In this workshop you will practice introducing yourself in German. You will learn how to give your name in a neutral way and in a more formal way, how to say where you come from, and how to state your job. You will also hear a short formal exchange between two people meeting for the first time. Each native example is played from the recording, and you will repeat it, understand it, and then use it in short guided conversations. You can play both roles when you practice with the audio, but there is no automatic check of your speaking. Use the answer keys to check your understanding and to compare your phrases.
Giving your name: neutral and formal
The most common neutral way to give your first name is «Ich heiße Anna.». This means "My name is Anna." You can use it in many everyday situations, for example with neighbors, classmates, or new colleagues. A slightly more formal option is «Mein Name ist Peter Schmidt.». This means "My name is Peter Schmidt." It is useful when you give your full name, for example at an office or on the phone. Notice that both patterns are simple: a subject and a form of the verb. In «Ich heiße Anna.», the word for "am called" comes after "I." In «Mein Name ist Peter Schmidt.», the word for "is" comes after "my name." Practice saying each line slowly, then at a normal speed. Keep the first syllable clear and do not add extra words. When you meet someone, you can choose the neutral line for a friendly tone or the formal line when you want to sound a little more official.
Saying where you come from
To say where you come from, use «Ich komme aus Kanada.». This means "I come from Canada." The pattern is fixed: the subject, then the verb, then the place. The recorded country names Canada and Austria use this pattern without an article. Some other country names require an article, so do not apply this as a universal substitution rule. For example, if you are from Austria, you say the same sentence but with the country name from the dialogue. In the formal exchange, one speaker uses this pattern with a different country: «Freut mich auch. Ich komme aus Österreich.». This means "Nice to meet you too. I come from Austria." The first part of that line responds to a greeting, and the second part gives the country. When you practice, say the whole line and keep the two parts together. Do not translate word for word from English; use the recorded pattern as your model. For this practice, keep the recorded country names. Learn the appropriate German country form before adapting the sentence to your own information.
Saying your job and meeting someone formally
To state your job, use «Ich bin Lehrerin.». This means "I am a teacher." In German, you do not use an article before a profession in this pattern. The recorded form is for a female speaker; a male speaker uses a different ending, but the structure stays the same. In the formal dialogue, another speaker says «Interessant. Ich bin Ingenieur.». This means "Interesting. I am an engineer." The first word reacts to the previous information, and the second part states the job. The formal exchange begins with «Guten Tag. Ich heiße Frau Weber.», which means "Good day. My name is Ms. Weber." The other person answers with «Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Thomas Becker. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.», which means "Good day. My name is Thomas Becker. Nice to meet you." These lines show a polite first meeting. When you practice, keep the greeting and the name together, then use the fictional speakers’ recorded origin and job lines.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
Ich heiße Anna.
My name is Anna.
ikh HY-suh AH-nah
Mein Name ist Peter Schmidt.
My name is Peter Schmidt.
mine NAH-muh ist PAY-ter shmit
Ich komme aus Kanada.
I come from Canada.
ikh KOM-uh ows kah-NAH-dah
Ich bin Lehrerin.
I am a teacher (female).
ikh bin LAY-reh-rin
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
Guten Tag. Ich heiße Frau Weber.
Good day. My name is Mrs. Weber.Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Thomas Becker. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.
Good day. My name is Thomas Becker. Nice to meet you.Freut mich auch. Ich komme aus Österreich.
Nice to meet you too. I come from Austria.Interessant. Ich bin Ingenieur.
Interesting. I am an engineer.Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided introduction exchange
Imagine you meet a new colleague at a language course. You will play both roles. First, listen to the formal greeting and name line «Guten Tag. Ich heiße Frau Weber.». Then listen to the reply with a name and a polite phrase «Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Thomas Becker. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.». After that, listen to the response with origin «Freut mich auch. Ich komme aus Österreich.» and the job line «Interessant. Ich bin Ingenieur.».
Your task: Practice the fictional speakers in order. A: «Guten Tag. Ich heiße Frau Weber.». B: «Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Thomas Becker. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.». A: «Freut mich auch. Ich komme aus Österreich.». B: «Interessant. Ich bin Ingenieur.». Repeat once slowly and once at the recording’s pace. Keep the recorded names, origin and job; you do not need to translate your own information.
Choose the correct reply
In this task you will hear a line and choose a suitable reply from the recorded options. The scene is a formal first meeting. One person gives a greeting and a name, and the other person responds politely.
Your task: Listen to «Guten Tag. Ich heiße Frau Weber.». Which recorded line is a suitable reply: «Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Thomas Becker. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.» or «Interessant. Ich bin Ingenieur.»? Say your choice aloud. Then listen to «Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Thomas Becker. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.». Which recorded line is a suitable reply: «Freut mich auch. Ich komme aus Österreich.» or «Ich bin Lehrerin.»? Say your choice aloud. Finally, listen to «Freut mich auch. Ich komme aus Österreich.». Which recorded line is a suitable reply: «Interessant. Ich bin Ingenieur.» or «Ich heiße Anna.»? Say your choice aloud.
Recall the lines with correct roles
In this task you will recall the formal dialogue without reading the lines first. The two roles are the first speaker, who greets and gives a name, and the second speaker, who greets, gives a name, and says a polite phrase. Later, the first speaker responds with origin, and the second speaker states a job.
Your task: Play «Guten Tag. Ich heiße Frau Weber.» and then say the reply from memory. The correct reply is «Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Thomas Becker. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.». Next, play «Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Thomas Becker. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.» and say the next line from memory. The correct line is «Freut mich auch. Ich komme aus Österreich.». Then play «Freut mich auch. Ich komme aus Österreich.» and say the final line from memory. The correct line is «Interessant. Ich bin Ingenieur.». After that, switch roles: say «Guten Tag. Ich heiße Frau Weber.» yourself, then play «Guten Tag. Mein Name ist Thomas Becker. Freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen.», then say «Freut mich auch. Ich komme aus Österreich.» yourself, and then play «Interessant. Ich bin Ingenieur.».
Common questions
When should I use the neutral name pattern and when the formal one?
Use the neutral pattern «Ich heiße Anna.» for everyday situations and when you give only your first name. Use the formal pattern «Mein Name ist Peter Schmidt.» when you give your full name, for example at an office or on the phone. Both are correct; the choice depends on the situation and how official you want to sound.
Do I need an article before my job in German?
No. In the recorded pattern «Ich bin Lehrerin.», there is no article before the profession. You say the subject, the verb, and the job word directly. The recorded form is for a female speaker; a male speaker uses a different ending, but the structure stays the same.
Sources and further reading
- german: introducing yourself nameChecked September 2026
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