syussin ha doko desu ka.

It is read:

しゅっしん は どこ です か。

In normal writing, it is usually written without spaces:

出身はどこですか。

When は is used as the topic particle, it is pronounced wa, not ha.

So in this sentence:

• 出身は = as for your place of origin...

This is one of the first big spelling-pronunciation differences learners meet in Japanese.

出身 means a person’s place of origin, such as:

• where they are from
• their hometown
• their home region
• sometimes their home country

It is often used when asking where someone comes from originally, not just where they live now.

Japanese often leaves out words like you, I, or he/she when they are clear from context.

So instead of saying something like:

• あなたの出身はどこですか。

Japanese usually just says:

• 出身はどこですか。

This sounds more natural. Using あなた too often can sound unnecessary or stiff.

どこ means where.

In this sentence, it is the question word asking for the place:

• 出身はどこですか。
  = Where are you from?

So the structure is basically:

• 出身 = origin
• は = topic marker
• どこ = where
• ですか = polite question ending

です is the polite form often used to end sentences with nouns and noun-like expressions.

か is the question marker.

So:

• です = polite statement ending
• か = makes it a question

Together, ですか makes the sentence a polite question.

Nothing is missing.

出身 is a noun, and は marks it as the topic:

• 出身は = As for your origin...

This is a very common Japanese pattern:

• X は Y ですか。
• As for X, what/where/who is it?

So 出身はどこですか。 literally has a structure like:

• As for your place of origin, where is it?

Yes, it is natural and common.

A few common versions are:

• 出身はどこですか。 = normal polite
• ご出身はどちらですか。 = more polite
• どこから来ましたか。 = Where did you come from?
  This can mean where you came from physically, so it is not always the same as asking about someone’s hometown or origin.

So if you want to ask about someone’s background, 出身はどこですか。 is a good choice.

Yes, very often.

For example:

• 東京です。 = Tokyo.
• アメリカです。 = America.

You can also answer more fully:

• 東京出身です。 = I’m from Tokyo.
• アメリカ出身です。 = I’m from America.

Both are natural, but the fuller version makes the connection clearer.

They are not the same.

• 出身 = where you are from originally
• 国籍 = nationality / citizenship

For example, someone could say:

• 出身はブラジルです。
• 国籍は日本です。

That would mean the person is originally from Brazil but has Japanese nationality.

So if you want to ask about a person’s hometown or origin, use 出身, not 国籍.

Yes. どちら is more polite than どこ.

So:

• 出身はどこですか。 = polite
• ご出身はどちらですか。 = more polite / more refined

You will often hear どちら in formal situations, customer service, interviews, or when speaking respectfully.

The ご adds politeness and respect.

So:

• 出身はどこですか。 = polite
• ご出身はどちらですか。 = more respectful

This is an example of honorific language. You use ご with some nouns when talking politely about the other person.

It depends on context.

出身 can refer to:

• hometown
• city
• prefecture
• region
• country

For example, if you are speaking to another Japanese person, it may mean their prefecture or hometown. If you are speaking internationally, it may mean their country.

So the exact scope is flexible, and the listener usually answers at the level that makes sense in the conversation.