How to Introduce Yourself in Spanish

Meeting someone for the first time is one of the most common situations for a beginner. Here are the essential building blocks you need to introduce yourself naturally.

1. Saying Hello

Before you introduce yourself, you need to say hello.

• Hola. (Hello / Hi.) - Remember, the H is silent!
• Buenos días. (Good morning.)
• Buenas tardes. (Good afternoon.)
• Buenas noches. (Good evening / Good night.)

2. Giving Your Name

There are two main ways to tell someone your name in Spanish.

Option 1: Me llamo… (I call myself…) This is the most common and natural way.

• Me llamo David. (My name is David.)
• ¿Cómo te llamas? (What is your name? - Informal)

Option 2: Mi nombre es… (My name is…) This is a direct translation from English. It is correct, but slightly more formal.

• Mi nombre es Sarah. (My name is Sarah.)
• ¿Cuál es su nombre? (What is your name? - Formal)

3. Saying Where You Are From

To talk about your origin, we use the verb ser (to be) + de (from).

• Soy de los Estados Unidos. (I am from the United States.)
• Soy de Londres. (I am from London.)
• ¿De dónde eres? (Where are you from? - Informal)

4. Saying Your Age (Watch out!)

In English, we say “I am 30 years old.” In Spanish, you don’t be your age; you have your age. We use the verb tener (to have).

• Tengo treinta años. (I am 30 years old. / Lit: I have 30 years.)
• Tengo veinte años. (I am 20 years old.)
• ¿Cuántos años tienes? (How old are you? - Informal)

5. Nice to Meet You

After exchanging names, it is polite to say it’s nice to meet them.

• Mucho gusto. (Nice to meet you. / Lit: Much pleasure.)
• Encantado. (Delighted to meet you. - Say this if you identify as male.)
• Encantada. (Delighted to meet you. - Say this if you identify as female.)

Practice: Putting it Together

Read this short introduction out loud:

“Hola, buenos días. Me llamo Alex. Soy de Canadá y tengo veinticinco años. Mucho gusto.” (Hello, good morning. My name is Alex. I am from Canada and I am 25 years old. Nice to meet you.)