French Phrase
Tu viens d'où ?
Meaning
Literally ‘You come from where?’, this phrase is the everyday way to ask someone where they are originally from. It is casual, friendly and assumes a level of familiarity between speakers.
When to use
Use it with friends, classmates, coworkers you know well, or anyone you feel comfortable addressing with ‘tu’. In a formal setting or with strangers you should switch to the polite form ‘Vous venez d'où ?’.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Tuviensd'où?
Subject pronoun (Tu)
‘Tu’ is the informal second‑person singular pronoun used with friends, family, or people your own age.
Verb ‘venir’ (present)
‘Viens’ is the 2nd‑person singular present form of ‘venir’ (to come). It follows the regular –ir conjugation pattern.
Contraction ‘d'où’
‘D'où’ is the contracted form of ‘de où’ (from where). In spoken French the contraction is mandatory; ‘de où’ is considered incorrect.
Question word placement
In informal speech the question is formed by keeping the normal word order and adding the interrogative ‘d’où’ at the end.
🗨In Conversation
Tu viens d'où ?
Where are you from?
Je viens de Lyon, et toi ?
I’m from Lyon, and you?
✕Common Mistakes
Tu viens de où ?
‘De où’ is never used in standard French; the correct contraction is ‘d’où’.
Vous viens d'où ?
The verb must agree with the subject pronoun; with ‘vous’ the verb is ‘venez’.
Tu viens d' où ?
Avoid a noticeable pause between ‘d'’ and ‘où’; say it as a single smooth contraction.
↔Alternatives
D'où viens‑tu ?
Where do you come from? (more formal word order)
Vous venez d'où ?
Where are you from? (polite)
Tu es d'où ?
Where are you from? (very colloquial)
Cultural Tip
Asking about someone's origin can be a delicate topic in France, especially with strangers. Start with the informal ‘Tu viens d'où ?’ only if the conversation is already relaxed, or use the polite ‘Vous venez d'où ?’ to stay safe. In some regions, people may answer with the name of a city, a department, or even a region (e.g., ‘Je viens du Sud‑Ouest’).