Learn English – ‘What are you?’ vs. ‘What do you do?’

"Where are you from" is more common (at least in U.S. English). In my opinion, this is the preferred option when meeting someone new.

The difference is a bit more emphasis on the verb "to be/are" instead of the action of "coming/being from" somewhere as is common in other languages. The meaning is identical though.

1) "Where are you from?" implies that you want to know what city/state/country they consider "home," and that you assume it's someplace other than where you are right now. This may be confusing, since where someone is "from" isn't necessarily where they live. It also can be embarrassing to assume, for example, that a person of a certain ethnic background must "come from" some other place. It might be a good idea to separate the idea of "what is your family/ethnic background?" from "where do you live right now?"

"Where are you from?"

"I'm originally from Oslo, Norway, but I live in Chicago."

2) "Where do you come from" sounds kind of awkward and outdated. I think this is because it includes the present-tense verb "do" in a question about a past-tense action (coming from somewhere). This is perfectly understandable and you can say this if you prefer - I'd still suggest the other way though.

"Where do you come from?"

"I come from a land beyond the sea, overrun by trolls and dragons!"

3) "Where did you come from" would be correct if you want to know "where were you immediately before you came to this location we're at right now?" This can also be used to express surprise at the person's sudden arrival or unexpected actions.

"Where did you come from?"

"I was next door, but now I'm here to rescue you!"

The two are often interchangeable, but they can carry a wide range of meaning.

On the informal side, this "question" might actually be more of a greeting than a question. For example, I might pass a co-worker in the hallway, and say, "How're you doing?" and expect not much more than a nod in return, or maybe a quick "Fine, how are you?" In the latter case, we might be walking past each other as my colleague is speaking, so there's no expectation of an answer from me.

That said, on the other extreme, these questions can also be used to express deep empathy. Another co-worker might tell me that he's lost his mother two days ago, and that he's having to make funeral arrangements. In that case, I might ask him, "How are you doing?" and my mannerisms would be completely different. The words would be spoken more slowly and compassionately; I'd probably be making eye contact, or I might even have a sympathetic hand on his shoulder. I'm essentially asking him, "Is everything okay?" I might even follow it up with something like, "If you need anything from me, just let me know."

In the middle, imagine a group of friends who get together weekly for some activity. In that case, "How are you doing?" might mean, "Do you want to share anything that's going on in your life?" If I have nothing to say, I might respond with a quick, "Good, and you?" but if I have something I want to share, I might launch right in: "Good! We took Elizabeth back to college last weekend. How was your Christmas?"

Lastly – and maybe most importantly – regional/cultural differences may apply, a fact that was brilliantly noted in this funny commercial. By the way, in that YouTube video, I noticed that someone left a comment:

I had to explain this commercial to my friends that aren't from the Northeast.

So, maybe a little explanation is in order here:

• All but one of the characters are from the New York City area. (You can tell from the accents.)
• The man in the cowboy hat is probably from Texas, or somewhere near there. You can tell from both the accent and the hat.
• In the U.S. Northeast, "How ya' doin'?" is simply a quick verbal greeting. It's essentially the equivalent of "Hello, nice to see you." It's not a question.
• In the U.S. South, "How are you?" is a question often used to express interest and invite discussion.

So, notice the facial expressions the first two times the Texan starts talking. Everyone is confused, wondering, "Why does he think we've just asked him a question?"

Their facial expressions are even more priceless after the last patron walks in. At 0:24, the bartender tries using a quick hand gesture, as if to say, "Please don't ask that guy next to you how he's doing!" but it's all in vain; the mannerism is just too ingrained. A mere four seconds later, those looks are hilarious, too, as the new customer is bewildered, and the bartender starts wondering how many times he'll have to hear about the big airport in NYC.

I've lived in both areas of the U.S., and even though I've probably watched this commercial a hundred times, I still laugh heartily every time I see it. It's a wonderful dissection in the nuances of English usage. (I don't think it aired for very long, and I wonder if that's because this "disconnect" still largely exists, so the ad confused more people than it amused.)

Incidentally, nobody is being rude – they are simply unaccustomed to how the expressions are used outside of their respective locales.

As a footnote, I think the Texan believes "the people sure are nice" because everyone is taking the time to ask him how he's doing!