Nationality and Residence in Russian: How to Answer “Where Are You From?”

This post will help you understand how to tell your nationality, where you’re from, and where you live in Russian. Just use these easy patterns, and you’ll make no mistake answering the question “Откуда вы/ты?”.

You can watch the video first, if you prefer listening:

 

Where Are You From

Here are the phrases you can hear and use:

Откуда ты? (informal) – Where are you from? – (Also: Ты откуда? [spoken])

Откуда вы? (formal/plural) – Where are you from? (Also: Вы откуда? [spoken])

The formal version of the question, used when addressing someone with whom you are not familiar or who deserves more respect.

To answer this question we use the construction “Я из + place name in the genitive case”:

Я из Франции. – I’m from France.

Я из Италии. – I’m from Italy.

Я из США. – I’m from the US.

Я из Сибири. – I’m from Siberia.

Я из Москвы. – I’m from Moscow.

Я из Новосибирска. – I’m from Novosibirsk.

Я из Ростова-на-Дону. – I’m from Rostov-on-Don.

The question “Откуда вы/ты родом?” in Russian translates to “Where are you originally from?” It is a common question used to inquire about a person’s place of birth or their hometown.

To answer this question, you can provide the name of your birthplace or hometown. For example, if you were born in Moscow, you could respond with “Я родом из Москвы” (I am from Moscow). If you were born in Saint Petersburg, you might say “Я родом из Санкт-Петербурга” (I am from Saint Petersburg). Provide the name of the specific place that applies to you when answering the question.

See Also: Russian Vocabulary for Countries, Languages, and Nationalities

Where Do You Live

When asking about a person’s place of residence in Russian, there are a few additional variations and phrases that can be used:

Где вы живёте? (formal/plural) / Где ты живёшь? (informal) – Where do you live?

В каком городе / какой стране ты живёшь? – Here, you specifically ask in which city or country the person lives, allowing for a more specific response regarding their location.

 

The answer constructions is: “Я живу в + place name in the prepositional case”:

Я живу в Англии. – I live in England.

Я живу во Франции. – I live in France.

Я живу в Москве. – I live in Moscow.

Я живу в Самаре. – I live in Samara.

Я проживаю в Санкт-Петербурге. – I reside in Saint Petersburg.

It’s important to note that when discussing the place of residence, Russians often use the verb “жить” (to live) or “проживать” (to reside) followed by the name of the city, country, or specific location.

“Где находится твой дом?” translates to “Where is your house located?” It can be used if you are curious about the exact whereabouts of someone’s residence or to inquire about their address.

What Is Your Nationality

To ask someone about their nationality in Russian, you can use the following question:

Кто вы по национальности? / Кто ты по национальности? – What is your nationality?

When responding to questions about nationality, individuals may share the name of their ethnic group or provide additional details about their cultural background.

Я русский. (male) / Я русская. (female) – I’m Russian.

Я англичанин. (male) / Я англичанка. – I’m English.

Я американец. (male)/ Я американка. (female) – I’m American.

Я китаец. (male) / Я китаянка. (female) – I’m Chinese.

Я испанец. (male) / Я испанка. (female) – I’m Spanish.

Я итальянец. (male) / Я итальянка. (female) – I’m Italian.

Я француз. (male) / Я француженка. (female) – I’m French.

Я аргентинец. (male) / Я аргентинка. (female) – I’m Argentinian.

Я бразилец. (male) / Я бразильянка. (female) – I’m Brazilian.

Я татарин. (male) / Я татарка. (female) – I am Tatar.

Я украинец. (male) / Я украинка. (female) – I am Ukrainian.

Я наполовину русская, наполовину украинка. – I am half Russian, half Ukrainian.

Я частично армянин, частично грек. – I am partially Armenian, partially Greek.

National identity can be a sensitive subject for some individuals. It is important to approach the topic with curiosity and respect while being understanding if someone prefers not to disclose their nationality.

Keep in mind that in Russia, people often refer to their nationality based on their ethnicity, such as Russian, Tatar, Ukrainian, Uzbek, or Kazakh, rather than just stating their country of citizenship. However, some individuals may have different nationalities due to their mixed heritage or family background.

See Also: How to Introduce Yourself in Russian

Example Sentences:

Я бразильянка, но уже несколько лет работаю за границей. – I’m Brazilian, but for several years I’ve been working abroad.

Моя мама – кореянка, а папа – англичанин. – My mom is Korean, but my dad is English.

Short text:

Я из Москвы. Это самый крупный город России, её столица. Я вырос в центре города, где всегда очень шумно, но я люблю Москву за ее историю, архитектуру и культуру. В Москве есть множество достопримечательностей, которые я советую посетить. Например, Красная площадь, Кремль, Большой театр.

I am from Moscow. This is the largest city in Russia and its capital. I grew up in the city center, where it’s always very noisy, but I love Moscow for its history, architecture, and culture. There are many landmarks in Moscow that I recommend visiting, such as Red Square, the Kremlin, the Bolshoi Theater.

What’s your nationality and where are you from? Let me know in the comments!