Have you ever wanted to make new friends from different places? Learning to ask where someone is from in Spanish can help you do just that! This article will teach you how to ask this question, understand the answers, and even practice with fun exercises. Let’s start our journey to make new connections across the world!
How to ask “Where are you from?”
The most common way to ask someone about their origin in Spanish is:
“¿De dónde eres?”
¿De dónde eres? | Where are you from? |
This phrase translates directly to “Where are you from?” in English. It’s a simple and friendly way to learn about someone’s background. Here’s how to say each part:
- De = From
- Dónde = Where
- Eres = You are
When you put it all together, you’re asking, “From where are you?” It might sound a bit different from English, but that’s how Spanish works!
Variations of the question
Spanish speakers use different ways to ask about someone’s origin. Here are some other phrases you might hear:
- “¿De qué país eres?” – This means “What country are you from?”
- “¿Cuál es tu país de origen?” – This translates to “What is your country of origin?”
- “¿En qué país naciste?” – This asks “In which country were you born?”
- “¿De dónde vienes?” – This is another way to say “Where do you come from?”
These questions all aim to find out the same information, just in slightly different ways. You can choose the one that feels most natural to you!
English | Spanish | Audio |
---|---|---|
Are you from here or are you a foreigner? | ¿Eres de aquí o eres extranjero? | |
What is your country of origin? | ¿Cuál es tu país de origen? | |
Where are you from? | ¿De dónde eres? | |
What country are you from? | ¿De qué país eres? | |
Are you from here or are you from somewhere else? | ¿Eres de aquí o de otro lugar? | |
What is your place of origin? | ¿Cuál es tu lugar de origen? |
Names of countries
To understand answers to these questions, you need to know some country names. Here’s a list of some common ones:
Country (English) | Country (Spanish) | Audio | Nationality (male) | Nationality (female) | Audio |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Argentina | Argentina | Argentino | Argentina | ||
Spain | España | Español | Española | ||
France | Francia | Francés | Francesa | ||
Mexico | México | Mexicano | Mexicana | ||
Guatemala | Guatemala | Guatemalteco | Guatemalteca | ||
Germany | Alemania | Alemán | Alemana | ||
Italy | Italia | Italiano | Italiana | ||
United Kingdom | Reino Unido de Gran Bretaña e Irlanda del Norte | Británico | Británica | ||
United States | Estados Unidos | *Estadounidense | *Estadounidense | ||
Venezuela | Venezuela | Venezolano | Venezolana | ||
Japan | Japón | Japonés | Japonesa | ||
China | China | Chino | China | ||
Colombia | Colombia | Colombiano | Colombiana | ||
Uruguay | Uruguay | Uruguayo | Uruguaya |

How to answer the question “Where are you from?”
When someone asks you “¿De dónde eres?”, you can answer in a few ways:
- “Soy de [country].” – This means “I am from [country].” Example: “Soy de España.” (I am from Spain.)
- “Vengo de [country].” – This translates to “I come from [country].” Example: “Vengo de México.” (I come from Mexico.)
- “Nací en [country].” – This means “I was born in [country].” Example: “Nací en Nicaragua.” (I was born in Nicaragua.)
You can also add your city or region if you want to be more specific:
“Soy de Moscú, Rusia.” (I am from Moscou, Rusia.)
English | Spanish | Audio |
---|---|---|
Country | País | |
Nationality | Nacionalidad | |
Inhabitant | Habitante |

English | Spanish | Audio |
---|---|---|
I am Spanish | Soy español | |
I come from Spain | Vengo de España | |
I was born in Spain | Nací en España | |
I’m from Spain | Soy de España |
I’m from [country], it’s a country [adjective] with a culture [adjective].
English | Spanish | Audio |
---|---|---|
I am from Guatemala; it is a very varied and picturesque country with a very varied culture | Soy de Guatemala; es un país muy variado y pintoresco con una cultura muy variada |
English | Spanish | Audio |
---|---|---|
I am from Uruguay, it is similar to Argentina in terms of linguistic expressions, gastronomy and music | Soy de Uruguay, es similar a Argentina en términos de expresiones lingüísticas, gastronomía y música”. |
English | Spanish | Audio |
---|---|---|
I am from Colombia, but I currently live in Venezuela | Soy de Colombia, pero actualmente vivo en Venezuela |
English | Spanish | 🎧 |
---|---|---|
I am from Mexico, and I am very proud of the passion and customs of my ancestors | Soy de México, y estoy muy orgullosa de la pasión y costumbres de mis ancestros |
Example dialogues
Let’s look at some conversations to see how these questions and answers work in real life:
Conversation 1:
- Person A: “¡Hola! ¿De dónde eres?”
- Person B: “Soy de España. ¿Y tú?”
- Person A: “¡Qué interesante! Yo soy de Colombia.”
Conversation 2:
- Person A: “¿En qué país naciste?”
- Person B: “Nací en Argentina, pero ahora vivo en Uruguay.”
- Person A: “¡Genial! Yo vengo de El Salvador.”
These examples show how easy it is to start a friendly chat about where people are from!
Exercises
Now, let’s practice what we’ve learned with some fun exercises:
- Fill in the blank: “¿_____ dónde eres?” (The missing word is “De”)
- Match the question with its English translation: a) “¿Cuál es tu país de origen?” b) “¿De qué país eres?” c) “¿En qué país naciste?”
- “What country are you from?”
- “In which country were you born?”
- “What is your country of origin?”
- Imagine you’re from Brazil. How would you answer “¿De dónde eres?” in Spanish?
- Create a short dialogue between two people asking and answering about their origins. Use different variations of the question and answer forms we’ve learned.
- Try to say five country names in Spanish without looking at the list above.
These exercises will help you remember what you’ve learned and practice using these phrases in real conversations!
Conclusion
Now you know how to ask and answer “Where are you from?” in Spanish! This skill opens doors to new friendships and exciting conversations. Remember, practice makes perfect. Try using these phrases with Spanish-speaking friends or in language exchange groups. Soon, you’ll be chatting about origins like a pro!