Learn to introduce yourself and ask others their names in German with useful expressions like Ich heiße Anna, Wie heißt du?, and Guten Tag, Herr Müller. Master vocabulary for personal titles and name-related questions, enhancing everyday conversations.
Vocabulary (15) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Arrange the words meaningfully into the categories: talk about people and their names or about linguistic functions in greetings.
Personenbezeichnungen und Namen
Kommunikative Ausdrücke und Funktionen
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Wie heißt du?
What is your name?
2
Die Antwort
The answer
3
Der Herr
The gentleman
4
Gehen
To go
5
Ich heiße...
My name is...
Übung 5: Conversation exercise
Anleitung:
- Say the full name and the last name of each person. (Say the full name and the last name of each person.)
- Play a dialogue in which you ask someone for their name and introduce yourself. (Play a dialogue in which you ask someone for their name and introduce yourself.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
Der Nachname von Heidi ist Schulz. The last name of Heidi is Schulz. |
Der Spitzname von Heidi ist Abuelita. The nickname of Heidi is Abuelita. |
Wie heißt du? What is your name? |
Ich heiße Sofia. My name is Sofia. |
Mein vollständiger Name ist Sofia Rossi. Mi nombre completo es Sofia Rossi. |
... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Ich ___ Maria und gehe heute zur Arbeit.
(I ___ Maria and I am going to work today.)2. Wie ___ du? Ich heiße Thomas.
(What ___ you? My name is Thomas.)3. Herr Müller ___ heute zum Café.
(Mr. Müller ___ to the café today.)4. Freut mich! Ich stelle mich vor: Ich ___ Anna.
(Nice to meet you! I introduce myself: I ___ Anna.)Exercise 8: Saying Your Name – Greeting at the Office
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Begrüßen - To greet
Präsens
- ich begrüße
- du begrüßt
- er/sie/es begrüßt
- wir begrüßen
- ihr begrüßt
- sie/Sie begrüßen
Sagen - To say
Präsens
- ich sage
- du sagst
- er/sie/es sagt
- wir sagen
- ihr sagt
- sie/Sie sagen
Heißen - To be called
Präsens
- ich heiße
- du heißt
- er/sie/es heißt
- wir heißen
- ihr heißt
- sie/Sie heißen
Antworten - To answer
Präsens
- ich antworte
- du antwortest
- er/sie/es antwortet
- wir antworten
- ihr antwortet
- sie/Sie antworten
Gehen - To go
Präsens
- ich gehe
- du gehst
- er/sie/es geht
- wir gehen
- ihr geht
- sie/Sie gehen
Sich vorstellen - To introduce oneself
Präsens
- ich stelle mich vor
- du stellst dich vor
- er/sie/es stellt sich vor
- wir stellen uns vor
- ihr stellt euch vor
- sie/Sie stellen sich vor
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Sich vorstellen to introduce yourself Share Copied!
prasens
German | English |
---|---|
ich stelle mich vor | I introduce myself |
du stellst dich vor | You introduce yourself |
er/sie/es stellt sich vor | he/she/it introduces himself/herself/itself |
wir stellen uns vor | we introduce ourselves |
ihr stellt euch vor | You introduce yourselves |
sie stellen sich vor | they introduce themselves |
Heißen to be called Share Copied!
prasens
German | English |
---|---|
(ich) heiße | I am called |
(du) heißt | you are called |
(er/sie/es) heißt | he is called/she is called/it is called |
(wir) heißen | we are called |
(ihr) heißt | you are called |
(sie) heißen | they are called |
Gehen to go Share Copied!
prasens
German | English |
---|---|
(ich) gehe | I go |
(du) gehst | you go |
(er/sie/es) geht | he/she/it goes |
(wir) gehen | we go |
(ihr) geht | you go |
(sie) gehen | they go |
Don't see progress when learning on your own? Study this material with a certified teacher!
Do you want to practice German today? That is possible! Just contact one of our teachers today.
Introduction to Introducing Yourself in German
This lesson focuses on fundamental communication skills essential for everyday interactions: telling your name and greeting others politely in German. Suitable for A1 beginners, you will learn to express personal information clearly and understand basic social exchanges involving names and introductions.
Key Vocabulary and Phrases
Names and Titles
- der Herr – Mr./gentleman
- die Frau – Mrs./Ms./woman
- der Vorname – first name
- der Nachname – surname/last name
- der Name – name
Common Expressions for Greetings and Introductions
- Wie heißt du? – What is your name?
- Ich heiße Anna. – My name is Anna.
- Freut mich! – Nice to meet you!
- Guten Tag, Herr Müller! – Good day, Mr. Müller!
- Wie ist Ihre Anrede? – What is your form of address?
Understanding the Content
The lesson covers essential conversational structures such as question formation for asking someone's name and how to respond appropriately. You'll practice common dialogues for different everyday contexts: at the office, in a café, and meeting new neighbors. This will help you feel confident introducing yourself and responding to others in a variety of social settings.
Focus on Verb Usage
The verb heißen (to be called) is central to this lesson. It is important to understand its conjugation in the present tense since it frequently appears in introductions:
- ich heiße
- du heißt
- er/sie/es heißt
- wir heißen
- ihr heißt
- sie/Sie heißen
Additional Verbs Useful for Introductions
- begrüßen (to greet)
- sagen (to say)
- antworten (to answer)
- gehen (to go)
- sich vorstellen (to introduce oneself)
Dialogue Examples
Practicing dialogues like these helps to internalize how introductions work in German:
„Guten Tag, Herr Müller!“
„Guten Tag, Frau Schmidt. Wie heißen Sie?“
„Ich heiße Anna Weber. Und Sie?“
„Ich bin Thomas Müller. Schön, Sie kennenzulernen!“
Cultural and Language Notes
In German, formal and informal address matters greatly. For example, Sie (formal "you") is used with titles like Herr or Frau and in polite conversation, whereas du is the informal form. This distinction has no direct equivalent in English, which uses "you" universally. Also, German names are often spelled out when asked, important in phone calls or official contexts. Understanding polite formalities like "Guten Tag" (Good day) or "Freut mich" (Nice to meet you) prepares you for respectful communication.
Useful Phrases and Differences Compared to English
- Wie heißt du? – Literally "How are you called?" in German; in English, we simply ask "What is your name?".
- Ich heiße... – Translates as "I am called..." rather than "My name is..." which is more common in English.
- Freut mich! – A friendly way to say "Nice to meet you," reflecting a direct expression of pleasure.
- Die Anrede refers to the form of address (formal or informal), an important concept in German social interactions.