How to Say Where You're From - Examples and Variation

Master how to say where you're from with the key pattern

Also Appears In: Can Introduce Yourself Level 1.1 Can Do French

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Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Mark Lee: Je viens de New York.

Hugues Henry: Je viens de Nantes.

Emma Auge: Je viens de Seattle.

Jack Jones: Je viens de Londres.

Lya Mercier: Je viens de Paris.

Mia Martin: Je suis australienne.

Did you notice how the last speaker uses a different pattern?

She says,

Mia Martin: Je suis australienne. "I'm Australian." Je suis australienne.

First is Je. "I" Je (enunciated). Je.

Next is suis. "Am," as in "I am." Suis (enunciated). Suis.

Suis is from the verb être, meaning "to be." Être.

Together, it's Je suis, meaning "I am." Je suis.

After this is australienne, meaning "Australian." Australienne (enunciated). Australienne.

Note, australienne is feminine.

This pattern is

Je suis {NATIONALITY}.

"I'm {NATIONALITY}."

Je suis {NATIONALITY}.

In Mia Martin’s case, she uses a feminine adjective, australienne, to describe herself.

Mia Martin: Je suis australienne.

In the case of a male speaker from Australia, he would use a masculine adjective, australien, to describe himself.

Je suis australien. I'm Australian. Je suis australien.

You should be aware of this pattern, but for this lesson, we'll use the pattern

Je viens de {CITY NAME}.

"I'm from {CITY NAME}."

Je viens de {CITY NAME}.

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