💭📍❓

How to Say ‘Where are you from, by the way?’ in French

Tu viens d'où, au fait ?

tyoo vyan d OO oh FET

[tyoo vyan d OO oh FET]

Phrase Breakdown

Tu viens d'où,

tyoo vyan d OO

Where are you from,

A casual question. Stress 'd'où' slightly.

Example

Tu viens d'où ?

Where are you from?

Words in this phrase

[tyoo]

you

An informal singular pronoun used to address one person.

Example

Tu travailles dans une start-up ou une grande entreprise ?

Do you work in a start-up or a large company?

viens

[vyan]

come

Form of 'venir' for 'je'.

Example

Je viens de Paris.

I come from Paris.

[d]

from

Short form of 'de'; 'd'ici là' means until then.

Example

D'ici là, révise bien.

Until then, revise well.

où

[OO]

where

Question word asking about place or location.

Example

Où habites-tu ?

Where do you live?

au fait ?

oh FET

by the way?

'Au fait' means 'by the way'. Pronounce the final 't': 'o fèt'.

Example

Au fait, tu as faim ?

By the way, are you hungry?

Words in this phrase

[oh]

by the (in 'au fait')

A contraction of 'à + le'. In the fixed phrase 'au fait' it helps mean 'by the way'.

Example

Au fait, tu as faim ?

By the way, are you hungry?

fait

[FET]

fact (in 'au fait')

A noun meaning 'fact'. In 'au fait' it means 'by the way', and the final t is pronounced.

Example

Au fait, Marc arrive ce soir.

By the way, Marc is arriving tonight.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

Get the Full Learning Experience

This lesson is just a preview. Download PrettyFluent to practice pronunciation, roleplay conversations, and master vocabulary with spaced repetition.

Pronunciation Feedback

AI-powered feedback on what you say out loud

Spaced Repetition

Retain vocabulary long-term with smart practice

Immersive Roleplaying

Practice real conversations with AI partners

Lessons for Your Situation

Request lessons tailored to your specific needs

Get Full Lesson

What Learners Are Saying

“Moved to Lyon for a culinary apprenticeship. The food and restaurant lessons were exactly what I needed — my French colleagues were genuinely impressed.”

Tom H., 38, Chef

“Studying in Paris and the academic French I learned in school was useless for daily life. This app filled the gap in weeks, not months.”

Nina W., 29, Graduate Student

“Learning a language has never been as immediately impactful. Now I can charm the locals and navigate the food scene like a boss.”

Alex M., 42, Software Engineer