从 + Place + 来
Reach for 从 + Place + 来 when you need to say where someone or something comes from — your hometown, your country, the office, anywhere. It's one of the first patterns you'll use to introduce yourself, ask about a stranger's origin, or explain where a package or piece of news came from. 从 marks the starting point; 来 anchors the action of coming. Together they form the basic 'come from X' frame.
Structure
[SUBJECT] 从 [PLACE] 来
[SUBJECT] cóng [PLACE] lái
How to Think About It
从 is a starting line, 来 is the direction of travel toward the listener. 从北京来 paints an arrow: starting point Beijing, arrow pointing here. Swap 来 for 去 and the arrow flips — 从北京去上海 (going from Beijing to Shanghai, away from the speaker). The verb at the end tells you which way the line points.
Examples
我从美国来。
Wǒ cóng Měiguó lái.
I come from the United States.
你从哪里来？
Nǐ cóng nǎli lái?
Where do you come from?
他从上海来北京工作。
Tā cóng Shànghǎi lái Běijīng gōngzuò.
He came from Shanghai to Beijing to work.
Common Mistake
Learners drop 从 because English just says 'I come from China.' Without 从, the place after the verb gets misread as a destination, not an origin.
我来中国。
我从中国来。
Don't Confuse With
是 + Place + 人
我是中国人 = 'I'm Chinese.' Use it for nationality or identity; 从 + Place + 来 emphasizes the journey/origin.
在 + Place
在 marks current location, not origin. 我在北京 = I'm in Beijing right now; 我从北京来 = I came from Beijing.
从 + Place + 出发
Means 'depart from somewhere' for a trip in progress, often paired with a destination. Use for itineraries, not introductions.
Practice
Fill in the blank: 我___北京来。
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从
Fill in the blank: 他从英国___了。
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来
Arrange: 来 / 从 / 哪儿 / 你
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你从哪儿来？
Translate to Chinese: She comes from Japan.
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她从日本来。
Introduce yourself in one sentence using 从 + Place + 来.
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我叫小明，我从加拿大来。
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: