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Meeting People

How to say “Where are you from?” in 16 languages

Here is “Where are you from?” in all 16 languages Crossing covers, with each language's regional variants side by side. Every version shows the native script, a romanization where the script isn't Latin, and a pronunciation guide written for English speakers, with notes on formality and other forms.

EnglishWhere are you from?

Spanish Español

French Français

German Deutsch

Italian Italiano

  • Italy

    Di dov'è?

    dee doh-VEH?

    Formal

    More ways to say this

    • Di dove sei?

      dee DOH-veh say?

      Informal

      For young people and anyone you would call "tu".

    Italian travel phrases

Portuguese Português

Greek Ελληνικά

  • Greece

    Από πού είστε;

    Apó poú eíste?

    ah-POH poo EE-steh

    Formal

    More ways to say this

    • Από πού είσαι;

      Apó poú eísai?

      ah-POH poo EE-seh

      Informal

      For children and people your own age in a relaxed setting.

    Greek travel phrases

Turkish Türkçe

Russian Русский

Hindi हिन्दी

  • India

    आप कहाँ से हैं?

    Āp kahāṁ se haiṁ?

    aap kuh-HAAN seh hain

    Formal

    Hindi travel phrases

Bengali বাংলা

  • India

    আপনি কোথা থেকে এসেছেন?

    Āpni kothā theke esechen?

    AHP-nee KOH-thah THEH-keh EH-sheh-chen

    Formal

    Bengali phrases for India

  • Bangladesh

    আপনি কোথা থেকে এসেছেন?

    Āpni kothā theke esechen?

    AHP-nee KOH-thah THEH-keh EH-sheh-chen

    Formal

    Bengali phrases for Bangladesh

Gujarati ગુજરાતી

  • India

    તમે ક્યાંથી છો?

    Tame kyānthī cho?

    tuh-MEH KYAAN-thee choh

    Formal

    Gujarati travel phrases

Mandarin Chinese 中文

Japanese 日本語

  • Japan

    どちらからですか。

    Dochira kara desu ka.

    DOH-chee-rah KAH-rah dess kah

    Formal

    Japanese travel phrases

Korean 한국어

  • South Korea

    어디에서 오셨어요?

    Eodieseo osyeosseoyo?

    uh-dee-eh-suh oh-shuh-ssuh-yoh

    Formal

    Korean travel phrases

Arabic العربية

Hebrew עברית

  • Israel

    מאיפה אתה?

    Me-eifo ata?

    meh-AY-foh ah-TAH

    To a man. To a woman, say "מאיפה את?" (me-eifo at?, meh-AY-foh aht).

    More ways to say this

    • מאיפה את?

      Me-eifo at?

      meh-AY-foh aht

      To a woman. To a man, say "מאיפה אתה?" (me-eifo ata?, meh-AY-foh ah-TAH).

    Hebrew travel phrases

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