German introductions vocabulary, common phrases, and sentence structures for greeting others, exchanging names, and starting conversations.
Building German introductions is all about learning key vocabulary and simple sentence patterns for greeting people, sharing names, and making polite conversation.
Greetings
These are the basic German greetings you need to start any introduction.
| German Greeting | English Greeting | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hallo | Hello | Hallo, wie geht’s? | Hello, how are you? |
| Guten Tag | Good day | Guten Tag! Ich heiße Anna. | Good day! My name is Anna. |
| Guten Morgen | Good morning | Guten Morgen! Schön dich zu sehen. | Good morning! Nice to see you. |
| Guten Abend | Good evening | Guten Abend! Wie war dein Tag? | Good evening! How was your day? |
| Hi | Hi | Hi, ich bin Max. | Hi, I’m Max. |
___, ich bin Max.
Which German greeting can be used informally to say 'Hi'?
Hi
'Hi' is an informal greeting used similarly to English. 'Hallo' is also informal but more standard; the others are more formal or time-specific.
___! Wie war dein Tag?
How do you say 'Good evening' in German?
Guten Abend
'Guten Abend' means 'Good evening' in German. The other greetings correspond to morning, daytime, or are more casual.
Saying Your Name
These phrases help you say your name in German.
| German Phrase | English Phrase | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ich heiße ... | My name is ... | Ich heiße Julia. | My name is Julia. |
| Mein Name ist ... | My name is ... | Mein Name ist Thomas. | My name is Thomas. |
| Ich bin ... | I am ... | Ich bin Laura. | I am Laura. |
| ... ist mein Name | ... is my name | Stefan ist mein Name. | Stefan is my name. |
| Man nennt mich ... | I am called ... | Man nennt mich Alex. | I am called Alex. |
Asking Names
These questions let you ask someone for their name.
| German Question | English Question | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wie heißt du? | What’s your name? (informal) | Wie heißt du? | What’s your name? |
| Wie heißen Sie? | What’s your name? (formal) | Wie heißen Sie? | What’s your name? |
| Wer bist du? | Who are you? (informal) | Wer bist du? | Who are you? |
| Wie ist dein Name? | What is your name? | Wie ist dein Name? | What is your name? |
| Darf ich deinen Namen wissen? | May I know your name? | Darf ich deinen Namen wissen? | May I know your name? |
Nice to Meet You
Use these phrases to politely respond during introductions.
| German Phrase | English Phrase | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nett, dich kennenzulernen | Nice to meet you (informal) | Hallo! Nett, dich kennenzulernen. | Hello! Nice to meet you. |
| Freut mich, dich zu treffen | Pleased to meet you (informal) | Freut mich, dich zu treffen. | Pleased to meet you. |
| Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen | Pleased to meet you (formal) | Es freut mich, Sie kennenzulernen. | Pleased to meet you. |
| Schön, dich zu sehen | Nice to see you | Schön, dich zu sehen! | Nice to see you! |
| Angenehm | Pleased to meet you | Angenehm! Ich bin Markus. | Pleased to meet you! I’m Markus. |
Introducing Others
These phrases help you introduce someone else.
| German Phrase | English Phrase | German Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Das ist ... | This is ... | Das ist meine Freundin Anna. | This is my friend Anna. |
| Ich stelle dich vor | I introduce you (informal) | Ich stelle dich meinem Kollegen vor. | I introduce you to my colleague. |
| Ich möchte ... vorstellen | I would like to introduce ... | Ich möchte Ihnen Herrn Müller vorstellen. | I would like to introduce you to Mr. Müller. |
| Darf ich vorstellen? | May I introduce? | Darf ich vorstellen? Das ist Sabine. | May I introduce? This is Sabine. |
| Hier ist ... | Here is ... | Hier ist mein Bruder, Tim. | Here is my brother, Tim. |
Simple Introduction Sentences
These common sentences are used in German introductions.
| German Sentence | English Sentence |
|---|---|
| Ich komme aus Deutschland. | I come from Germany. |
| Ich wohne in Berlin. | I live in Berlin. |
| Ich bin Student/in. | I am a student. |
| Ich arbeite als Lehrer. | I work as a teacher. |
| Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch. | I speak a little German. |
Common Follow-Up Questions
After introductions, these questions help the conversation continue.
| German Question | English Question |
|---|---|
| Woher kommst du? | Where are you from? |
| Was machst du beruflich? | What do you do for work? |
| Wohnst du hier? | Do you live here? |
| Sprichst du Deutsch? | Do you speak German? |
| Hast du Geschwister? | Do you have siblings? |
___ kommst du?
What does 'Woher kommst du?' mean?
Woher
'Woher kommst du?' means 'Where are you from?' The question word 'Woher' asks about origin.
Summary
- German introductions use simple phrases for greetings, stating names, and polite responses.
- Key vocabulary includes Ich heiße..., Wie heißt du?, and Nett, dich kennenzulernen.
- Knowing how to introduce others is also important: Das ist... and Ich möchte ... vorstellen.
- Follow-up questions keep the conversation going naturally.
Flashcards (1 of 35)
- English Greeting: Hello
- English Example: Hello, how are you?
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
