Beginning your French language learning journey? Download your free French language essentials eBook here. How do I say “Where are you from?” in FrenchSpeaking of starters, let’s start this article the right way. In French, the most common way to say “Where are you from” is “D’où venez-vous” (formal) or “D’où viens-tu” (informal). While it’s not as commonly used as in English, it’s a wonderful way to show interest and make some new friends. In the table below, you’ll find a few alternatives to enquire about somebody’s home country. EnglishFrenchIPAContextWhere are you from?D'où venez-vous ? OR D’où êtes-vous ?du vəne-vu ? ɔɾ du ɛtə-vu ?Where were you born?Où êtes-vous né(e) ?u ɛtə-vu ne(ɛ) ?Which part of the world did you grow up in?Dans quelle partie du monde avez-vous grandi ?dɑ̃ kɛlə paɾtjə dy mõd ave-vu gɾɑ̃di ?Where did you grow up?Où avez-vous grandi ?u ave-vu gɾɑ̃di ?Where do you live?Où habitez-vous ?u abite-vu ?Where is home for you?Où vous sentez-vous chez vous ?u vu sɑ̃te-vu ʃe vu ?Not a very common question in French, but could be helpful if you don’t want to directly ask for someone’s nationalityYour accent is beautiful, where is it from?Quel bel accent, d'où vient-il ?kɛl bɛl akə, du vjət‿-il ?Your French is amazing, where are you from?Votre français est excellent, d'où êtes-vous ?vɔtɾə fɾansɛz‿ɛt‿ ɛkssɛlə, du ɛtə-vu ?What is your country of residence?Quel est votre pays de résidence ?kɛlɛ vɔtɾəpei də ɾezidɑ̃sə ?Were you born and raised in France?Vous êtes né(e) et avez grandi en France ?vuz‿ ɛtə ne(ɛ)et‿ ave gɾɑ̃diɑ̃ fɾɑ̃sə ?What culture do you identify with?A quelle culture vous identifiez-vous ?a kɛlə kyltyɾə vuz‿ idɑ̃tifje-vu ?Not a very common question in French, but could be helpful if you don’t want to directly ask for someone’s nationalityWhat is your nationality?Quelle est votre nationalité ?kɛlɛ vɔtɾə natjɔnalite ?Where have you lived?Où avez-vous vécu ?u ave-vu veky ?What part of France are you from?De quelle région de France êtes-vous ?də kɛlə ɾeʒjõ də fɾɑ̃s ɛtə-vu ?Very common between French who can identify different French accentsWhat brings you here?Qu'est-ce qui vous amène ?kɛ-sə ki vuz‿ amɛnə ?Are you visiting?Vous êtes de passage ?vuz‿ ɛtə də pasaʒə ?Are you on vacation?Vous êtes en vacances ?vuz‿ ɛtəz‿ɑ̃ vakɑ̃sə ?What is your country of origin?Quel est votre pays d’origine ? OR D’où êtes-vous originaire ?kɛlɛ vɔtɾəpei dɔɾiʒinə ? ɔɾ du ɛtə-vuz‿ ɔɾiʒinɛɾə ?Are you French?Êtes- vous français(e) ?aɾ ju fɾɑ̃ʃ?How to respond to where are you fromOf course, if you ask somebody “Where were you born” in French or “Where are you from” in French, they’ll most likely return the question. Prepare yourself with the answers below! Note from the author: Some of these answers are based on personal experience. Can you guess which ones? :-) Download your free French essentials eBookNationality, a touchy topic?My American friends explained to me that asking where someone is from in the US can be offensive to some people, since most immigrants consider themselves Americans. In France, it’s not such a touchy topic, but people rarely enquire about other people’s nationality. If you’re unsure about asking where someone is from, I’d say it depends on the context. Bringing attention to someone’s foreign accent could potentially be offensive if they’re trying their best to speak like a local — this French slang list will help you with that. However, if you’re in an international/travel context, for example, on a plane or at a tourist site, this should not be a problem. And a big smile always helps! If someone enquires about your nationality and you don’t feel like answering, you can always use my favorite answer: “Je suis citoyenne du monde”. Sometimes, I also answer: “Je suis européenne”. Check out this hilarious video for more creative answers (in English)! Tip: You can also use the flattering “Are you from France/the US…?” or “Are you French/American…?”, to pretend that you think they are locals even if they clearly aren’t. Notre vraie nationalité est l’humanitéNo matter where you’re from, traveling and learning languages will shape you into a citizen of the world. We hope this French vocab will help you to meet fascinating new people from all over the francophone world and beyond! As Herbert George Wells wisely said: “Notre vraie nationalité est l’humanité”. (Our true nationality is humanity). What is par quoi?as a result of what, Mod. whatever, Adj.
What is the meaning of IL N Y a pas de quoi?Literally, “there is nothing for which (to thank me)”.
How do you say who are you in France?Et vous, qui êtes-vous ? - Peu importe.
|