Spanish · Greetings & Essentials
"Where are you from?" in Spanish: ¿De dónde eres?
¿De dónde eres?
Where are you from in Spanish is ¿De dónde eres? De dónde eres uses tú. Ask ¿De dónde es? with usted, and ¿De dónde son? with ustedes.
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How to pronounce ¿De dónde eres?
Say it
deh DOHN-deh EH-rehs
/de ˈdon.de ˈe.ɾes/
deh DOHN-deh EH-rehs. Soft d in dónde. Eres has clear e sounds.
"Where are you from?" in Spanish: quick reference
| Spanish | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| ¿De dónde eres? | Where are you from? (tú) Informal singular. | Informal singular. |
| ¿De dónde es? | Where are you from? (usted) Formal singular. | Formal singular. |
| ¿De dónde son? | Where are you from? (ustedes) Plural. | Plural. |
| ¿De qué país eres? | What country are you from? More specific. | More specific. |
How to use ¿De dónde eres? in real life
- 1First meeting
Hola. ¿De dónde eres?
Hi. Where are you from?
¿De dónde eres? is a classic icebreaker.
- 2Hotel lobby
¿De dónde es usted?
Where are you from?
De dónde es marks usted.
- 3Meeting a couple
¿De dónde son?
Where are you (both) from?
De dónde son for ustedes.
Mistakes English speakers make with ¿De dónde eres?
Incorrect: ¿Dónde eres de?
Correct: ¿De dónde eres?
Keep de first: ¿De dónde eres? English order sounds wrong.
Incorrect: ¿De dónde sois?
Correct: ¿De dónde son?
Latin America uses son with ustedes. Skip sois.
Good to know
Good to knowPeople often answer with city and country. Follow-up talk about food or soccer is common. Ser (eres/es/son) marks origin, not temporary location.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Chatting at a language meetup
ChatPal
¿De dónde eres?
Where are you from?
You
Soy de Chicago. ¿Y tú?
I'm from Chicago. And you?
ChatPal
De Lima. ¿De dónde eres originalmente?
From Lima. Where are you from originally?
You
También Chicago. Nací allá.
Also Chicago. I was born there.
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 Spanish
Eres or es?
¿De dónde eres? for tú. ¿De dónde es? for usted.
How do I ask a group?
¿De dónde son? with ustedes.
Ser or estar?
Use ser: eres, es, son. Origin is lasting identity.
Any gender change?
No. ¿De dónde eres? stays the same for men and women.
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Keep reading
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