Introducing yourself
Say hello, give your name and where you're from, and keep a first conversation going with simple, friendly questions.
In this lesson you will
- Greet people in formal and informal situations
- Say your name, where you're from and what you do
- Ask simple questions to keep the conversation going
- End a conversation politely
First conversations follow a pattern in almost every language. If you learn the phrases for each step, you will feel much more confident when you meet someone new in English.
Step 1: Say hello
- Informal: Hi! / Hey! / Hello!
- Formal: Good morning. / Good afternoon. / Good evening.
Good night is not a greeting. We only say it when we leave in the evening or go to bed.
Step 2: Give your name
- I'm Daniel. (the most natural way)
- My name's Daniel.
- Hi, I'm Daniel. Nice to meet you.
The other person usually answers: Nice to meet you too.
Step 3: Share a few details
- Where you are from: I'm from Mexico. I live in Toronto.
- Your job or studies: I'm a nurse. / I'm a student. I study engineering.
- Your age (only in informal situations): I'm 19.
Use a or an before a job: I'm an engineer, not I'm engineer.
Step 4: Ask questions back
A good conversation goes both ways. These simple questions keep it moving:
- Where are you from?
- What do you do? (This means “What is your job?”)
- Do you live near here?
- Do you like it here?
- And you? (a quick way to ask the same question back)
Step 5: Say goodbye
- It was nice meeting you.
- See you later! / See you soon! / Bye!
- Have a nice day!
Example conversation
Amira: Hi, I'm Amira. Nice to meet you.
Tom: Nice to meet you too. I'm Tom.
Amira: Where are you from, Tom?
Tom: I'm from Chicago. And you?
Amira: I'm from Cairo. I'm here to study medicine.
Tom: Oh, great! I'm a student too. I study music.
Amira: Cool! Well, it was nice meeting you.
Tom: You too. See you around!
Practice out loud
Write your own introduction in four or five sentences, then say it out loud until you can say it without reading. Record yourself on your phone and listen back. It feels strange at first, but it is one of the fastest ways to improve.
Practice
Check your understanding
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