A1 English: Learn Countries and Nationalities Vocabulary

Raúl Maguiña

Fondateur de Langcom | Examinateur pour les examens de Cambridge et du SIELE

juillet 16, 2026

A1📚 Vocabulary⏱️ 3 min read
Countries are places where people live, and nationalities describe where a person is from. Learning these words helps you talk about yourself and others. For example, Spain is a country, and Spanish is the nationality. We always use a capital letter for both countries and nationalities. This is a very important rule in English. You can say “I am from Spain” or “I am Spanish.” These simple phrases are perfect for introducing yourself and asking others about their origins. Mastering this basic vocabulary is a great step for A1 English learners.

What are Countries and Nationalities?

A country is a place, like Mexico or Japan. It is a nation with its own government.

A nationality describes a person from that country. For example, someone from Mexico is Mexican. Someone from Japan is Japanese.

  • We always write countries and nationalities with a capital letter.
  • Mexico (country) → Mexican (nationality)
  • Japan (country) → Japanese (nationality)

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How Do We Use Them in Sentences?

You can use countries and nationalities to say where you or other people are from. There are two common ways to do this.

  • To talk about your country:
    I am from [Country].
    Exemple : I am from Colombia.
  • To talk about your nationality:
    I am [Nationality].
    Exemple : I am Colombian.

You can also use these phrases for other people:

  • She is from the United States.
  • He is American.
  • They are from China.
  • They are Chinese.

Important Rules for Countries and Nationalities

Remember these simple rules for using countries and nationalities correctly:

  • Always Capitalize: The first letter of every country and nationality word is always big (capital).
    Incorrect: i am spanish.
    Correct: I am Spanish.
  • Nationality as an Adjective: Nationalities often work like adjectives. They describe people.
    Exemple : He is a Spanish student. (Spanish describes the student.)
Common Countries and Nationalities
Country Nationality
Spain Spanish
Mexico Mexican
United States American
Colombia Colombian
China Chinese
France French
Germany German
Italy Italian
Japan Japanese
Brazil Brazilian

Exemples

  • I am from Brazil. I am Brazilian.
  • She is from France. She is French.
  • He is from Germany. He is German.
  • They are from Italy. They are Italian.
  • Are you from the UK? Are you British?

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Erreurs courantes chez les hispanophones

Spanish speakers sometimes make these mistakes:

  • Not capitalizing: In Spanish, nationalities are not always capitalized. In English, they always are.
    Incorrect: i am mexican.
    Correct: I am Mexican.
  • Using the country name instead of the nationality:
    Incorrect: I am Spain.
    Correct: I am Spanish.
    Remember, Spain is the country, Spanish is the nationality.
  • Using ‘of’ incorrectly:
    Incorrect: I am a person of Spain.
    Correct: I am from Spain. or I am Spanish.

Questions fréquemment posées

Do I always capitalize countries and nationalities?

Yes, always. In English, both countries (like Canada) and nationalities (like Canadian) always start with a capital letter.

What is the difference between ‘I am from…’ and ‘I am…’?

You use ‘I am from…’ with a country name, for example, ‘I am from Argentina.’ You use ‘I am…’ with a nationality, for example, ‘I am Argentinian.’ Both mean the same thing.

Can I use a nationality to describe a thing?

Yes, you can! Nationalities can describe things too. For example, ‘Spanish food’ or ‘Japanese cars.’

À propos de l'auteur : Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña est le directeur de l'Asociación Educativa Langcom, un centre agréé de préparation à l'examen Cambridge English situé à ÉTATS-UNIS. Fort de plus d'une décennie d'expérience dans l'enseignement des langues et les certifications internationales, il a aidé des milliers d'étudiants, d'enseignants et d'établissements d'enseignement dans 25 pays à obtenir les certifications d'anglais Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL et Michigan.

En savoir plus sur le Langcom →

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