Words to Talk About Where You Are From in Spanish | Say It Like A Local

Use “soy de…”, “vengo de…”, and the right gentilicio to say where you’re from, then add one short detail that fits the moment.

Talking about where you’re from is one of the first things that comes up in Spanish. It happens at airports, in group chats, at work, and when someone introduces you to a friend. If your answer feels stiff, it’s usually not your accent. It’s the wording. Spanish has a few go-to patterns that people repeat all day, and once you learn them, you stop sounding like a textbook.

This article gives you the words, the patterns, and the small add-ons that make your reply feel easy. You’ll learn how to name your country, your city, your region, your roots, and your current base. You’ll also learn what to avoid, since one small word choice can change the meaning.

Start With The Two Core Verbs

Most “where are you from?” answers in Spanish lean on two verbs: ser and venir. They don’t mean the same thing, and that’s where learners trip.

Use “Ser” For Origin

Soy de… is the standard. It points to origin. People use it for countries, cities, and towns.

• Soy de Bangladesh.
• Soy de Dhaka.
• Soy de Chittagong, en la costa.

If you want to add one gentle detail, you can use originalmente or de nacimiento:

• Soy de Dhaka, originalmente.
• Soy de Dhaka, de nacimiento.

Use “Venir” For Where You Came From

Vengo de… often points to where you came from in a more immediate sense. It can match your origin, and it can also mean your last stop.

• Vengo de Dhaka. (I came from Dhaka.)
• Vengo de una reunión. (I’m coming from a meeting.)

When you’re talking about background, vengo de still works. It just carries a “came from” feel. If you want zero mixed signals, soy de is the safer pick.

Words To Talk About Where You Are From In Spanish For Real Introductions

Once you’ve got soy de and vengo de, you can mix in short pieces that answer the follow-up questions people ask next. These words let you shape your answer without overtalking.

Place Words You’ll Use Often

• país (country)
• ciudad (city)
• pueblo (town)
• capital (capital city)
• región (region)
• provincia (province)
• estado (state)
• barrio (neighborhood)
• zona (area)

Background And Roots Words

These help when your story has more than one place. They’re common in casual talk and keep your answer tidy.

• nací en… (I was born in…)
• me crié en… (I grew up in…)
• soy de familia… (my family is from…)
• mis padres son de… (my parents are from…)
• tengo raíces en… (I have roots in…)
• mi familia es de… (my family is from…)

When you talk about roots, you can keep it to one line:

• Nací en Dhaka, pero me crié en Sylhet.
• Mis padres son de Khulna, y yo soy de Dhaka.

Where You Live Now

Spanish often separates origin from where you live. These phrases make that clean:

• vivo en… (I live in…)
• estoy en… por trabajo/estudios (I’m in… for work/studies)
• ahora vivo en… (I live in… now)
• me mudé a… (I moved to…)
• llevo X años en… (I’ve been in… for X years)

Two-part answers sound natural because they mirror how people share their story:

• Soy de Dhaka, pero ahora vivo en Madrid.
• Soy de Bangladesh y llevo tres años en Barcelona.

When you want a word that means “place of origin,” Spanish uses procedencia. It’s a formal noun that you’ll see in forms and travel contexts. The RAE entry for “procedencia” shows it as “origen” and “punto de partida,” which matches how it’s used in real life.

Gentilicios: The Nationality Words People Expect

A gentilicio is the adjective for where someone is from: mexicano, española, argentino. You can use it like an adjective or as a noun.

• Soy bangladesí.
• Soy bangladesí y vivo en Valencia.
• Ella es colombiana.
• Ellos son peruanos.

Two details matter here. First, gentilicios are usually lowercase in Spanish. Second, they change for gender and number when they end in -o/-a. The RAE guidance on gentilicios lays out what they are and how they work.

If you’re unsure about a country demonym, don’t guess. Many are irregular. A reliable starting point is the RAE list of countries and gentilicios, which collects recommended Spanish forms and often gives variants.

Gender And Number Shortcuts

These quick patterns save you time:

• -o / -a: mexicano / mexicana; chileno / chilena
• -e: canadiense, costarricense (same for all genders)
• -í: marroquí, iraní (same form, plural in -es: marroquíes)
• -és / -esa: francés / francesa; japonés / japonesa

When “Soy De” Beats A Gentilicio

Gentilicios work well when people already know the word. If the demonym is rare, soy de keeps the message clear. You can also combine both when you want the best of both:

• Soy de Bangladesh; soy bangladesí.
• Soy de India, de Calcuta.

Quick Phrases That Keep The Chat Going

“Where are you from?” is often a bridge to a longer chat. These add-ons feel friendly and invite a response without turning into a speech.

Simple Add-Ons

• Queda en… (It’s in…)
• Está cerca de… (It’s close to…)
• Es una ciudad… (It’s a city that’s…)
• Es una zona… (It’s an area that’s…)
• Es al norte/sur/este/oeste de…

Polite Ways To Return The Question

• ¿Y tú?
• ¿De dónde eres?
• ¿De dónde vienes?

What People Ask Next

Having a ready line helps you avoid awkward pauses:

• ¿Hace cuánto estás aquí? → Llevo seis meses.
• ¿Te gusta vivir aquí? → Sí, me gusta.
• ¿Volverás pronto? → Voy a ver a mi familia en verano.

If you write or publish in Spanish, demonyms and place names can get tricky. Fundéu keeps a running set of recommendations, including country names and their gentilicios. Their page on topónimos y gentilicios de países americanos helps when you’re checking spelling and articles like el Perú.

Cheat Sheet Table For Common “Where Are You From?” Goals

Use this table as a menu. Pick the row that matches your situation, then plug in your place names.

What You Want To Say	Spanish Pattern	Notes
Your origin (country or city)	Soy de + lugar	Neutral everyday reply.
Your last stop	Vengo de + lugar	Works for travel and background talk.
Your nationality word	Soy + gentilicio	Lowercase; changes in plural where needed.
Born in one place	Nací en + lugar	Pairs well with “pero…” plus where you grew up.
Raised somewhere else	Me crié en + lugar	Useful when your accent surprises people.
Live somewhere now	Vivo en / Ahora vivo en + lugar	Good follow-up after “soy de”.
Moved recently	Me mudé a + lugar	Add a time: “hace dos meses”.
Been in a place for a while	Llevo + tiempo + en + lugar	Natural for chats with coworkers and neighbors.
Family roots	Mis padres son de / Tengo raíces en	Keep it to one line unless asked.

Pronunciation And Spelling Details That People Notice

You don’t need perfect pronunciation to be understood, yet a few habits make your Spanish easier to follow.

Stress And Accents In Place Names

Many place names keep their written accent marks in Spanish: México, Bogotá, Asunción. If you’re writing, copy accents exactly. If you’re speaking, the accent mark tells you where the stress lands.

Articles With Some Country Names

Some country names take an article in Spanish in common use: el Perú, los Países Bajos, la India. When you’re unsure, check a reference list rather than guessing. The RAE country list linked above often shows the recommended form with its article.

Lowercase Gentilicios

English capitalizes nationalities. Spanish usually doesn’t. You’ll see español, argentina, canadiense in lowercase unless it starts a sentence or appears in a title.

How To Handle Tricky Personal Situations

Not everyone has a one-place answer. Spanish has clean ways to say what you mean without making it heavy.

When You Have Two “From” Places

If you were born in one place and raised in another, use a two-beat line:

• Nací en …, pero me crié en …
• Soy de …, pero pasé muchos años en …

When You’re Visiting

If you’re traveling and someone asks, you can answer origin plus visit status:

• Soy de …; estoy de visita.
• Soy de …; vine por unos días.

When You Don’t Want To Share Details

You can keep it light and still be polite:

• Soy de fuera. (I’m from abroad.)
• Soy de otra ciudad.
• Soy de cerca.

Common Mistakes Table And Clean Fixes

These are the slips that show up the most in beginner and intermediate Spanish, plus quick fixes that sound natural.

What Learners Say	A Cleaner Option	Why It Works Better
Estoy de Bangladesh.	Soy de Bangladesh.	Ser fits origin; estar fits location or state.
Soy de Bangladesh, vivo Dhaka.	Soy de Bangladesh y vivo en Dhaka.	“Vivir” takes en for place.
Soy Bangladesh.	Soy bangladesí.	You need the demonym, not the country name.
Vengo de Bangladesh (when asked origin).	Soy de Bangladesh.	Less travel-like; fewer mixed signals.
Mi nacionalidad es Bangladesí.	Mi nacionalidad es bangladesí.	Demonyms usually stay lowercase in Spanish.
Mis padres es de Dhaka.	Mis padres son de Dhaka.	Plural subject needs plural verb.
Yo soy de la Dhaka.	Soy de Dhaka.	Most city names don’t take an article.
Soy en Madrid.	Estoy en Madrid / Vivo en Madrid.	Estar marks location; vivir marks residence.

Mini Scripts You Can Reuse

Memorizing a full paragraph doesn’t help. A short script does. Pick one and swap the place names.

Friendly One-Liner

Soy de Dhaka. ¿Y tú?

Two-Line Answer With A Detail

Soy de Bangladesh, de Dhaka. Es una ciudad grande y muy animada.

Origin Plus Current Base

Soy de Bangladesh, pero ahora vivo en Sevilla por trabajo.

Born In One Place, Raised In Another

Nací en Dhaka, pero me crié en Sylhet. Ahora vivo en España.

Practice That Feels Like Real Talk

To make these phrases stick, practice in short bursts. Say your answer out loud, then say it again with one small twist: swap soy de for vengo de, add ahora vivo en, or add one detail like queda cerca de.

A good drill is a three-part chain:

1. Origin: Soy de…
2. Now: Ahora vivo en…
3. Time: Llevo… años aquí.

When you write your own list of demonyms, verify spellings with a trusted reference. The Diccionario panhispánico de dudas explains many spelling choices and usage notes, including tricky place-based forms.

Once you can answer smoothly, you’ll notice something nice: people stop switching to English. They keep the chat in Spanish, since your reply feels easy to build on.