Telling your name

Introduction to Introducing Yourself in Dutch

This lesson focuses on how to tell someone your name and ask for theirs in Dutch. Suitable for A1 learners, it guides you through practical phrases and essential vocabulary to confidently introduce yourself in various everyday situations such as at work, in a bar, or at a party.

Key Topics Covered

• Basic greetings and name introductions: Learning how to say "Hello, my name is..." (Hallo, ik heet...) and ask "What is your name?"
• Asking for spelling: How to request someone to spell their name (Hoe spel je je naam?).
• Formal and informal address: Using polite forms like "u" versus informal "jij" and important titles such as meneer (Mr.) and mevrouw (Mrs./Ms.).
• Important vocabulary categories: Words related to people (e.g., de jongen - the boy, de mevrouw - the lady) and self-introduction terms like de naam (name), de voornaam (first name), and the verb heten (to be called).
• Verb conjugations: Present tense forms of heten and zeggen (to say), essential for making sentences like "I am called Jan" (ik heet Jan) or "He says that his name is Tom" (hij zegt dat hij Tom heet).

Practical Dialogue Scenarios

The lesson includes dialogues suited for different settings:

• At work: Formal introductions and exchanging names.
• At a bar: Practicing informal greetings and name questions.
• At a party: Brief introductions with polite and casual forms.

For example, you learn expressions like "Goedemorgen, ik ben meneer Jansen" (Good morning, I am Mr. Jansen) and "Hoi, ik ben Lisa. Hoe heet jij?" (Hi, I'm Lisa. What's your name?).

Grammar and Verb Usage

The verbs heten and zeggen are central in this lesson, both conjugated in the present tense. For instance:

• ik heet – I am called
• jij heet – you are called
• hij/zij heet – he/she is called
• ik zeg – I say
• jij zegt – you say
• hij/zij zegt – he/she says

Comparing Dutch to English for Introducing Yourself

Unlike English, Dutch frequently uses the verb heten literally meaning "to be called" rather than saying "to be named." For example, "I am called Jan" is Ik heet Jan, where "heet" corresponds to "am called."

Also, Dutch distinguishes formal and informal forms of "you," with u used in polite or formal situations and jij for informal contexts. This affects how you ask someone's name (Hoe heet u? versus Hoe heet jij?).

Essential Words and Phrases

• Personal Titles: de meneer (Mr.), de mevrouw (Mrs./Ms.), de juf (female teacher)
• Introducing Yourself: Hallo, ik heet... (Hello, my name is...), Mijn voornaam is... (My first name is...), en mijn achternaam is... (and my last name is...)
• Asking the Name: Hoe heet jij/u? (What is your name?), Mag ik vragen wat uw achternaam is? (May I ask your last name?)
• Spelling a Name: Hoe spel je je naam? (How do you spell your name?), Kunt u uw naam alstublieft spellen? (Could you please spell your name?)