Introduce Yourself in Italian: All the Questions and Answers
A0 · Lesson 20 · Introduce yourself
Nine questions, nine answers, one rule: always ask back. That is a whole first conversation.
Quick answer
To introduce yourself in Italian, say Ciao! Mi chiamo Kate (or Sono Kate), then add where you are from and where you live: Sono di Boston. Abito a Chicago. When you meet someone, say Piacere! (nice to meet you). After every answer, ask back: E tu? (and you?) or, to be polite, E Lei?
How to introduce yourself in Italian: the ping-pong rule
A conversation is ping-pong. You answer, then you send the ball back. In Italian the “bat” is two tiny words.
E tu?
eh TOO
And you? For a friend, someone your age, a kid.
FriendE Lei?
eh LAY
And you? For a stranger, an older person, a waiter, your boss.
Polite💡 In simple words
Someone asks you a question → you answer → you add E tu?
Answer without asking back, and the conversation stops. Ask back, and you sound like you already speak Italian.
Tu or Lei? Same test as for greetings: would you say ciao to this person? Then tu. Would you say buongiorno? Then Lei. On this page every question comes in both versions.
Come stai? How are you?
This often comes right after ciao or buongiorno.
Come stai?
KOH-meh STY
How are you? (friend)
FriendCome sta?
KOH-meh STAH
How are you? (polite)
PoliteBene, grazie! E tu?
BEH-neh, GRAHT-tsyeh! eh TOO
Fine, thanks! And you? (friend)
Bene, grazie! E Lei?
BEH-neh, GRAHT-tsyeh! eh LAY
Fine, thanks! And you? (polite)
Not so great today? Così così (koh-ZEE koh-ZEE) = so-so. Still ask back!
You ask Come stai? Look at this smile: Bene, grazie! E tu?
Come ti chiami? Your name
Come ti chiami?
KOH-meh tee KYAH-mee
What’s your name? (friend)
FriendCome si chiama?
KOH-meh see KYAH-mah
What’s your name? (polite)
PoliteMi chiamo Kate.
mee KYAH-moh Kate
My name is Kate. (Word for word: “I call myself Kate.”)
Sono Kate.
SOH-noh Kate
I’m Kate.
Both answers are correct. Pick the one you like. Careful with the sound: chi in Italian is “kee”, so chiamo starts like “key”.
Di dove sei? Dove abiti? Where you’re from and where you live
Two different questions. Italians love both.
Di dove sei?
dee DOH-veh SAY
Where are you from? (friend) · Polite: Di dov’è? (dee doh-VEH)
Your hometownDove abiti?
DOH-veh AH-bee-tee
Where do you live? (friend) · Polite: Dove abita? (DOH-veh AH-bee-tah)
Where you live nowSono di Boston.
SOH-noh dee Boston
I’m from Boston. (di + city)
Sono americano / americana.
SOH-noh ah-meh-ree-KAH-noh / ah-meh-ree-KAH-nah
I’m American. (For a country, use the nationality: -o for a man, -a for a woman.)
📌 Abito: a or in?
City → a: Abito a Chicago. (AH-bee-toh ah) I live in Chicago.
Country or state → in: Abito in Italia / in California.
The USA → one fixed block: Abito negli Stati Uniti. (NEH-lyee STAH-tee oo-NEE-tee) I live in the United States.
Don’t try to build negli yourself. Learn the whole block, like a password.
Quanti anni hai? Your age
Quanti anni hai?
KWAHN-tee AHN-nee EYE
How old are you? (friend) · Polite: Quanti anni ha? (… AH)
AgeHo trentacinque anni.
oh trehn-tah-CHEEN-kweh AHN-nee
I’m 35. (Word for word: “I have 35 years.”)
Age uses ho (I have), never sono. The H is silent: ho sounds like “oh”. And anni has a double N: hold it, AHN-nee.
Che lavoro fai? Your job
Che lavoro fai?
keh lah-VOH-roh FY
What do you do? (friend) · Polite: Che lavoro fa? (… FAH)
JobSono insegnante.
SOH-noh een-seh-NYAHN-teh
I’m a teacher.
Sono medico. · Sono infermiera. · Sono in pensione.
MEH-dee-koh · een-fehr-MYEH-rah · een pehn-SYOH-neh
I’m a doctor. · I’m a nurse (woman). · I’m retired.
No “a” before the job: Sono medico, not Sono un medico. Your job is like your nationality: the ending can change for a woman (cameriere / cameriera, waiter / waitress).
Parli italiano? Perché studi italiano?
The two questions every Italian will ask you, usually with a big smile.
Parli italiano?
PAHR-lee ee-tah-LYAH-noh
Do you speak Italian? (friend) · Polite: Parla italiano?
LanguagesPerché studi italiano?
pehr-KEH STOO-dee ee-tah-LYAH-noh
Why are you studying Italian? (friend) · Polite: Perché studia italiano?
Your reasonParlo inglese e un po’ di italiano.
PAHR-loh een-GLEH-zeh eh oon POH dee ee-tah-LYAH-noh
I speak English and a little Italian.
Perché means both “why?” and “because”. Same word, question and answer:
Perché amo l’Italia!
pehr-KEH AH-moh lee-TAH-lyah
Because I love Italy!
Perché la mia famiglia è italiana.
pehr-KEH lah MEE-ah fah-MEE-lyah eh ee-tah-LYAH-nah
Because my family is Italian.
Per viaggiare.
pehr vyahj-JAH-reh
To travel.
Piacere! Nice to meet you
You say it when you shake hands, usually right after the names.
Piacere!
pyah-CHEH-reh
Nice to meet you! Works with everyone.
EveryonePiacere mio!
pyah-CHEH-reh MEE-oh
The pleasure is mine! The perfect reply.
ReplyPiacere di conoscerti!
… dee koh-NOH-shehr-tee
Nice to meet you! (friend, a bit longer)
FriendPiacere di conoscerLa!
… dee koh-NOH-shehr-lah
Nice to meet you! (polite)
Polite
The whole conversation, slowly
You meet Giulia at a friend’s party. Read it out loud and notice the ping-pong: every answer ends with a question.
Giulia
Ciao! Come ti chiami?
Hi! What’s your name?
you
Ciao! Mi chiamo Kate. E tu?
Hi! My name is Kate. And you?
Giulia
Sono Giulia. Piacere!
I’m Giulia. Nice to meet you!
you
Piacere mio! Come stai?
Nice to meet you too! How are you?
Giulia
Bene, grazie! E tu? Di dove sei?
Fine, thanks! And you? Where are you from?
you
Bene! Sono di Boston, ma abito a Chicago. E tu?
Good! I’m from Boston, but I live in Chicago. And you?
Giulia
Sono di Bologna. Che lavoro fai?
I’m from Bologna. What do you do?
you
Sono infermiera. E tu?
I’m a nurse. And you?
Giulia
Sono insegnante. Parli italiano!
I’m a teacher. You speak Italian!
you
Un po’! Parlo inglese e un po’ di italiano.
A little! I speak English and a little Italian.
Giulia
Brava! Perché studi italiano?
Well done! Why are you studying Italian?
you
Perché la mia famiglia è italiana!
Because my family is Italian!
Notice: Kate and Giulia say tu because they are guests at the same party, about the same age. With Giulia’s grandmother, Kate would switch to Come sta? E Lei?
Bravo to a man, brava to a woman: well done!
Your own introduction in Italian
Swap every teal word for your own. Then say it out loud three times. That’s your introduction for your first trip, your first class, your first Italian dinner.
Ciao!
Hi!
Mi chiamo your name.
My name is …
Sono di your city.
I’m from …
Abito a city / negli Stati Uniti.
I live in … / in the United States.
Ho your age anni.
I’m … years old.
Sono your job.
I’m a … (no “a” in Italian!)
Parlo inglese e un po’ di italiano.
I speak English and a little Italian.
Studio italiano perché amo l’Italia.
I’m studying Italian because I love Italy. (or: la mia famiglia è italiana)
E tu? / E Lei?
And you?
Studio italiano = I study Italian. You already know it from the question Perché studi italiano?
Common mistakes and a little culture
Common mistakes English speakers make
Sono 35 anni. → Ho 35 anni.
Age uses avere: “I have 35 years”.
Mi chiamo è Kate. → Mi chiamo Kate.
Mi chiamo already means “my name is”. No è.
Sono da Chicago. → Sono di Chicago.
“From” your hometown is di.
Abito in Roma. → Abito a Roma.
City → a. Country or state → in.
Sono un insegnante. → Sono insegnante.
No “a” before a job.
Come tu chiami? → Come ti chiami?
It’s ti, not tu. Learn the question as one block.
To an older stranger: Come ti chiami? → Come si chiama?
With a stranger, use the polite Lei version.
🏘️ Di dove sei? comes first
For Italians, your hometown is a big part of who you are. Expect Di dove sei? very early, and expect a follow-up about the food there.
🎂 Age is a bit personal
With kids and in class, Quanti anni hai? is normal. With an adult you just met, it can feel a little nosy, the same as in the US.
Piacere! Mi chiamo Bruno. Ho nove anni. Sono modello. Look at this face. Obviously. E tu?
Step 12 · Practice
🍕 Your turn
Start with a quick warm-up, then press Check. Want more? Open the extra exercises below. Mistakes are part of it. No pressure.
Warm-up · 5 questions
Choose the right answer to each question.
1. Come ti chiami?
2. Quanti anni hai?
3. Di dove sei?
4. Come stai?
5. Piacere!
See more exercises · 38 questions ▾Hide the extra exercises ▴
1 · Question and answer
Which question goes with this answer?
1. Abito a Miami.
2. Sono avvocato.
3. Perché amo l’Italia!
4. Parlo inglese e un po’ di italiano.
5. Ho ventotto anni.
6. Mi chiamo Robert Miller. (to a polite stranger)
7. Sono di Seattle.
8. Bene, grazie! E Lei?
2 · Friend or polite?
Who are you talking to? Choose the right version.
1. A kid at the playground: “What’s your name?”
2. Your elderly Italian neighbor: “How are you?”
3. A student your age in class: “Where are you from?”
4. A hotel manager asks you “Come sta?” You answer “Bene, grazie!” and add…
5. Your new boss: “Where do you live?”
6. Your cousin’s best friend, 25 years old: “Nice to meet you!”
7. An older gentleman on the train: “What do you do?”
8. Your friend Luca asks “Come stai?” You answer “Bene!” and add…
3 · Right or wrong?
Is the sentence correct Italian?
1. Sono trenta anni.
2. Abito negli Stati Uniti.
3. Abito in Boston.
4. Sono Kate.
5. Sono un medico.
6. Abito in Texas.
7. Mi chiamo è Paul.
8. Perché la mia famiglia è italiana.
4 · What do you say?
Choose the best thing to say in each situation.
1. Your friend introduces you to her brother. You shake hands.
2. Someone asks “Di dove sei?” and you want the conversation to keep going.
3. “Perché studi italiano?” You want to visit Italy every summer.
4. A waiter asks “Parla italiano?” You know a little.
5. “Che lavoro fa?” You don’t work any more.
6. A new colleague says “Piacere!”
5 · Write it in Italian
Type the sentence. Capital letters and punctuation don’t matter.
1. What’s your name? (friend)
2. My name is Anna.
3. I’m from New York.
4. I live in the United States.
5. I’m 50. (type the number or the word)
6. Fine, thanks! And you? (friend)
7. I speak English and a little Italian.
8. Nice to meet you! (polite, the long version)
New here? Try a 25-minute lesson for $25: book a trial. Not sure about your level? Take the free level test.
Ci vediamo la prossima settimana! – Sì, alla prossima lezione! Ciao!
See you next week! – Yes, see you at the next lesson! Bye!
Previous lesson: A0 · 19 Italian questions · Next lesson: A0 · 21 Introducing someone
Written by Luciana
Native Italian teacher, CEDILS certified, 10,000+ lessons since 2020.
