How to say where are you from in Chinese

Ways to say where are you from

• 你是哪里人

  nǐ shì nǎ li rén

  Everyday

  where are you from?

  The standard question. Chinese people answer with their province or city. You can answer with your country.

• 你是哪国人

  nǐ shì nǎ guó rén

  Everyday

  what country are you from?

  To a foreigner, when you want the country. Direct, not rude.

• 你是哪个国家的

  nǐ shì nǎ gè guó jiā de

  Everyday

  which country are you from?

  Very common in speech when people ask a foreigner. Taxi drivers and shopkeepers ask it often.

• 您是哪里人

  nín shì nǎ li rén

  Formal

  where are you from? (polite)

  To someone older, or to a client. 您 makes it polite.

• 你老家是哪里的

  nǐ lǎo jiā shì nǎ li de

  Everyday

  where’s your hometown?

  Between Chinese people, to ask where someone grew up. Common in big cities, where many people come from somewhere else.

Common mistakes

• Dropping 人

  我是美国 means “I am America.” Add 人: 我是美国人.

• Asking 你从哪里来

  It’s correct, and people will understand you. But in daily talk it often means “where have you just come from?”, such as the office or the station. To ask where someone is from, 你是哪里人 is clearer.

• Saying 那 for 哪

  哪 (nǎ, third tone) means “which.” 那 (nà, falling tone) means “that,” so 你是那里人 sounds like “you’re from there.”

In a taxi

• 你是哪个国家的？

  nǐ shì nǎ gè guó jiā de

  Driver: Where are you from?

• 我是美国人。

  wǒ shì měi guó rén

  Leon: I’m American.

• 中文说得不错啊！

  zhōng wén shuō de bú cuò a

  Driver: Your Chinese is pretty good!

• 哪里哪里。师傅，您是哪里人？

  nǎ li nǎ li. shī fu, nín shì nǎ li rén

  Leon: Not really. Where are you from?

• 我是四川人。

  wǒ shì sì chuān rén

  Driver: I’m from Sichuan.

More Chinese phrases

• What is your name你叫什么名字 · nǐ jiào shén me míng zi
• Nice to meet you很高兴认识你 · hěn gāo xìng rèn shi nǐ
• How old are you你多大了 · nǐ duō dà le
• What is your job你做什么工作 · nǐ zuò shén me gōng zuò
• I don’t speak Chinese我不会说中文 · wǒ bú huì shuō zhōng wén

In the dictionary: 哪里 · 哪个 · 国家 · 老家