German for Travel Small Talk: Asking "Where are you from?" and Understanding the Answer
Learn to ask where someone is from in German, understand typical answers, and keep a casual travel conversation going with follow-up questions.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
In casual German conversation, asking where someone is from is a common way to start talking about travel. The key question is "Woher kommst du?" (informal) or "Woher kommen Sie?" (formal). The answer usually uses the preposition "aus" plus the place name: "Ich komme aus Spanien." This lesson teaches the question, the answer pattern, and a few natural follow-ups so you can keep the conversation going without switching to English.
By the end, you can…
- ask someone where they are from using the correct informal or formal form.
- understand and give a simple answer with "Ich komme aus ...".
- ask one or two follow-up questions to keep travel small talk going.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Woher kommst du?
Where are you from? (informal)
VOH-hair koms doo
Use with friends, people your age, or anyone you already address with du. The verb kommst is the du-form of kommen.
Woher kommen Sie?
Where are you from? (formal)
VOH-hair KOM-uhn zee
Use with strangers, older people, officials, or anyone you address with Sie. The verb form is kommen, not kommst.
Ich komme aus ...
I come from ... / I'm from ...
ikh KOM-uh ows
Add a country, city, or region: Ich komme aus Kanada. Ich komme aus Berlin. The preposition aus is always used for origin.
Und du? / Und Sie?
And you? (informal / formal)
unt doo / unt zee
A quick way to return the question after you answer. Match du or Sie to the form the other person used.
Bist du zum ersten Mal hier?
Is this your first time here? (informal)
bist doo tsoom AIR-stuhn mahl heer
A natural follow-up after someone tells you where they are from. For formal, say Sind Sie zum ersten Mal hier?
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is: Woher + kommen + subject? and Ich komme aus + place. German uses the preposition aus for origin, not von. Examples: Woher kommst du? — Ich komme aus Österreich. Woher kommen Sie? — Ich komme aus der Schweiz. Note that some regions and countries take an article: aus der Schweiz, aus der Türkei, aus dem Iran. Most country names take no article: aus Deutschland, aus Japan, aus Brasilien.
When to use it
Use Woher kommst du? in relaxed settings: a hostel kitchen, a language exchange, a party with people your age. Use Woher kommen Sie? in more distant or polite situations: talking to a hotel receptionist, an older stranger, or someone you have just met in a formal context. If you are unsure, Sie is the safer choice. After the answer, react briefly: Ah, schön! or Interessant! Then ask a follow-up such as Bist du zum ersten Mal hier? or Wie lange bleibst du?
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hallo! Woher kommst du?
Hi! Where are you from?hah-LOH! VOH-hair koms dooIch komme aus Kanada. Und du?
I'm from Canada. And you?ikh KOM-uh ows KA-na-da. unt dooIch komme aus Irland. Bist du zum ersten Mal hier?
I'm from Ireland. Is this your first time here?ikh KOM-uh ows EER-lahnt. bist doo tsoom AIR-stuhn mahl heerJa, ich bin zum ersten Mal in Berlin. Es gefällt mir sehr gut.
Yes, it's my first time in Berlin. I really like it.yah, ikh bin tsoom AIR-stuhn mahl in ber-LEEN. es guh-FELT meer zair gootA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, small talk with strangers is often shorter and more direct than in some other cultures. Asking Woher kommst du? is normal among younger people and in travel settings, but with older strangers or in formal situations, Woher kommen Sie? is expected. Using du with a stranger can sound too familiar; using Sie too formally with a peer can sound distant. When in doubt, start with Sie and switch to du only if the other person offers it, for example by saying Wir können du sagen.
One thing to watch for
Saying Ich bin aus Kanada kommen or Woher bist du?
Try this instead: Use the verb kommen, not sein, for origin: Ich komme aus Kanada. The question is Woher kommst du? or Woher kommen Sie? Do not say Woher bist du? — that is not standard German for asking where someone is from.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are talking to a person your age at a hostel. Ask informally where they are from.
Show a sample answer
Woher kommst du?
This uses the du-form kommst, which fits a casual peer situation. Woher kommen Sie? would be grammatically correct but too formal here.
2Someone asks: Woher kommen Sie? Give a full answer saying you are from Switzerland.
Show a sample answer
Ich komme aus der Schweiz.
Die Schweiz takes the definite article in German, so aus der Schweiz is correct. Ich komme aus Schweiz is a common learner error.
3You have just said where you are from. Ask the other person the same question informally.
Show a sample answer
Und du?
Und du? is the natural short way to return the question. Und Sie? is the formal equivalent. Both are correct depending on the relationship.
Ask Woher kommst du? or Woher kommen Sie?, answer with Ich komme aus + place, and keep it going with Und du? and one simple follow-up question.
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