Common mistake: “Hello, I call myself Ben and I have 24 years.” — Correct: “Hello, my name is Ben and I am 24 years old.”
We introduce ourselves to share our name, origin, age, and occupation when connecting with someone for the first time.
Essential Introduction Formulas
Question
Natural Response
Spanish Trap to Avoid
What is your name?
My name is... / I'm...
Don't say: 'I call myself...'
Where are you from?
I'm from + [Country / City]
Don't omit 'from': 'I am Colombia' (X)
What do you do?
I'm a / an + [Profession]
Don't omit article: 'I am doctor' (X)
Nice to meet you!
Nice to meet you too!
Say 'too', never 'equally' or 'the same'
My name is... — Mi nombre es...
I am... — Yo soy...
Nice to meet you — Mucho gusto
Where are you from? — ¿De dónde eres?
I am from... — Soy de...
I live in... — Vivo en...
What do you do? — ¿A qué te dedicas?
I am a / an... — Soy un/una...
Pleased to meet you — Encantado de conocerte
Good morning — Buenos días
How do you spell that? — ¿Cómo se deletrea eso?
First name — Nombre de pila
Last name — Apellido
Hometown — Ciudad natal
Hello, my name is Sofía and I am a designer from Colombia.
Nice to meet you! I am Kenji, and I live in Tokyo.
Ben is an English travel writer traveling in South America.
I am not from the United States; I am from Canada.
His name is not David; his name is Ben.
We are not strangers anymore; we are classmates.
What is your name, and where are you from?
Are you an architect or a software developer?
How do you spell your last name, please?
Is your name Sofía? Yes, it is.
Are you from Colombia? Yes, I am.
Is he an exchange student? Yes, he is.
Practice
When someone says 'Nice to meet you!', the most natural reply is: ___ (Nice to meet you too!, Equally!, I call myself too!)
To state your occupation correctly, you say: 'I am ___ architect.' (an, a, the)
Where ___ you from? (are, is, am)
In English, it is natural to introduce yourself by saying: 'I call myself John.'
When introducing yourself, 'I am Sofía' and 'My name is Sofía' are both correct and natural.
Hello! My ___ (name / write the word) is Kenji.
I am from Japan, but I ___ (live) in Medellín now.
Sofía is ___ (a / an) graphic designer.
Unscramble: name, My, is, Kenji, Sato, .
Unscramble: meet, to, Nice, you, too, !
Find the mistake: Hello, I call myself Carlos.
Find the mistake: I am from Colombia and I am designer.
My name is Ben. — Turn it into a question asking for someone's name.
I am an exchange student. — Make it negative (use 'not').
Are you from Colombia? (Short answer: Yes)
Is your name Sofía? (Short answer: Yes)
Listening
Kenji: Good morning! Is this seat taken?
Sofía: No, it is free. Please, sit down! I am Sofía.
Kenji: Nice to meet you, Sofía. My name is Kenji.
Sofía: Nice to meet you too! Where are you from, Kenji?
Kenji: I am from Japan, from Tokyo. What about you?
Sofía: I am from Medellín. I am a graphic designer here.
Reading
Today is the first day of the language exchange club in Medellín. Sofía welcomes the new members. Kenji introduces himself first: he is twenty-two years old and studies international business. Next is Ben, a twenty-six-year-old travel writer from London who loves South American music. Finally, Sofía introduces herself: she is twenty-eight, works as a designer, and loves showing her city to visitors. Everyone feels welcome and ready to learn.