How to Talk about Your Nationality - Examples and Variations

Master how to talk about your nationality with the key pattern

Also Appears In: Can Introduce Yourself Level 1.1 Can Do Mexican Spanish

Vocabulary (Review)

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Lesson Notes

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Lesson Transcript

Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Soy mexicana.

Soy estadounidense.

Soy australiana.

Soy inglés.

No soy japonesa, soy china.

Did you notice how the last speaker uses a different pattern?

No soy japonesa, soy china.

"I'm not Japanese, I'm Chinese."

First is no, “not”. No (enunciated). No.

Next is soy, “[I] am.” Soy.

Together, it's no soy, literally "not [I] am," but it translates as "I'm not." No soy.

Next is japonesa. "Japanese." Japonesa (enunciated). Japonesa.

Note: japonesa ends in -a, since it refers to a female. To refer to a male, the word japonés is used. Japonés.

Back to the conversation.

All together, No soy japonesa. "I'm not Japanese." No soy japonesa.

Jing Liu then states her actual nationality. Soy china. "I'm Chinese." Soy china.

First is soy "[I] am." Soy.

Next is china, "Chinese." China (enunciated). china.

Note: china ends in -a, since it refers to a female. To refer to a male, it changes to chino.

Together, soy china. "I'm Chinese." Soy china.

All together, No soy japonesa, soy china. "I'm not Japanese. I'm Chinese."

No soy japonesa, soy china.

The pattern is:

No soy NATIONALITY, soy ACTUAL NATIONALITY.

I'm not NATIONALITY. I'm ACTUAL NATIONALITY.

This can be shortened to

No, soy china. "No, I'm Chinese." No, soy china.

This pattern is:

No, soy ACTUAL NATIONALITY.

No, I'm ACTUAL NATIONALITY.

Remember this shortened pattern. You’ll need it for the practice section.

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