English Reference
Phrasal verb

come from

phrasal verb.
A1 Beginner Oxford

phrasal verb.This tells you the origin of a person or thing, like their home country, city, or where something was made.

phrasal verb.A transitive prepositional verb indicating the origin or source of a person, object, or idea.


SIMPLE

She comes from Canada.

CONTEXTUAL

This coffee comes from a small farm in Colombia and has a really rich flavour.

COMPLEX

Her deep-seated distrust of authority comes from a childhood spent under a repressive regime, shaping her political views for life.

Usage

Used to state the origin of a person (country, city) or a thing (source, material).

Teaching tip

Contrast with 'be from', which is nearly synonymous for origin ('I come from Spain' vs. 'I am from Spain'), but 'come from' can also imply a cause ('His anger comes from insecurity').

Pitfall
Where you come from?Where do you come from?

In questions, the auxiliary verb 'do' is required before the subject 'you'.

  • be from
  • originate from
  • hail from
Particles
from
Separability
inseparable
Pattern
come + from + object
This entry
Level A1 · Beginner
Updated