"where did you come from?" vs. "where are you coming from?" Hey guys, My mom just asked me how to ask this in English and I actually wasn't sure! Lol. It really got me thinking, though. How embarrassing, considering the fact that I've been living in America for almost two decades... *facepalm* If I see someone I know returning from somewhere, should I ask "where did you come from?" or "where are you coming from?" ? I understand that the first one ("where did you come from?") may also be used to indicate a surprise at a person's sudden arrival or appearance but that's not the tone I'm trying to convey. I expect the answer to be more like, from work, from the Post Office, from the doctor's appointment, from a friend's house, etc. Thank you.