Introduce yourself in German
Learn to introduce yourself in German with 'Ich heiße...' and 'Ich komme aus...', ask 'Wie heißt du?' and 'Woher kommst du?', and reuse one simple sentence pattern in real conversations.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
In this lesson you will learn four core German sentences for first meetings: saying your name, saying where you are from, and asking the same questions back. The key reusable pattern is 'Ich ...' for statements and 'Woher ...?' or 'Wie ...?' for questions. German verb forms change slightly depending on whether you speak formally (Sie) or informally (du), so both versions appear below. Pronunciation guides use CAPITALS for stressed syllables.
By the end, you can…
- say my name in German using 'Ich heiße...' or 'Ich bin...'
- say where I come from using 'Ich komme aus...'
- ask someone's name and origin informally with 'Wie heißt du?' and 'Woher kommst du?'
- switch to the formal 'Sie' form in polite or professional situations
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ich heiße Anna.
My name is Anna.
ikh HY-suh AN-na
The most common neutral way to give your name. 'heißen' literally means 'to be called'. Use it with anyone.
Ich bin Tom.
I am Tom.
ikh bin tom
Shorter and very common in casual speech. Slightly less formal than 'Ich heiße', but fine in most situations.
Ich komme aus Kanada.
I come from Canada.
ikh KOM-muh ows KA-na-da
Replace 'Kanada' with your country. 'aus' is always followed by the country name, no article for most countries.
Wie heißt du?
What is your name? (informal)
vee HYST doo
Use with friends, classmates, people your age, children. The verb 'heißt' comes before 'du'.
Woher kommst du?
Where are you from? (informal)
vo-HAIR komst doo
'Woher' means 'from where'. Use the same informal context as 'Wie heißt du?'.
Wie heißen Sie?
What is your name? (formal)
vee HY-sun zee
Use with strangers older than you, officials, customers, or in professional settings. 'Sie' is always capitalized.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The reusable pattern is: Ich + verb + extra information. Examples: 'Ich heiße Maria.' (I am called Maria.) 'Ich komme aus Brasilien.' (I come from Brazil.) 'Ich wohne in Berlin.' (I live in Berlin.) To turn a statement into a question, move the verb to the front: 'Du kommst aus Spanien.' becomes 'Kommst du aus Spanien?' For 'W-questions', the question word comes first, then the verb: 'Woher kommst du?' This pattern works with hundreds of verbs, so learn it once and reuse it.
When to use it
Use 'du' with friends, family, students, and people roughly your age in casual settings. Use 'Sie' with strangers, older people, officials, and in shops or offices. For example, at a language school you might say to another student: 'Hi, ich heiße Lena. Woher kommst du?' At a job interview you would say: 'Guten Tag, ich heiße Lena Weber. Woher kommen Sie?' If you are unsure, start with 'Sie'; the other person can offer 'du' with 'Wir können uns duzen.'
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hallo! Ich heiße Julia. Und du?
Hello! My name is Julia. And you?ha-LO ikh HY-suh YOO-lee-a unt dooHi, ich bin Mark. Woher kommst du, Julia?
Hi, I am Mark. Where are you from, Julia?hai ikh bin mark vo-HAIR komst doo YOO-lee-aIch komme aus Irland. Und du?
I come from Ireland. And you?ikh KOM-muh ows EER-lant unt dooIch komme aus der Schweiz. Ich wohne jetzt in Hamburg.
I come from Switzerland. I live in Hamburg now.ikh KOM-muh ows dair shvaits ikh VOH-nuh yetst in HAM-boorkSchön! Ich wohne auch in Hamburg.
Nice! I live in Hamburg too.shurn ikh VOH-nuh owkh in HAM-boorkSuper. Dann sehen wir uns vielleicht in der Schule.
Great. Then maybe we will see each other at school.ZOO-pair dan ZAY-en veer uns feel-lyshgt in dair SHOO-luhA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, first names are usually used only after the informal 'du' has been established. With adults you do not know, use 'Sie' plus last name: 'Wie heißen Sie?' In Austria and parts of southern Germany, 'Grüß Gott' is a common greeting; in Switzerland, 'Grüezi' is standard. 'Hallo' works everywhere but is informal.
One thing to watch for
Saying 'Ich bin heiße Anna' or 'Ich heiße aus Kanada.'
Try this instead: Use only one verb. Say 'Ich heiße Anna.' or 'Ich bin Anna.' for your name, and 'Ich komme aus Kanada.' for your origin. 'heißen' is for names; 'kommen aus' is for places.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I come from Australia' in German?
Show a sample answer
Ich komme aus Australien.
'Ich komme aus' plus the country name is the standard pattern. 'Ich bin aus Australien' is also acceptable in casual speech.
2A new classmate your age asks your name. Which question do you expect, and how do you answer?
Show a sample answer
Wie heißt du? — Ich heiße ... / Ich bin ...
'Wie heißt du?' is the informal question for peers. Both 'Ich heiße' and 'Ich bin' are correct answers.
3You are talking to an older customer at work. How do you ask their name politely?
Show a sample answer
Wie heißen Sie?
The formal 'Sie' form is required here. 'Wie heißt du?' would be too familiar with a customer you do not know.
Learn 'Ich heiße...', 'Ich komme aus...', 'Wie heißt du?' and 'Woher kommst du?' as one set. Swap in your own name and country, and use 'Sie' instead of 'du' when you need to be polite.
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