italki - 你来自哪里? (nǐ láizì nǎlǐ?) - Is this be best way to ask about a person's nationality? I'm trying to avo

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Brad

你来自哪里? (nǐ láizì nǎlǐ?) - Is this be best way to ask about a person's nationality? I'm trying to avoid being rude or racist when I speak to a native speaker. In English I would usually avoid asking "What's your nationality?" or "What country are you from?" I've learned: 你来自哪里? - nǐ láizì nǎlǐ ? - Where are you from? Are there other polite ways to ask about a person's nationality?

Jun 27, 2018 1:34 AM

Corrections · 5

Hey Brad,

Sure, of course you can ask 你來自哪裡 to ask where someone is from, people often say that and it's not considered rude.

The other common ways of asking that question that people use are:

你是哪里人？你是哪國人？你是哪個國家的？

Laurence

June 27, 2018

Thanks, Ping. I've learned about "您" and "你" recently. I'm glad to know I'm not being rude with anyone when asking about their country.

June 28, 2018

一般中国人会这样问家乡或者问国别。请问，您是哪里人啊？请问，您是哪个国家的啊？问的比较随意也不失礼貌。中国人一般是不会觉得问国别不礼貌的。:） In China, people always ask others' hometown or homecountry like this: 请问，您是哪里人啊？请问，您是哪个国家的啊？ "您"是"你"的尊称。比如，你好-您好，会显得更加礼貌。

June 27, 2018

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