Saying where you're from

ベトナムから来ました I’m from Vietnam.

Skit
Video

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English
Japanese
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A welcome party is held for Tam from Vietnam at the share house where she's staying. Kaito has prepared a table full of good things to eat.

Listen #3 (10 min.)

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Skit

タムさん、たくさん食べてね。

Tamu-san, takusan tabete ne.

Enjoy the meal, Tam-san.

はい。

Hai.

Thanks, I will.

タムです。ベトナムから来ました。

Tamu desu. Betonamu kara kimashita.

I’m Tam. I’m from Vietnam.

ミーヤーです。中国からです。

Miiyaa desu. Chuugoku kara desu.

I’m Mi Ya. I'm from China.

写真家です。

Shashinka desu.

I’m a photographer.

ぼくは海斗。学生です。

Boku wa Kaito. Gakusee desu.

I’m Kaito. I’m a student.

わたくし、大家のはるです。

Watakushi, ooya no Haru desu.

I’m the landlady, Haru.

はるさんは何でも知っています。

Haru-san wa nan de mo shitte imasu.

Haru-san knows everything.

そうですか。よろしくお願いします。

Soo desu ka. Yoroshiku onegai-shimasu.

Oh really? Nice to meet you.

Vocabulary

たくさん

takusan

a lot

食べる

taberu

eat

はい

hai

yes

ベトナム

Betonamu

Vietnam

来る

kuru

come

中国

Chuugoku

China

写真家

shashinka

photographer

ぼく

boku

I (male)

学生

gakusee

student

わたくし

watakushi

I (polite)

大家

ooya

landlord/landlady

何でも

nan de mo

anything

知っている

shitte iru

know

そうですか

soo desu ka

I see

よろしくお願いします

yoroshiku onegai-shimasu

nice to meet you

Key Phrase

Saying where you're from

ベトナムから来ました。

Betonamu kara kimashita.

I’m from Vietnam.

To say where you're from, use "[place] kara kimashita." "Kara" is a particle that indicates the starting point or place of origin. "Kimashita" is the past tense of the verb "kuru" or "to come." You can replace this with "desu" and say "Betonamu kara desu" or "I'm from Vietnam."

Asking where someone is from:
Say "Dochira kara desu ka" or "Where are you from?" "Dochira" is an interrogative meaning "where" that is more polite than "doko."

Use It!

Listen

どちらからですか。

Dochira kara desu ka.

Where are you from?

アメリカから来ました。

Amerika kara kimashita.

I’m from America.

Try It Out!

Try saying where you're from

1Which of these three choices is the correct way to say this sentence in Japanese?

I’m from Thailand.

Thailand

タイ

Tai

1

Tai kara kimasu.

Sorry, wrong Answer.
2

Tai ni kimashita.

Sorry, wrong Answer.
3

タイから来ました。

Tai kara kimashita.

2Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).

I'm from XXX.

～から来ました。

~kara kimashita.

Brazil

ブラジル

Burajiru

Answer

ブラジルから来ました。

Burajiru kara kimashita.

3Say the sentence in Japanese, using the following word(s).

I'm from XXX.

～から来ました。

~kara kimashita.

Russia

ロシア

Roshia

Answer

ロシアから来ました。

Roshia kara kimashita.

Bonus Phrase: そうですか。

Soo desu ka.

Oh really?

Add to My NotebookAdded to My Notebook

People's voices

This is a response that acknowledges you understand what the person you're talking to has said. Be sure not to raise your intonation at the end of the sentence.

Kanji

Hito (Person)

Culture

Haru-san’s Bagful of Advice

How to Greet People in Japan

Bowing is customary in Japan when exchanging greetings. Your relationship with the other person determines how deeply you bow. If he or she is older or ranks higher than you in some way, the bow is deep.
If the person is your peer or younger than you, just a nod may be enough.
Handshakes and hugs are not so common.

Trip tip