Telling your name
Dire il tuo nome
- Tell your name and ask for the name of somebody
- Titles and ways of addressing people. (Mister, miss,...)
- Introduce yourself
- The Italian alphabet
- Italian pronunciation
Learn how to introduce yourself in Italian using essential expressions like "Mi chiamo" (My name is) and polite forms such as "Come si chiama?" (What is your name?). Master vocabulary for addressing people, including "il signore" and "la signora," to navigate everyday conversations confidently.
Vocabulary (14) 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: Classify these words into two groups: ways to address people and words used to talk about the personal name.
Modi per rivolgersi alle persone
Parole per parlare del nome personale
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Il ragazzo
The boy
2
Come ti chiami?
What is your name?
3
Chiamarsi
To be called
4
L'uomo
The man
5
La ragazza
The girl
Esercizio 5: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- 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:
|
Il cognome di Heidi è Schulz. The last name of Heidi is Schulz. |
|
Il soprannome di Heidi è Abuelita. The nickname of Heidi is Abuelita. |
|
Come ti chiami? What is your name? |
|
Mi chiamo Sofia. My name is Sofia. |
|
Il mio nome completo è 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. Mi _____ Marco, e tu come ti chiami?
(I am _____ Marco, and what is your name?)2. Io _____ italiano e inglese con i miei amici.
(I _____ Italian and English with my friends.)3. Lei _____ con il signore in ufficio.
(She _____ with the gentleman in the office.)4. Noi _____ spesso delle nostre famiglie.
(We _____ often about our families.)Exercise 8: Say your name: meeting at work
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Parlare - To speak
Presente
- io parlo
- tu parli
- lui/lei parla
- noi parliamo
- voi parlate
- loro parlano
Chiamarsi - To be called
Presente
- io mi chiamo
- tu ti chiami
- lui/lei si chiama
- noi ci chiamiamo
- voi vi chiamate
- loro si chiamano
Dire - To say
Presente
- io dico
- tu dici
- lui/lei dice
- noi diciamo
- voi dite
- loro dicono
Ascoltare - To listen
Presente
- io ascolto
- tu ascolti
- lui/lei ascolta
- noi ascoltiamo
- voi ascoltate
- loro ascoltano
Chiedere - To ask
Presente
- io chiedo
- tu chiedi
- lui/lei chiede
- noi chiediamo
- voi chiedete
- loro chiedono
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!
Parlare to speak Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) parlo | I speak |
| (tu) parli | you speak |
| (lui/lei) parla | he/she speaks |
| (noi) parliamo | we speak |
| (voi) parlate | you speak |
| (loro) parlano | They speak |
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Introduction to Introducing Yourself in Italian
This lesson is designed for beginner learners (A1 level) to master the basics of introducing themselves and others in Italian. It covers essential vocabulary, useful expressions, and key verbs related to stating your name, asking for names, and polite forms of address.
Core Vocabulary and Expressions
Words for Addressing People
- il signore – sir, gentleman
- la signora – lady, ma'am
- il ragazzo – boy, young man
- la ragazza – girl, young woman
Expressions Used to Talk About Names
- il nome – first name
- il cognome – surname
- mi chiamo – my name is (literally "I call myself")
- come ti chiami? – what's your name?
Key Verbs in Present Tense
The verbs chiamarsi (to call oneself), parlare (to speak), dire (to say), and ascoltare (to listen) are used frequently in this lesson. For example, "Mi chiamo Marco" shows how to use chiamarsi to introduce yourself.
Polite Ways to Ask and Say Names
Italian uses formal and informal forms when asking someone's name. For strangers or in formal situations, Come si chiama? is polite and respectful, while with friends or peers, Come ti chiami? is common and informal.
Sample Dialogue Contexts
- Meeting someone at a conference
- Introducing yourself on your first day at work
- Asking someone's name politely in a library setting
Mini-Story Highlight
The short story illustrates a natural conversation in an office between Luca and Marco, showing many of the verbs and expressions in action, such as "Mi chiamo Luca Bianchi" and "Piacere di conoscerti!".
Instruction Language vs. Italian: Key Differences
Unlike English, Italian often uses reflexive verbs to talk about names, such as chiamarsi (literally "to call oneself") to express my name is. The pronoun changes according to formality: ti for informal and si for formal address. There is also gender agreement in terms like signore (male) and signora (female). Expressions like "Piacere di conoscerti" translate to "Nice to meet you", emphasizing politeness and friendliness.
Useful Phrases
- Come ti chiami? – What is your name? (informal)
- Come si chiama? – What is your name? (formal)
- Mi chiamo... – My name is...
- Piacere di conoscerti – Nice to meet you (informal)
- Piacere di conoscerla – Nice to meet you (formal)
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