Introduce yourself in Chinese
Learn to introduce yourself in Mandarin: say your name, where you are from, and ask the other person. Includes the reusable 你...吗？ question pattern with pinyin and tone marks.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn how to introduce yourself in Mandarin Chinese and ask someone else for the same information. You will use three core patterns: 我叫... (wǒ jiào...) for your name, 我是...人 (wǒ shì...rén) for your nationality or hometown, and the reusable question pattern 你...吗？ (nǐ...ma?) to ask yes/no questions. Mandarin has four main tones plus a neutral tone, and tones are written with marks over the main vowel. Pay attention to the pinyin and tone marks in each phrase. By the end, you will be able to hold a short, polite self-introduction conversation.
By the end, you can…
- say my name in Mandarin using 我叫...
- say where I am from using 我是...人
- ask someone's name and where they are from using 你...吗？
- understand and respond to simple self-introduction questions
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
我叫...
My name is... / I am called...
wǒ jiào...
Use this to give your name. 我 (wǒ) means I, 叫 (jiào) means to be called. Put your name after it.
你叫什么名字？
What is your name?
nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?
A common way to ask someone's name. 你 (nǐ) is you, 什么 (shénme) is what, 名字 (míngzi) is name.
我是...人。
I am ... (nationality/from ...).
wǒ shì...rén.
Use this to say your nationality or where you are from. 是 (shì) means to be, 人 (rén) means person.
你是哪国人？
What country are you from?
nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?
Ask someone's nationality. 哪 (nǎ) means which, 国 (guó) means country, 人 (rén) means person.
你...吗？
Are you...? / Do you...?
nǐ...ma?
A reusable yes/no question pattern. Put a verb or adjective before 吗 (ma). For example, 你是学生吗？ (nǐ shì xuésheng ma?) Are you a student?
很高兴认识你。
Nice to meet you.
hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
A polite phrase after meeting someone. 很 (hěn) means very, 高兴 (gāoxìng) means happy, 认识 (rènshi) means to know/meet.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 你...吗？ (nǐ...ma?) turns a statement into a yes/no question. Put the verb or adjective before 吗. For example, 你是中国人吗？ (nǐ shì Zhōngguó rén ma?) means 'Are you Chinese?' 你喜欢茶吗？ (nǐ xǐhuan chá ma?) means 'Do you like tea?' To answer yes, repeat the verb: 是，我是中国人。 (shì, wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén.) 'Yes, I am Chinese.' To answer no, put 不 (bù) before the verb: 不，我不是中国人。 (bù, wǒ bú shì Zhōngguó rén.) 'No, I am not Chinese.' Note that 不 (bù) is pronounced bú before a fourth-tone syllable like 是 (shì).
When to use it
Use 你...吗？ in everyday polite conversation with people you meet for the first time, classmates, or colleagues. It is neutral and safe. For example, when you meet someone, you can ask 你是学生吗？ (nǐ shì xuésheng ma?) 'Are you a student?' or 你是老师吗？ (nǐ shì lǎoshī ma?) 'Are you a teacher?' Do not add 吗 to a question that already contains a question word such as 什么 (shénme) or 哪 (nǎ); those sentences are already questions, so 你叫什么名字？ (nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) is correct without 吗. Also, for older people or formal situations, use 您 (nín) instead of 你 (nǐ) to show respect: 您是老师吗？ (nín shì lǎoshī ma?)
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
你好！我叫李明。你叫什么名字？
Hello! My name is Li Ming. What is your name?nǐ hǎo! wǒ jiào Lǐ Míng. nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?你好！我叫王丽。很高兴认识你。
Hello! My name is Wang Li. Nice to meet you.nǐ hǎo! wǒ jiào Wáng Lì. hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.你是哪国人？
What country are you from?nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?我是中国人。你是哪国人？
I am Chinese. What country are you from?wǒ shì Zhōngguó rén. nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?我是美国人。你是学生吗？
I am American. Are you a student?wǒ shì Měiguó rén. nǐ shì xuésheng ma?是，我是学生。你呢？
Yes, I am a student. And you?shì, wǒ shì xuésheng. nǐ ne?A little context goes a long way
In Mandarin, asking personal questions like name, nationality, or occupation is common in first meetings and is generally not considered rude. However, 你 (nǐ) is for peers or people younger than you; for elders, teachers, or formal settings, use 您 (nín) to show respect. Also, 你呢？ (nǐ ne?) is a handy way to return a question without repeating it, meaning 'And you?'
One thing to watch for
Adding 吗 (ma) to a question that already has a question word, such as saying 你叫什么名字吗？ (nǐ jiào shénme míngzi ma?).
Try this instead: Do not use 吗 with question words like 什么 (shénme), 哪 (nǎ), or 谁 (shéi). The question word already makes it a question. Say 你叫什么名字？ (nǐ jiào shénme míngzi?) without 吗.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'My name is Anna' in Mandarin?
Show a sample answer
我叫Anna。 (wǒ jiào Anna.)
This uses the pattern 我叫... to give your name. You can also say 我的名字是Anna。 (wǒ de míngzi shì Anna.) but 我叫... is more common in speech.
2Turn '你是学生' (nǐ shì xuésheng) into a yes/no question.
Show a sample answer
你是学生吗？ (nǐ shì xuésheng ma?)
Add 吗 at the end to make a yes/no question. This is the reusable 你...吗？ pattern. You could also use the A-not-A form 你是不是学生？ (nǐ shì bu shì xuésheng?) but 吗 is simpler.
3Someone asks 你是哪国人？ (nǐ shì nǎ guó rén?). How do you answer 'I am British'?
Show a sample answer
我是英国人。 (wǒ shì Yīngguó rén.)
Use 我是...人 with the country name. For the UK, say 英国 (Yīngguó). Other valid answers depend on your nationality, e.g., 我是加拿大人。 (wǒ shì Jiānádà rén.)
Use 我叫... to give your name, 我是...人 for where you're from, and 你...吗？ to ask simple yes/no questions. Remember: no 吗 with question words like 什么 or 哪.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Chinese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr