Introduce yourself in Japanese
Learn to introduce yourself in Japanese with 私は〜です and 〜から来ました, then ask お名前は何ですか and どこから来ましたか in polite beginner conversation.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
This lesson teaches a small but complete self-introduction in polite Japanese. You will learn to say your name with 私は〜です (watashi wa ~ desu), say where you are from with 〜から来ました (~ kara kimashita), and ask the other person for the same information. The reusable pattern is A は B です (A wa B desu), which means 'A is B.' Once you can control this pattern, you can introduce yourself, ask simple questions, and answer them without building a new sentence from zero each time. All examples use standard polite forms that are safe in first meetings, classrooms, shops, and workplace introductions.
By the end, you can…
- say my name in polite Japanese using 私は〜です。
- say which country, city, or region I come from using 〜から来ました。
- ask another person's name and where they are from.
- understand and answer simple follow-up questions about my name and hometown.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
私はマリアです。
I am Maria.
wa-ta-shi wa ma-ri-a desu
The most basic polite self-introduction. Use your own name in place of マリア. In very casual conversation, 私は is often dropped, but beginners should keep it for clarity.
私はアメリカから来ました。
I came from America. / I am from America.
wa-ta-shi wa a-me-ri-ka ka-ra ki-ma-shi-ta
Use 〜から来ました for your country, city, or region. Replace アメリカ with カナダ, ロンドン, 大阪, etc. This is a completed-action polite form, so it sounds natural when you introduce your background.
お名前は何ですか。
What is your name?
o-na-ma-e wa nan desu ka
Polite and friendly. お名前 is the polite form of 名前 (name). Use this with someone you have just met. The question particle か at the end makes it a polite question.
どこから来ましたか。
Where are you from? / Where did you come from?
do-ko ka-ra ki-ma-shi-ta ka
A natural follow-up after names. It can mean 'where are you from originally' or 'where did you come from just now,' depending on context. For a clearer 'where are you from' question, you can also say ご出身はどちらですか (go-shusshin wa do-chi-ra desu ka).
私は学生です。
I am a student.
wa-ta-shi wa ga-ku-sei desu
A useful extra sentence after your name. Replace 学生 with 会社員 (kaishain, office worker), 教師 (kyōshi, teacher), or エンジニア (enjinia, engineer). No article is needed in Japanese.
はじめまして。よろしくお願いします。
Nice to meet you. Please treat me well.
ha-ji-me-ma-shi-te. yo-ro-shi-ku o-ne-gai-shi-ma-su
The standard polite greeting for a first meeting. はじめまして comes first, then your name and background, and よろしくお願いします closes the introduction. In casual settings, よろしく alone is fine.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is A は B です (A wa B desu). は is written with the hiragana は but pronounced wa when it marks the topic. です is the polite copula, roughly 'is/am/are.' Examples: 私はマリアです (I am Maria), 私は学生です (I am a student), 彼は先生です (He is a teacher). To make a polite question, add か at the end: お名前は何ですか (What is your name?). For origin, use A は B から来ました (A wa B kara kimashita): 私は大阪から来ました (I came from Osaka). The particle から means 'from,' and 来ました is the polite past form of 来ます (kimasu, to come). Note that 来ました describes where you came from or where you are from; it does not imply you have permanently left that place.
When to use it
Use these forms in first meetings, self-introductions at school or work, language exchanges, and travel conversations. In a job interview or a formal ceremony, you may hear 自己紹介 (jikoshōkai, self-introduction) and should use full polite forms: 私は田中と申します (Watashi wa Tanaka to mōshimasu, I am called Tanaka). Among friends, shorten naturally: マリアです。アメリカから来た。(Maria desu. Amerika kara kita.) If someone asks お名前は何ですか, answer with just your name plus です: マリアです。You do not need to repeat 私は every time, but it is never wrong for beginners.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
はじめまして。私はマリアです。
Nice to meet you. I am Maria.ha-ji-me-ma-shi-te. wa-ta-shi wa ma-ri-a desuはじめまして。私はケンです。
Nice to meet you. I am Ken.ha-ji-me-ma-shi-te. wa-ta-shi wa ken desuケンさんはどこから来ましたか。
Ken, where are you from?ken-san wa do-ko ka-ra ki-ma-shi-ta ka私は日本から来ました。東京から来ました。
I am from Japan. I came from Tokyo.wa-ta-shi wa ni-hon ka-ra ki-ma-shi-ta. tō-kyō ka-ra ki-ma-shi-taそうですか。私はアメリカから来ました。
I see. I am from America.sō desu ka. wa-ta-shi wa a-me-ri-ka ka-ra ki-ma-shi-taそうですか。よろしくお願いします。
I see. Nice to meet you.sō desu ka. yo-ro-shi-ku o-ne-gai-shi-ma-suA little context goes a long way
Japanese introductions often include your name, where you are from, and sometimes your occupation or school. Adding さん to the other person's name (ケンさん, マリアさん) is polite and friendly; do not add さん to your own name. Bowing is common when you introduce yourself, but the depth and duration vary by situation. In business settings, a slight bow with よろしくお願いします is appropriate. Avoid using plain casual forms with strangers or superiors until they invite a more casual tone.
One thing to watch for
Saying 私はマリアさんです to introduce yourself.
Try this instead: Do not use さん with your own name. Say 私はマリアです (Watashi wa Maria desu). Use さん only for the other person: マリアさん, ケンさん. If you want to be extra polite about yourself, use 私はマリアと申します (Watashi wa Maria to mōshimasu) in formal situations.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I am from Canada' in polite Japanese?
Show a sample answer
私はカナダから来ました。
This uses the pattern A は B から来ました. カナダ (Kanada) replaces アメリカ. You could also say 私はカナダ出身です (Watashi wa Kanada shusshin desu), which is also correct and slightly more focused on origin.
2Someone asks お名前は何ですか。What is a natural polite answer?
Show a sample answer
マリアです。
Just your name plus です is enough. You may also say 私はマリアです。Both are correct; adding 私は is clear and beginner-friendly.
3How do you ask 'Where are you from?' politely?
Show a sample answer
どこから来ましたか。
This is the standard polite question using どこ (where), から (from), and 来ましたか (did come). A more formal alternative is ご出身はどちらですか (go-shusshin wa do-chi-ra desu ka).
Use 私は〜です for your name and 〜から来ました for your origin, then ask お名前は何ですか and どこから来ましたか. Keep です/ます forms in first meetings, and add さん only to the other person's name.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Japanese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr