The question "Woher kommen Sie?" translates to "Where are you from?" in English. It is a polite and formal way of asking someone about their origin or hometown. Let’s break this down and explore its variations, usage, and responses in both formal and informal contexts.

1. Structure of the Question

Components:

• Woher: A compound word meaning "from where."
  • Wo = where
  • her = from here (directional particle)
• kommen: The verb meaning "to come."
• Sie: Formal "you," used in polite situations or with people you don’t know well.

Literal Translation:

"From where do you come?"

2. Informal Variation: "Woher kommst du?"

For informal situations (e.g., speaking to friends, family, or children), the informal pronoun du is used instead of Sie.

3. Common Responses to "Woher kommen Sie?"

When responding to this question, you can use the following structure:

• Ich komme aus + place (I come from + place).

Examples:

1. Ich komme aus Deutschland. (I come from Germany.)
2. Ich komme aus der Türkei. (I come from Turkey.)