How to Say Your Name and Basic Information Politely in Italian
Learn to introduce yourself in Italian with formal and informal variations: state your name, where you are from, and respond politely when someone introduces themselves.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
In this lesson you will learn how to give your own name and a little basic information in Italian, and how to respond politely when someone introduces themselves to you. Italian has two main ways of addressing people: informal (used with friends, family, peers, and children) and formal (used with strangers, older people, officials, and in professional settings). The choice affects pronouns, verb forms, and titles, so you will practise both. You will not learn how to ask other people for their details here; the focus is on stating your own information clearly and reacting appropriately when someone tells you theirs.
By the end, you can…
- state my name in Italian using both informal and formal registers.
- add simple personal information such as where I am from and where I live.
- respond politely when someone introduces themselves to me.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ciao, mi chiamo Luca.
Hi, my name is Luca.
CHOW, mee KYAH-moh LOO-kah
Informal. Use with friends, family, classmates, or people your own age in relaxed situations.
Buongiorno, mi chiamo Anna Rossi.
Good morning, my name is Anna Rossi.
bwon-JOR-noh, mee KYAH-moh AN-nah ROS-see
Neutral-to-formal. Safe with strangers, in shops, offices, or first meetings during the day.
Sono americano. / Sono americana.
I am American. (male speaker / female speaker)
SOH-noh ah-meh-ree-KAH-noh / ah-meh-ree-KAH-nah
The ending changes with the speaker's gender: -o for a male speaker, -a for a female speaker.
Vengo dagli Stati Uniti.
I come from the United States.
VEN-goh DAHL-yee STAH-tee oo-NEE-tee
Use dagli with plural countries. For a singular country, use da: Vengo dall'Italia, Vengo dalla Francia.
Piacere di conoscerla. / Piacere di conoscerti.
Nice to meet you. (formal / informal)
pyah-CHEH-reh dee koh-noh-SHER-lah / pyah-CHEH-reh dee koh-noh-SHER-tee
Use conoscerla with formal you (Lei); use conoscerti with informal you (tu). Piacere alone works in both registers.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is mi chiamo + name, literally 'I call myself'. It works in both formal and informal situations: Mi chiamo Giulia. You can also use sono + name, as in Sono Giulia, which is common and neutral. To add origin, use sono + nationality adjective (Sono canadese) or vengo da + place (Vengo da Toronto). Remember that nationality adjectives often change with gender: italiano/italiana, canadese/canadese. For 'I live', use abito a or vivo a: Abito a Roma. The preposition a combines with the article: a Milano, but all'estero ('abroad').
When to use it
Choose informal ciao and tu forms with friends, family, children, and peers who have invited you to use tu. Choose formal buongiorno or buonasera with strangers, older people, officials, and in professional contexts; formal Italian uses Lei and third-person verb forms. If you are unsure, start formal and wait for the other person to suggest tu: Possiamo darci del tu? In the south of Italy, informal address spreads faster in shops and casual encounters, while in many northern cities and formal workplaces the Lei remains standard longer. Regional variation affects speed of switching, not the basic grammar.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Buongiorno, mi chiamo Paolo Bianchi.
Good morning, my name is Paolo Bianchi.bwon-JOR-noh, mee KYAH-moh POW-loh BYAHN-keePiacere di conoscerla. Io sono Sarah.
Nice to meet you. I am Sarah.pyah-CHEH-reh dee koh-noh-SHER-lah. EE-oh SOH-noh SAH-rahPiacere. Di dove è, signora?
Nice to meet you. Where are you from, ma'am?pyah-CHEH-reh. dee DOH-veh eh, see-NYOH-rahSono inglese, ma abito a Milano da due anni.
I am English, but I have lived in Milan for two years.SOH-noh een-GLEH-zeh, mah AH-bee-toh ah mee-LAH-noh dah DOO-eh AN-neeA little context goes a long way
Italian formal address uses Lei with third-person singular verbs, even when speaking to one person: Di dove è? rather than Di dove sei? Titles matter too: signore/signora for adults, dottore/dottoressa for graduates and professionals. In informal settings, ciao works for both hello and goodbye, but in formal settings use buongiorno, buonasera, or arrivederci. Handshakes are common in formal first meetings; cheek kisses are usually reserved for friends and relatives.
One thing to watch for
Using Ciao, come stai? with a stranger or official because it feels friendly.
Try this instead: With strangers, older people, or officials, start formal: Buongiorno, come sta? Use ciao and come stai? only when the other person invites informal address, for example by saying dammi del tu or using your first name plus tu.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are meeting your friend's grandmother for the first time. Which greeting and introduction is safest?
Show a sample answer
Buongiorno, mi chiamo [your name]. Piacere di conoscerla.
This uses the formal register with Lei, appropriate for an older person you do not know. If she immediately invites tu, you can switch to Ciao, piacere di conoscerti.
2How do you say 'I am Canadian' if you are a female speaker?
Show a sample answer
Sono canadese.
Canadese has the same form for both genders. For nationalities with -o/-a, such as americano/americana, the ending changes with the speaker's gender.
3Someone says 'Piacere, io sono Marco.' What is a polite reply?
Show a sample answer
Piacere, io sono [your name].
Piacere works in both formal and informal contexts. You can also say Molto piacere or Piacere di conoscerti/conoscerla depending on register.
State your name with mi chiamo or sono, add origin with sono + nationality or vengo da + place, and match ciao/tu or buongiorno/Lei to the situation. When someone introduces themselves, reply with piacere and your own name.
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