Mi chiamo / Sono — introducing yourself
Two simple patterns cover every introduction: "Mi chiamo…" and "Sono…".
"Mi chiamo" literally means "I call myself" and is the most common way to give your name: "Mi chiamo Julia". The verb is "chiamarsi", a reflexive verb, but for introductions you only need this fixed form.
"Sono" ("I am") works just as well before a name — "Sono Marco" — and it is also how you say your profession: "Sono studente" ("I'm a student"; note that Italian drops the article here).
After an introduction, the magic word is "Piacere!" — literally "pleasure". You can also say "Molto piacere" or the fuller "Piacere di conoscerti" ("pleasure to meet you").
| Phrase | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mi chiamo… | My name is… | The standard introduction |
| Sono… | I'm… | Before a name or a profession |
| Piacere! | Nice to meet you! | Fixed expression |
| E tu? / E Lei? | And you? | tu = informal, Lei = formal |
Examples
- Mi chiamo Julia, e tu?· My name is Julia, and you?
- Sono Marco. Piacere!· I'm Marco. Nice to meet you!
- Sono studente.· I'm a student.