How to Say ‘Where are you from, Emily Smith?’ in Japanese
Emily Smith さんはどこから来ましたか？
Emily Smith san wa doko kara ki mashi ta ka
[sahn wah doko kara kee mah-shee tah ka]
🇯🇵 In Japan: Using someone's name with さん is more polite than saying "you." Japanese speakers often avoid the word for "you" when talking to people they've just met.
Phrase Breakdown
どこから
doko kara
from where
'doko' means where, and 'kara' means from. Say them together smoothly.
どこからですか？
Where are you from?
Words in this phrase
どこ
doko
[doko]
where
A question word asking about a place or location.
どこに行きますか？
Where are you going?
から
kara
[kara]
from
Shows the starting point in a range, such as from row 1.
一列目から五列目まで売り切れです。
From the first row to the fifth row is sold out.
来ましたか？
ki mashi ta ka
did (you) come?
The polite past question form of 'to come'. Raise your pitch slightly at the end on 'ka'.
電車で来ましたか？
Did you come by train?
Words in this phrase
来
ki
[kee]
come
From 来る, meaning 'to come.' Used when thanking someone for attending.
会場に来てくれてありがとう。
Thank you for coming to the venue.
まし
mashi
[mah-shee]
polite past stem
Part of the polite past ending in a verb phrase.
昨日は多くのことを学びました。
I learned many things yesterday.
た
ta
[tah]
past tense ending
This ending completes the polite past tense form.
空席がございまし た。
There were vacant seats.
か
ka
[ka]
question particle
Used to create a yes/no question in informal speech.
行くか？
Shall we go?
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