How to Say Your Name and Basic Information Politely in Japanese
Learn to introduce yourself in Japanese with です, say your name and nationality, choose formal or casual endings, and respond naturally when someone introduces themselves to you.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
In Japanese, introducing yourself is built on one small, powerful pattern: a noun plus です (desu). You do not need verb conjugation to say "I am Yuki" or "I am a student" at this stage. This lesson teaches you to state your name, nationality, occupation, and a simple greeting, in both polite and casual registers. You will also learn the standard phrases people say when someone else introduces themselves, so you can respond smoothly instead of staying silent. Pay attention to register: the same idea changes shape depending on whether you are meeting a boss, a classmate, or a new friend.
By the end, you can…
- state my name politely using です (desu).
- say my nationality or occupation in a simple sentence.
- choose between polite です (desu) and casual だ (da) endings.
- respond appropriately when someone introduces themselves to me.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
わたしはユキです。
I am Yuki.
watashi wa Yuki desu.
The standard polite self-introduction. は (wa) marks the topic; です (desu) makes the sentence polite.
はじめまして。
Nice to meet you. / How do you do?
hajimemashite.
Used only the first time you meet someone. It comes before or right after your name.
わたしはアメリカじんです。
I am American.
watashi wa Amerika-jin desu.
Nationality is formed with a country name plus じん (jin), meaning "person from." Replace Amerika with your country.
わたしはがくせいです。
I am a student.
watashi wa gakusei desu.
Occupation or role also uses the noun + です pattern. No article like "a" is needed in Japanese.
よろしくおねがいします。
Please treat me well. / I look forward to knowing you.
yoroshiku onegai shimasu.
A set closing phrase after an introduction. It is polite and very common in first meetings.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is: topic は (wa) + noun + です (desu). For example, わたしはユキです (watashi wa Yuki desu) means "I am Yuki," and わたしはがくせいです (watashi wa gakusei desu) means "I am a student." Japanese does not use articles like "a" or "an," so you simply place the noun before です. In casual speech with close friends, です (desu) can become だ (da): わたしはユキだ (watashi wa Yuki da). Keep です for strangers, teachers, and workplace settings.
When to use it
Use the full polite set はじめまして (hajimemashite) + name + です (desu) + よろしくおねがいします (yoroshiku onegai shimasu) in formal situations such as a job interview, a first day at school, or meeting an older person. In casual settings with people your own age, you can shorten it: ユキだ。よろしく (Yuki da. Yoroshiku). When someone introduces themselves to you, a common response is こちらこそ、よろしくおねがいします (kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai shimasu), meaning "Likewise, pleased to meet you." The word こちらこそ (kochira koso) returns the politeness to the other person.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
はじめまして。わたしはユキです。
Nice to meet you. I am Yuki.hajimemashite. watashi wa Yuki desu.はじめまして。わたしはケンです。
Nice to meet you. I am Ken.hajimemashite. watashi wa Ken desu.わたしはがくせいです。よろしくおねがいします。
I am a student. I look forward to knowing you.watashi wa gakusei desu. yoroshiku onegai shimasu.こちらこそ、よろしくおねがいします。
Likewise, I look forward to knowing you.kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai shimasu.A little context goes a long way
Japanese self-introductions often follow a predictable order: greeting, name, then sometimes affiliation or year, and a closing phrase. Politeness is shown less by volume and more by choosing the right ending and set phrase. Using です (desu) with a new acquaintance is safe; switching to だ (da) too early can sound abrupt. Bowing while speaking is common, but a slight nod is enough for beginners.
One thing to watch for
Saying わたしはユキだです (watashi wa Yuki da desu), mixing casual だ with polite です.
Try this instead: Choose one register. Say わたしはユキです (watashi wa Yuki desu) in polite speech, or わたしはユキだ (watashi wa Yuki da) in casual speech. Never attach です directly after だ.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you politely say "I am a student" in Japanese?
Show a sample answer
わたしはがくせいです。 (watashi wa gakusei desu)
This uses the topic marker は (wa) and the polite ending です (desu). You could also drop わたし (watashi) if the topic is already clear, saying がくせいです (gakusei desu).
2Someone says はじめまして。わたしはケンです。 What is a natural polite reply?
Show a sample answer
こちらこそ、よろしくおねがいします。 (kochira koso, yoroshiku onegai shimasu)
こちらこそ (kochira koso) means "likewise" and returns the greeting politely. You may also add your own name first: わたしはユキです。こちらこそ、よろしくおねがいします。
3Change わたしはユキです (watashi wa Yuki desu) into casual speech for a close friend.
Show a sample answer
わたしはユキだ。 (watashi wa Yuki da)
In casual speech, です (desu) becomes だ (da). You might also drop わたし and say ユキだ (Yuki da), which is natural among friends.
Use はじめまして, then topic は (wa) + noun + です (desu), and close with よろしくおねがいします. Switch to だ (da) only with close friends.
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