tu viens d'où ?
The English phrase "are you from?" can be translated into French using tu viens d'où ?
This phrase is used to ask someone about their place of origin. In France, the specific form tu viens d'où ? is a colloquial way to ask "Where are you from?"
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, tu viens d'où ? translates to "you come from where?"
Which one should you use?
While tu viens d'où ? is an informal way to ask where someone is from, other forms exist depending on the level of formality and the specific nuance of the question. For example, T'es d'où ? is an informal way to ask "Where are you from?", whereas Tu es originaire de… ? and Êtes-vous originaire de… ? specifically ask if someone is "originally from" a certain place.
How does it change in a sentence?
When you need to address a stranger, an elder or a group of people, you should use the formal/plural form vous venez d'où ?
When do people say it?
A natural response to this question starts with Je viens de… followed by your city or country.
Did you know?
- The French word tu is a direct cognate of the German word du and the Russian word ты, all descending from the same ancient ancestor.
- Depending on the region, asking tu viens d'où ? to someone in France may prompt them to name their specific department or region rather than just their city.
- Because 'où' means 'where', the sentence structure tu viens d'où ? places the question word at the end, which is the opposite of the standard formal French word order.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, êtes-vous originaire de Paris ?Excuse me, are you originally from Paris?
- Salut ! Tu viens de quel pays ?Hi! Which country are you from?
- T'es de quelle ville en Belgique ?Which city are you from in Belgium?
- Salut, tu viens d'où ?Hi, where are you from?
- Dis-moi, tu viens d'où ?Tell me, where are you from?
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are meeting for the first time at a party.
- LéaEnchantée, moi c'est Léa. Et toi, tu viens d'où ?Nice to meet you, I'm Léa. And you, where are you from?
- GabrielMoi, c'est Gabriel. Je viens de Lyon.I'm Gabriel. I come from Lyon.
- LéaAh, c'est une très belle ville !Oh, it's a very beautiful city!
- GabrielOui, j'adore ma ville natale.Yes, I love my hometown.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries d'où, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
