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 Chinese

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Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

我是美国人。 (Wǒ shì Měiguó rén.)

我是美国人。

我是中国人。 (Wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén.)

我是中国人。

我是澳大利亚人。 (Wǒ shì Aòdàlìyà rén.)

我是澳大利亚人。

我是加拿大人。 (Wǒ shì Jiānádà rén.)

我是加拿大人。

我是英国人。 (Wǒ shì Yīngguó rén.)

我是英国人.。

我是武汉人。(Wǒ shì Wǔhàn rén.)

我是武汉人。

Did you notice how I used a city name in place of a country name?

我是武汉人。(Wǒ shì Wǔhàn rén.) "I'm a Wuhan person."

我是武汉人。

I used a city name, 武汉 (Wǔhàn), "Wuhan," in place of a country name, 中国 (Zhōngguó). "China."

武汉. "Wuhan." 武汉 (Wǔhàn). 武汉.

You can use this response to answer the question, 你是哪里人？(Nǐ shì nǎlǐ rén?)

The key word in the question is 哪里 (nǎlǐ), "where." In addition to countries, it can refer to any place, including cities and towns.

This pattern is

我是 {hometown} 人。

"I'm a {hometown} person."

我是 {hometown} 人。

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

我是 (Wǒ shì) {home country} 人 (rén).

"I'm a {noun for person of home country}.

我是 (Wǒ shì) {home country} 人 (rén).

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