Countries and Nationalities

Hook

“Where are you from?” is one of the first questions anyone asks a new person. To answer it you need two different words: the country (Japan) and the nationality (Japanese). They are not the same word, and the endings follow a few simple patterns.

Notice

  • I’m from Japan. I’m Japanese.
  • She’s from Brazil. She’s Brazilian.
  • They’re from Egypt. They’re Egyptian.
  • He’s from Spain. He’s Spanish.
  • A: Where are you from? — B: I’m from Turkey. I’m Turkish.

Which word comes after from: the country or the nationality?

Rule

Use from + country and be + nationality. Country and nationality words always start with a capital letter.

EndingExamples
-an / -ianBrazil → Brazilian · Egypt → Egyptian · Italy → Italian · Mexico → Mexican · Korea → Korean · India → Indian
-ishSpain → Spanish · Turkey → Turkish · Poland → Polish · England → English
-eseChina → Chinese · Japan → Japanese · Vietnam → Vietnamese · Portugal → Portuguese
-iPakistan → Pakistani · Bangladesh → Bangladeshi · Saudi Arabia → Saudi
differentFrance → French · the Netherlands → Dutch · Greece → Greek · Germany → German

Questions: Where are you from? · What nationality are you? · Are you from Italy? — Yes, I am. / No, I’m not. I’m from Spain.

Watch Out

  • ✗ I’m from Japanese. → ✓ I’m from Japan. / I’m Japanese. (from + country)
  • ✗ She is brazilian. → ✓ She is Brazilian. (always a capital letter)
  • ✗ Where you are from? → ✓ Where are you from?

Practice

  1. Brazil → ?
  2. France → ?
  3. China → ?
  4. Turkey → ?
  5. “Where ___ you from?”
  6. Complete: “Carlos is from Mexico. He’s ___.”
  7. Correct the mistake: “I am from german.”
  8. Answer: “Are you from Italy?” (no, Poland)
Show the answers
  1. Brazilian
  2. French
  3. Chinese
  4. Turkish
  5. are
  6. Mexican
  7. I am from Germany. / I am German.
  8. No, I’m not. I’m from Poland. I’m Polish.

Your Turn

Write about yourself and two other people (a friend, a famous person): I’m from… I’m… · … is from… She’s/He’s…. Then write the question you would ask a new classmate.

Connect

Our Word Chain Challenge is a fast word game: every new word starts with the last letter of the one before. Try chaining country names!

Play Word Chain Challenge →

Check the spelling and pronunciation of any country or nationality in our dictionary.

Open the English Dictionary →

CEFR A1 — Spoken Interaction: I can ask and answer simple questions about where people are from.

Azizul Hakim
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