de quelle ville viens-tu
The phrase "what city you are from" in French is de quelle ville viens-tu.
This phrase is used to ask someone which city is their place of origin.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of de (from), quelle (which), ville (city), viens (come) and tu (you).
Which one should you use?
The form de quelle ville viens-tu uses inversion, which is more grammatically structured than the colloquial tu viens de quelle ville.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a group of people or using a formal tone, the verb changes to venez-vous in the phrase de quelle ville venez-vous. In casual speech, the inverted viens-tu may be replaced by the statement order tu viens de quelle ville.
Did you know?
- The word ville in this phrase is a linguistic irony. It originates from the Latin 'villa', meaning a 'country house' or rural estate, which is the exact opposite of a modern urban center.
- English speakers may be surprised to find that ville is a common suffix in American place names, such as 'Louisville', due to the historical influence of French settlers.
- While you might ask someone de quelle ville viens-tu, many French speakers will actually answer using the word originaire to state their place of birth, such as Je suis originaire de Lyon.
Examples in context
- Je viens de Paris.I come from Paris.
- Je suis de Québec.I am from Quebec City.
- Je viens de Lyon.I am from Lyon.
- Dis-moi, de quelle ville viens-tu ?Tell me, what city are you from?
- Pardon, de quelle ville viens-tu exactement ?Excuse me, what city are you from exactly?
Example conversation
Two students are getting to know each other at a university.
- GabrielSalut ! De quelle ville viens-tu ?Hi! What city are you from?
- ManonJe viens de Lyon. Et toi ?I am from Lyon. And you?
- GabrielMoi, je viens de Bordeaux.Me, I am from Bordeaux.
- ManonC'est une très jolie ville !It is a very pretty city!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, ville, CC BY-SA 4.0.
