How to Introduce Yourself in English (Beyond “My Name Is”)

To introduce yourself in English, say “Hi, I'm Alex. Nice to meet you.” Use your own name in place of “Alex.” These three short parts (a greeting, your name, and “nice to meet you”) work at a party, in a class, at work, or with a friend of a friend, anywhere in the English-speaking world.

The other person will usually answer with the same shape: “Nice to meet you too! I'm Sarah.” Then one of you asks a simple question, like “So where are you from?”, and the conversation has started. This guide uses everyday American English, set in New York. It explains each part, how formal to be, what to do with your hands, and how to keep talking for the next few minutes.

How to introduce yourself in English in three lines

Say	Sounds like	Meaning
Hi, I'm Alex.	HAI, aim AL-iks	Hello, my name is Alex.
Nice to meet you.	NAIS-tuh MEE-chuh	I'm happy to meet you for the first time.
So where are you from?	so WAIR-er-yuh FRUM	Which city or country are you from?
What do you do?	WUH-duh-yuh DOO	What is your job?

Together:

Hi, I'm Alex. Nice to meet you.

Say it in two small parts, with a short pause after your name. The “Sounds like” column shows how the words join together in fast, relaxed speech. For example, “meet you” often sounds like “mee-chuh.” You do not have to copy this. Clear, slower words are always fine. Use the play buttons to hear the real sound.

What does “nice to meet you” mean?

Nice to meet you means “I'm happy to meet you.” You say it only the first time you meet a person. The next time you see them, do not say “nice to meet you” again. Say “Nice to see you” or “Good to see you.” The verb changes: meet is for the first time, see is for every time after that.

The other person usually says the same words back, with too at the end:

Nice to meet you too! I'm Sarah.

Sometimes you will hear only “You too!” That is short for “Nice to meet you too.” If the other person says “Nice to meet you” first, you can answer with just “You too!”

You may also hear “Great to meet you” or “It's a pleasure to meet you.” They mean the same thing. “It's a pleasure” sounds a little more formal, so you hear it more at work.

Should you say “I'm” or “My name is”?

Both are correct. In the US, I'm is much more common. “Hi, I'm Alex” sounds friendly and natural in almost every situation. “My name is Alex” is also correct, but it can sound a little slow or formal in a casual conversation. You hear it more on the phone, in a class, or when you give your name to someone at a desk.

Two common mistakes to avoid:

• I am called Alex. This is correct grammar, but in American English it sounds unnatural as an introduction. Use I'm Alex.
• Nice to know you. People do not say this at a first meeting. Say Nice to meet you.

Americans move to first names quickly. At a party, give only your first name. At work, give your first and last name the first time: “Hi, I'm Alex Moreno.” After that, people will usually call you Alex.

How formal should you be in English?

English does not have a formal and an informal “you.” The word is always you. Formality comes from your choice of words, your greeting, and how you use names. Here are three common settings.

A party, a class, or a friend of a friend

Use the basic pattern: “Hi, I'm Alex. Nice to meet you.” Younger people often say “Hey” in place of “Hi.” Both are friendly. “Hey” is more casual, so use it when the other person uses it first.

A new colleague or a work contact

Give your full name and one short fact about your role: “Hi, I'm Alex Moreno. I just joined the design team.” Then say “Nice to meet you” or “It's a pleasure to meet you.” In most American offices, colleagues use first names with each other, including managers.

An older person or a clearly formal setting

With someone much older, a doctor, or an official, you can use a title and the family name, like Mr. Lee, Ms. Garcia, or, for a doctor, Dr. Patel, until they invite you to use their first name. They may say “Please, call me Linda.” From then on, use “Linda.”

You may read the phrase “How do you do?” in textbooks. In the US it sounds old-fashioned and very formal, and most people do not use it. You can safely skip it.

Do you shake hands, hug, or kiss in the US?

In the US, the normal first-meeting greeting is a handshake. Hold the other person's right hand with your right hand, shake once or twice, and let go. The grip should be firm but not tight. Look at the person's face while you say your name, and smile. Eye contact during an introduction shows interest and respect. It is not rude.

At a relaxed party, a handshake is common, but it is not required. Many people just smile and say hi. If you are sitting at a table and the person is far away, a small wave is fine.

Americans do not usually kiss on the cheek when they meet someone new, and there is no bow. Hugs are for friends and family, not usually for a first meeting. In New York you will meet people from many cultures, so some people may greet you differently. If someone offers a hand, shake it. If they move closer to hug you, hug them back, but do not start a hug yourself with someone you just met.

Americans often stand about an arm's length apart when they talk. If someone steps back a little, they are not upset. They just want a bit more space.

What if someone asks “How are you?”

In the US, people often say “How are you?” or “How's it going?” as part of hello. It is a greeting, not a real question about your health or your day. The expected answer is short and positive, and then you ask it back:

Good, thanks. How are you?

You do not need to explain how you really feel. A long or very honest answer can surprise people at a first meeting. Save that for friends.

How do you keep the conversation going in English?

After names, you need one question that is easy to ask and easy to answer. People sometimes call this kind of light, friendly talk small talk. In the US, the two classic first questions are:

So where are you from?

What do you do?

“So” at the start is not required. It just makes the question sound relaxed, like a new topic. “What do you do?” is a question about your job, not about what you are doing right now. It is very normal in the US and not rude. Answer with “I'm a…” and your job: “I'm a nurse.” If you are a student, say “I'm a student. I study…”

After the other person answers “Where are you from?”, they often ask you the same question: “How about you?” or “And you?” That is your turn. Answer with “I'm from…” and your city or country: “I'm from Madrid.” If you live in the city now, add “but I live here now.”

At a friend's party, a third natural question is how the other person knows the host. If the host is called Jess, ask:

How do you know Jess?

This question works well because almost everyone at the party knows the host. The other person can tell a small story, like “We went to college together” (college means university in the US) or “We work together.”

Some topics are better to avoid with someone you just met: money and salary, age, religion, and politics. Work, where people are from, the city, food, and how they know the host are all safe.

If you did not hear or understand the other person's name, ask right away:

Sorry, what was your name again?

This is normal and polite. Nobody expects you to remember every name. Use the name once soon after, and it will be easier to remember.

What not to worry about yet

• You do not need a perfect American accent. Clear and steady is enough. New York is full of people with many different accents.
• You do not need phrasal verbs or slang to introduce yourself.
• You do not need to explain your whole life story in the first minute.
• You do not need to understand every word of the reply. Listen for the name, the city, and the job.

What you do need is to hear when it is your turn: a name, “nice to meet you too,” and often “How about you?” giving the turn back to you. If replies come too fast, the guide to understanding spoken English shows how to listen for these key words. If you want to be sure how names and words on a message or a name tag sound, start with how to read English.

Rehearse one real introduction

Use your own name, city, and job, not “Alex,” “Madrid,” and “nurse.” Say this sequence out loud:

1. Say “Hi, I'm…” and your name.
2. Add “Nice to meet you.”
3. Listen to the other person's name and reply.
4. Ask “So where are you from?”
5. Answer “I'm from…” when the question comes back to you.
6. Ask “What do you do?” or “How do you know…?” and react to the answer, even if it is only “Oh, cool!”

Here is the whole first meeting, with Sarah playing the person you just met. Play it once with the meaning visible, then again with it hidden:

Listen

Meeting someone at a dinner party in Brooklyn

Play allHide meanings

you

Hi, I'm Alex. Nice to meet you.

Hello, my name is Alex. I'm happy to meet you.

Sarah

Nice to meet you too! I'm Sarah.

I'm happy to meet you too. My name is Sarah.

you

So where are you from, Sarah?

Sarah, which city or country are you from?

Sarah

I'm from Chicago, but I've lived here for years. How about you?

I grew up in Chicago, but I have lived in New York for a long time. And you?

you

I'm from Madrid. I just moved here for work.

I come from Madrid. I came to New York a short time ago for my job.

Sarah

Oh, cool! What do you do?

Oh, nice! What is your job?

you

I'm a nurse. And how do you know Jess?

I work as a nurse. And how did you and Jess become friends?

If you forget the words even when you know them, read the three-minute speaking fix. It shows how to lower the pressure. To see where this kind of conversation sits on the scale teachers use, read CEFR levels explained in plain English.

Linguino's “Meet someone new” scene puts you at a friend's dinner party in Brooklyn, where you meet someone who only speaks English. Your AI teacher plays that person, answers what you actually say, and gives you a phrase card for “Hi, I'm…” or “Where are you from?” if you get stuck. You can replay each of the teacher's lines as many times as you need. Afterwards, a short quiz, scored speaking cards, and coach feedback help you review, and the useful phrases go into your Phrasebook.

You are ready when you can say your name, say “nice to meet you,” and ask one real question. That is enough for a first conversation.