你住在哪里？
nǐ zhù zài nǎli?
Where do you live · trad. 你住在哪裡？
你住在哪里？ (nǐ zhù zài nǎlǐ) is a common question meaning "Where do you live?" It is used to ask about someone's general place of residence, such as their city or district.
What does 你住在哪里？ (nǐ zhù zài nǎli?) mean?
你住在哪里？ (nǐ zhù zài nǎli?) means “where do you live” in English. Word for word, it breaks down as “you live at where?”
When to use it
Neutral and polite. It's suitable for casual conversations with new acquaintances or friends. When asked, it's common to reply with a city or district, not a specific address. For a more polite version, use 您住在哪里？ (nín zhù zài nǎlǐ).
How to pronounce it
Sounds like "nee joo zai NAH-lee." The 'nǎ' in 'nǎlǐ' is a third tone, often pronounced with a slight dip or as a rising tone when spoken quickly.
Other ways to say it
- 你家在哪儿？nǐ jiā zài nǎr?Where is your home? (more casual)
- 您住在哪里？nín zhù zài nǎli?Where do you live? (polite/formal)
- 你住哪儿？nǐ zhù nǎr?Where do you live? (very casual)
Examples
你好，你住在哪里？
nǐ hǎo, nǐ zhù zài nǎli?
Hello, where do you live?
我住在北京，你住在哪里？
wǒ zhù zài Běijīng, nǐ zhù zài nǎli?
I live in Beijing, where do you live?
请问，你住在哪里？
qǐngwèn, nǐ zhù zài nǎli?
Excuse me, where do you live?
Pro tip: When asked '你住在哪里？', it's customary to give a general location like a city or district, not your precise street address. This is for privacy and common courtesy.
Related phrases
我是美国人 · I'm american你多大了？ · How old are you你做什么工作？ · What do you do for work
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