What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Tu viens d'où ? literally translates to "You come from where?"
Which one should you use?
While Tu viens d'où ? is the standard conversational form, D'où viens-tu ? uses inversion to create a more formal structure. For formal contexts, you might use D'où êtes-vous originaire ? to mean "Where are you originally from?", Pourriez-vous me dire votre pays d'origine ? for "Could you tell me your country of origin?" or De quel pays venez-vous ? for "Which country do you come from?"
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The informal version Tu viens d'où ? is used with friends, peers or children. For formal situations or when speaking to a group, use Vous venez d'où ? or the more formal D'où êtes-vous originaire ? and De quel pays venez-vous ? The phrase Vous êtes d'où ? can be used as an informal way to address a group or a formal way to address a single person.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, you may hear the expression D'où tu viens-tu ? to mean "Where do you come from?"
How does it change in a sentence?
When speaking to a stranger, an elder or a group of people, you should use Vous venez d'où ? instead of Tu viens d'où ? For singular informal address, you can use D'où viens-tu ? or Tu es d'où ?
When do people say it?
A natural response to being asked these questions starts with Je viens de… followed by your country or city.
Did you know?
- In certain French-speaking regions like Quebec, you might hear the strange-looking D'où tu viens-tu ? Despite the repetition, that second tu is not actually a pronoun meaning 'you', but a grammatical particle used to signal a question.
- The informal pronoun tu is a cognate with the German 'du' and the Russian 'ты', all tracing back to the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root.
- In France, asking a stranger Tu viens d'où ? instead of Vous venez d'où ? can be interpreted as an act of aggression or an inappropriate breach of social boundaries.
Examples in context
- Tu viens d'où ?Where are you from?
- Excuse-moi, tu viens d'où ?Excuse me, where are you from?
Example conversation
Two students are chatting at a university coffee shop.
- EmmaSalut ! Tu viens d'où ?Hi! Where are you from?
- GabrielJe viens de Lyon, et toi ?I am from Lyon, and you?
- EmmaMoi, je suis de Paris.Me, I am from Paris.
- GabrielC'est super !That's great!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries d'où, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
