French Phrase
T'es né(e) où ?
Meaning
Literally “You are born where?” – the informal way to ask someone where they were born. The verb naître (to be born) is used in the passé composé with the auxiliary être, so the past participle must agree with the subject’s gender.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual conversation with friends, classmates, or peers. It’s too informal for a job interview, a formal meeting, or when speaking to strangers you want to keep a respectful distance with.
✦Grammar Breakdown
T'esné(e)où?
Contraction T'es
T'es is the spoken contraction of tu es (you are). It’s common in informal French and always written with an apostrophe.
Past participle agreement
Né is the masculine form; add an e (né(e)) for a female speaker or subject. The e is often shown in parentheses to remind learners.
Question word où
Où means “where” and introduces a location question. It is placed at the end of the sentence in spoken French.
🗨In Conversation
T'es né(e) où ?
Where were you born?
Je suis né à Lyon, et toi ?
I was born in Lyon, and you?
✕Common Mistakes
T'es nées où ?
The past participle must agree with the singular subject, not become plural. Use né for a man, née for a woman.
Où est né ?
When the subject is “you”, the verb must be conjugated as tu es, not il/elle est. The correct informal form is T'es né(e) où ?
Tes né où
In spoken French the question mark is essential; without it the sentence sounds like a statement. Also, keep the apostrophe after T' to avoid writing “Tes”.
↔Alternatives
Tu es né(e) où ?
Where were you born?
Vous êtes né(e) où ?
Where were you born? (formal or plural)
D'où viens‑tu ?
Where do you come from?
Quel est ton lieu de naissance ?
What is your place of birth?
Cultural Tip
Asking about someone's birthplace can feel personal in French culture. In informal settings it’s fine, but with strangers or in professional contexts you might prefer the more neutral D'où viens‑tu ? or wait until the conversation naturally moves toward origins. Also remember to match the gender of né(e) with the person you’re talking about – a common slip for learners.