Come from meaning
Come from means to be born in, or live in, a place. It can also mean to be made in, or start in, a place or a thing.
come from something
come from · came · come · coming
Where do you come from?
Come from meanings and examples
3 meanings, each with its own CEFR level. A level marked ~ is our estimate: Oxford and Cambridge give none for that meaning.
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1
Be born in, or live in, a place
come from something
- Where do you come from?
- I come from a small town near Porto.
- She doesn’t come from here. She’s Canadian.
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2
Be made in, or start in, a place or a thing
come from somebody or something
- Most of our tea comes from India.
- Where does this word come from?
- Milk comes from cows, not from shops!
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3
Be caused by something
come from something
- His back pain comes from sitting all day.
- Her confidence comes from years of practice.
- A lot of stress comes from money worries.
Café orders
New friends
At the airport
Slova
Use come from in real conversations
- Learn new words with picture cards
- Talk with Felix, an AI tutor, about the things you love
- Short lessons at your level, a few minutes a day
Is come from separable?
Come from is not separable. The place comes after from: come from Spain. In questions, from goes at the end: Where do you come from?
Use the present simple for where you are from, even if you left long ago: I come from Brazil. I came from Brazil means you travelled from there.
Verb tenses for come from
| Present | I come from · she comes from |
|---|---|
| Past | came from |
| Present perfect | have come from |
| -ing form | coming from |
Common mistakes with come from
What learners often say, and what to say instead.
Wrong: Where are you come from?
Right: Where do you come from?
Make the question with do, not are.
Wrong: I am coming from Spain, but I live in Leeds.
Right: I come from Spain, but I live in Leeds.
For where you are from, use the simple form.
Wrong: Where do you come?
Right: Where do you come from?
Keep from at the end of the question.
Synonyms and opposites of come from
Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.
Similar
- be fromthe same meaning, very common: I’m from Chile
- originatea formal word for meaning 2
Come from quiz
Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.
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1“Where do you ___?” “I’m from Kenya.”
Come from asks about your country or town.
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2Choose the right sentence.
Use do, and keep from at the end.
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3Your head hurts after long hours at the screen. Where does the pain ___?
Come from can mean be caused by.
More phrasal verbs with come
All phrasal verbs with come, by level, with an exercise
15 phrasal verbs start with come. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.
- come backA2return to the place where you are or the speaker is
- come inA2enter a room or building, towards the speaker
- come downA2move down to a lower place, towards the speaker
- come up withB1think of an idea, a plan or an answer
- come outB1become available to buy, watch or read, like a book or film
- come overB1visit someone at their home
- come onB1tell someone to hurry or to try harder
- come aroundB1visit someone at their home
- come alongB1go somewhere with someone
- come offB1become separated from the thing it was fixed to
- come acrossB2find or meet something or someone by chance
- come upB2be mentioned or talked about
- come apartC2break into pieces
- come throughC2arrive or be officially approved, like a visa or results
Come from FAQ
Questions people ask about come from.
Should I say where do you come from or where are you from?
Both are correct and common. Where are you from? is a bit more common in everyday conversation.
What does I see where you’re coming from mean?
It means I understand your point of view, even if I don’t agree. It is informal.
Can I say I come from London if I was born somewhere else?
Yes, if London is where you grew up or feel at home. Come from means your home town or country, not only where you were born.
Use come from in real conversations
In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.