Dialogue
“Where are you really from?” Responding in French
Practise a sixteen-turn French conversation about “where are you really from?”, with ways to limit disclosure, clarify and redirect.
- B2
- 16 lines
- Practice mode
- Learn this in the B2 notebook →
In short
You can answer at the level you choose, ask what the person means or set a boundary. Je viens de Lille may be your complete answer. If the question continues, try Vous me demandez où j’ai grandi ou l’histoire de ma famille ? or Je préfère en rester là.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
At a workshop, another participant asks about where you come from and then insists on a “real” origin. The exchange below shows one way to clarify the question without supplying a family history you do not want to discuss. Tone, relationship and your own preference affect whether you continue, redirect or finish the exchange.
- Paul
Vous venez d’où ?
English
Where are you from?
- Vous
De Lille. J’y ai grandi.
From Lille. I grew up there.
English
From Lille. I grew up there.
- Paul
Oui, mais vous venez d’où, vraiment ?
English
Yes, but where are you really from?
- Vous
Vous me demandez où j’ai grandi ou l’histoire de ma famille ?
Are you asking where I grew up or about my family history?
English
Are you asking where I grew up or about my family history?
- Paul
Je pensais plutôt à votre famille.
English
I was thinking more about your family.
- Vous
Je préfère ne pas entrer dans les détails de mon histoire familiale.
I prefer not to go into the details of my family history.
English
I prefer not to go into the details of my family history.
- Paul
Je ne voulais pas être indiscret.
English
I did not mean to be intrusive.
- Vous
Je comprends. Pour moi, Lille répond bien à votre première question.
I understand. For me, Lille does answer your first question.
English
I understand. For me, Lille does answer your first question.
- Paul
Vous y vivez encore ?
English
Do you still live there?
- Vous
Non, je vis ici depuis trois ans. Et vous, vous connaissez Lille ?
No, I have lived here for three years. And do you know Lille?
English
No, I have lived here for three years. And do you know Lille?
- Paul
Un peu, j’y ai travaillé quelques mois.
English
A little; I worked there for a few months.
- Vous
Dans quel domaine ?
In what field?
English
In what field?
- Paul
Dans l’édition. C’est aussi pour cela que je suis à cet atelier.
English
Publishing. That is also why I am at this workshop.
- Vous
Alors, nous avons un sujet commun : vous travaillez sur quel type de livres ?
Then we have a shared subject: what type of books do you work on?
English
Then we have a shared subject: what type of books do you work on?
- Paul
Surtout des récits de voyage.
English
Mainly travel accounts.
- Vous
Je serais contente d’en parler pendant la pause.
I would be happy to talk about that during the break.
English
I would be happy to talk about that during the break.
Choose how far to continue
| Your preference | Possible response |
|---|---|
| Clarify the scope | Vous pensez à mon lieu de naissance ou à mon parcours ? |
| Offer limited information | Je peux vous dire où j’ai grandi. |
| Set a boundary | Je préfère ne pas parler de mon histoire familiale. |
| End the exchange | Je préfère en rester là. Je vais rejoindre mon groupe. |
A boundary can be brief. You do not need to replace a declined answer with a different private detail. In the dialogue, the speaker redirects towards a shared professional interest after the other person accepts the limit. If the insistence continues, the closing option gives a way to leave the conversation.