German in 30 Days 3 Sections8 Lessons50 Weeks
Day 2 Where Are You From?
Day 2 — Where Are You From?
Learn Conversational German in 30 Days
Today’s Goal
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
- say where you are from,
- ask someone where they are from,
- say where you live,
- ask where someone lives,
- name countries and cities,
- and continue a simple introductory conversation.
Today we build on Day 1. You already know how to greet someone, say your name, and ask how they are. Now you will learn how to tell someone a little more about yourself.
1. Review from Day 1
Before learning something new, quickly review these expressions aloud:
Hallo!
Hello!
Ich heiße David.
My name is David.
Wie heißt du?
What is your name?
Wie geht’s dir?
How are you?
Mir geht’s gut, danke.
I am well, thank you.
Schön, dich kennenzulernen.
Nice to meet you.
Try to say these without looking at the English translation.
2. Asking Where Someone Is From
Woher kommst du?
Where are you from?
The word woher means from where.
You can answer:
Ich komme aus Indien.
I am from India.
Ich komme aus Österreich.
I am from Austria.
3. Saying Where You Are From
The basic pattern is:
Ich komme aus + country.
Examples:
Ich komme aus Indien.
I am from India.
Ich komme aus Österreich.
I am from Austria.
Ich komme aus Deutschland.
I am from Germany.
Ich komme aus Italien.
I am from Italy.
Ich komme aus Frankreich.
I am from France.
Ich komme aus Spanien.
I am from Spain.
Ich komme aus England.
I am from England.
Ich komme aus Kanada.
I am from Canada.
4. Asking Where Someone Lives
Wo wohnst du?
Where do you live?
You can answer:
Ich wohne in Wien.
I live in Vienna.
Ich wohne in Graz.
I live in Graz.
Ich wohne in Berlin.
I live in Berlin.
Ich wohne in London.
I live in London.
The pattern is simple:
Ich wohne in + city.
5. Country and City Are Not the Same
Notice the difference:
Ich komme aus Indien.
I am from India.
Ich wohne in Wien.
I live in Vienna.
You may come from one country but live in another place now.
For example:
Ich komme aus Indien, aber ich wohne in Wien.
I am from India, but I live in Vienna.
The word aber means but.
This is a very useful word for simple conversation.
6. Your Day 2 Conversation
Read the conversation aloud.
David: Hallo! Ich heiße David. Wie heißt du?
Emily: Ich heiße Emily.
David: Schön, dich kennenzulernen.
Emily: Ebenso!
David: Woher kommst du?
Emily: Ich komme aus Kanada. Und du?
David: Ich komme aus Indien.
Emily: Wo wohnst du?
David: Ich wohne in Wien. Und du?
Emily: Ich wohne auch in Wien.
English Translation
David: Hello! My name is David. What is your name?
Emily: My name is Emily.
David: Nice to meet you.
Emily: Likewise!
David: Where are you from?
Emily: I am from Canada. And you?
David: I am from India.
Emily: Where do you live?
David: I live in Vienna. And you?
Emily: I also live in Vienna.
7. Useful Word: auch
auch
also / too
Ich wohne auch in Wien.
I also live in Vienna.
Ich komme auch aus Indien.
I am also from India.
Mir geht’s auch gut.
I am also well.
This is a very useful word because it helps you respond naturally in conversation.
8. Important Questions for Today
Practise these two questions several times:
Woher kommst du?
Where are you from?
Wo wohnst du?
Where do you live?
Now practise the answers:
Ich komme aus Indien.
I am from India.
Ich wohne in Wien.
I live in Vienna.
Say them aloud three times.
9. Useful Countries in German
Here are some common country names:
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Österreich | Austria |
| Deutschland | Germany |
| Indien | India |
| Italien | Italy |
| Frankreich | France |
| Spanien | Spain |
| Portugal | Portugal |
| England | England |
| Kanada | Canada |
| Australien | Australia |
| Japan | Japan |
| China | China |
Do not try to memorise all of them at once. Begin with your own country and a few countries that are important to you.
10. Useful Cities
Wien — Vienna
Berlin — Berlin
Salzburg — Salzburg
Graz — Graz
München — Munich
London — London
Paris — Paris
Rom — Rome
Madrid — Madrid
Delhi — Delhi
City names are usually easy because many are similar in different languages.
11. A Simple Grammar Note
Today you are using two important verbs:
kommen — to come
wohnen — to live
ich komme — I come
ich wohne — I live
du kommst — you come
du wohnst — you live
This is why we ask:
Woher kommst du?
Where are you from?
Wo wohnst du?
Where do you live?
You do not need to memorise all German verb forms today. Just become familiar with these phrases.
12. Build Your Own Answers
Complete this sentence aloud:
Ich komme aus __________.
Say your country.
Now say:
Ich wohne in __________.
Say your city.
Now combine them:
Ich komme aus __________, aber ich wohne in __________.
Example: Ich komme aus Indien, aber ich wohne in Wien.
13. Ask Your Partner
If you are practising with another person, ask:
Wie heißt du?
Woher kommst du?
Wo wohnst du?
Then your partner asks you the same questions.
Try not to read the answers.
14. Add One More Question
Now let us make the conversation slightly longer.
Wohnst du schon lange in Wien?
Have you lived in Vienna for a long time?
You can answer simply:
Ja, schon lange.
Yes, for a long time.
Nein, noch nicht lange.
No, not for very long.
You do not need to understand every grammar detail yet. Learn these as useful expressions.
15. Conversation 2 — A Little Longer
David: Guten Morgen!
Emily: Guten Morgen!
David: Ich heiße David. Wie heißt du?
Emily: Ich heiße Emily.
David: Woher kommst du?
Emily: Ich komme aus Kanada. Und du?
David: Ich komme aus Indien, aber ich wohne in Wien.
Emily: Wirklich? Ich wohne auch in Wien.
David: Wohnst du schon lange in Wien?
Emily: Nein, noch nicht lange.
David: Schön!
English Translation
David: Good morning!
Emily: Good morning!
David: My name is David. What is your name?
Emily: My name is Emily.
David: Where are you from?
Emily: I am from Canada. And you?
David: I am from India, but I live in Vienna.
Emily: Really? I also live in Vienna.
David: Have you lived in Vienna for a long time?
Emily: No, not for very long.
David: Nice!
16. New Useful Expression
Wirklich?
Really?
This is a very useful conversational word.
A: Ich wohne in Wien.
I live in Vienna.
B: Wirklich? Ich auch!
Really? Me too!
Using short reactions like this makes your German sound more natural.
17. Speak Without Reading
Try to say these in German:
- Where are you from?
- I am from India.
- Where do you live?
- I live in Vienna.
- I am from India, but I live in Vienna.
- I also live in Vienna.
- Really?
- And you?
Show Answers
1. Woher kommst du?
2. Ich komme aus Indien.
3. Wo wohnst du?
4. Ich wohne in Wien.
5. Ich komme aus Indien, aber ich wohne in Wien.
6. Ich wohne auch in Wien.
7. Wirklich?
8. Und du?
18. Personal Speaking Practice
Say the following information about yourself:
My name is …
Ich heiße …
I am from …
Ich komme aus …
I live in …
Ich wohne in …
I am well, thank you.
Mir geht’s gut, danke.
Now put everything together.
Hallo! Ich heiße David. Ich komme aus Indien, aber ich wohne in Wien. Mir geht’s gut, danke.
Try to make your own introduction.
19. Mini Vocabulary Review
| German | English |
|---|---|
| Woher? | From where? |
| Woher kommst du? | Where are you from? |
| Ich komme aus … | I am from … |
| Wo? | Where? |
| Wo wohnst du? | Where do you live? |
| Ich wohne in … | I live in … |
| auch | also / too |
| aber | but |
| Wirklich? | Really? |
| schon lange | for a long time |
| noch nicht lange | not for very long |
| Und du? | And you? |
20. Day 2 Speaking Challenge
Practise this conversation three times today.
David: Hallo! Wie heißt du?
Emily: Ich heiße Emily.
David: Woher kommst du?
Emily: Ich komme aus Kanada. Und du?
David: Ich komme aus Indien.
Emily: Wo wohnst du?
David: Ich wohne in Wien. Und du?
Emily: Ich wohne auch in Wien.
First time: Read everything carefully.
Second time: Look at the lesson only when necessary.
Third time: Try to have the conversation from memory.
Real-Life Challenge
If possible, ask someone today:
Woher kommst du?
or
Wo wohnst du?
If you are not ready to ask someone in real life, practise the questions aloud several times at home.
The goal is to make these expressions feel natural.
Remember
Yesterday you learned how to greet someone and say your name.
Today you learned how to tell someone where you are from, where you live, and how to ask them the same questions.
You are already building a real conversation.
Do not try to learn everything perfectly before speaking.
Use the German you know. Repeat it often. Add a little more every day.
Alphy School
Learning for Life