French · Greetings & Essentials
"Where are you from?" in French: Tu viens d'où ?
Tu viens d'où ?
Note: formal: D'où venez-vous ?
Where are you from in French is Tu viens d'où ? with tu. The formal version is D'où venez-vous ? Both ask for someone's origin or hometown.
Language exchange
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How to pronounce Tu viens d'où ?
Say it
tew vyan doo
/ty vjɛ̃ du/
tew vyan doo. Viens is a nasal vyan; d'où is doo with a clear oo. Rise at the end.
"Where are you from?" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Tu viens d'où ? | Where are you from? Default casual. | Default casual. |
| D'où tu viens ? | Where are you from? Same meaning, different order. | Same meaning, different order. |
| D'où venez-vous ? | Where are you from? (formal) Vous form. | Vous form. |
| Tu es d'où ? | Where are you from? Very casual alternative. | Very casual alternative. |
How to use Tu viens d'où ? in real life
- 1Language exchange
Salut ! Tu viens d'où ?
Hi! Where are you from?
Classic opener.
- 2Party intro
Attends, tu viens d'où exactement ?
Wait, where are you from exactly?
Follow-up.
- 3Train chat
Pardon, tu viens d'où ? Ton accent est joli.
Sorry, where are you from? Your accent is lovely.
Friendly curiosity.
Mistakes English speakers make with Tu viens d'où ?
Incorrect: Tu viens de où ?
Correct: Tu viens d'où ?
Elide: d'où, not de où.
Incorrect: Where are you from ? left in English.
Correct: Tu viens d'où ?
Use the French phrase.
Good to know
Tu viens d'où ? can mean hometown or country depending on context. Answer with Je viens de… plus city or country.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting in a hostel kitchen
ChatPal
Tu viens d'où ?
Where are you from?
You
Je viens de Montréal. Et toi, tu viens d'où ?
I'm from Montreal. And you, where are you from?
ChatPal
De Lyon.
From Lyon.
You
Cool, j'y vais demain.
Cool, I'm going there tomorrow.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Where are you from?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Where are you from?" in French
How do you say where are you from in French?
Tu viens d'où ?
What is the formal version?
D'où venez-vous ?
How do you answer?
Je viens de…
Is Tu es d'où okay?
Yes in casual speech.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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