Knowing how to introduce yourself in Italian is one of the best ways to practise a new language, and also one of the scariest moments. The good news is that introductions in Italian follow a small number of patterns. Learn the ten phrases below and you will be able to start a real conversation with confidence, whether you are travelling in Italy, meeting an Italian colleague or joining your first online lesson.

Saying hello: ciao, buongiorno, buonasera

Your first choice is how formal to be. Ciao is for friends, family and people your age. Buongiorno (good morning or good day) and buonasera (good evening) are the safe options with strangers, shop assistants and anyone older than you.

• Ciao, come stai? (Hi, how are you?) is informal.
• Buongiorno, come sta? (Good morning, how are you?) is formal.

Saying your name: mi chiamo

The most common way is Mi chiamo Sarah, which literally means “I call myself Sarah”. You can also say Sono Sarah (I am Sarah), which is a little more direct and just as correct.

To ask someone’s name, use Come ti chiami? (informal) or Come si chiama? (formal).

Saying nice to meet you: piacere

When you hear the other person’s name, reply with Piacere! It simply means “pleased to meet you” and it is the most natural answer in almost every situation. You can also say Molto piacere or Piacere di conoscerti.

Saying where you are from: sono di / sono inglese

There are two useful patterns here. For a city, use sono di: Sono di Londra (I am from London). For a nationality, use sono plus the adjective: Sono inglese, Sono scozzese, Sono gallese.

Remember that nationality adjectives change with gender when they end in -o or -a: Sono americano (a man) and Sono americana (a woman). Words ending in -e, like inglese, stay the same.

To ask the question, say Di dove sei? (informal) or Di dov’è? (formal).

Saying where you live: abito a / vivo a

Abito a Manchester and Vivo a Manchester both mean “I live in Manchester”. Use a with cities and in with countries and regions: Vivo in Inghilterra, Abito in Scozia.

Saying your age: ho … anni

Italian uses the verb avere (to have) for age, not essere. So you say Ho trent’anni (I have thirty years), never Sono trenta. This is one of the most common mistakes among English speakers, so it is worth repeating aloud a few times.

Saying what you do: faccio / lavoro come

To talk about your job, you can say Sono insegnante (I am a teacher), Lavoro come infermiera (I work as a nurse) or Faccio l’avvocato (I am a lawyer). Notice that Italian does not use an article after sono with a profession: it is Sono medico, not Sono un medico, unless you add more detail.

If you are still at school or university: Sono studente (or studentessa) and Studio all’università.

Talking about why you are learning: sto imparando l’italiano

Italians love it when foreigners try to speak their language, so this phrase usually starts a warm conversation. Try Sto imparando l’italiano (I am learning Italian) and then add a reason: perché mi piace l’Italia (because I like Italy) or perché ho amici italiani (because I have Italian friends).

Asking for help: parli più piano, per favore

Do not be shy about asking people to slow down. These three phrases are your safety net:

• Puoi parlare più piano, per favore? (Can you speak more slowly, please?)
• Puoi ripetere? (Can you repeat?)
• Non ho capito. (I did not understand.)

Saying goodbye: a presto, arrivederci

Finish the conversation politely. Arrivederci works in any situation and ArrivederLa is the very formal version. With friends, ci vediamo (see you) or a presto (see you soon) sound natural. In the evening, buonanotte is only used when someone is going to bed.

A short model conversation

Here is how the phrases fit together when you introduce yourself in Italian:

• Anna: Ciao, mi chiamo Anna. E tu come ti chiami?
• Tom: Piacere, Anna! Sono Tom. Sono di Bristol, ma abito a Londra.
• Anna: Che bello! Che lavoro fai?
• Tom: Sono ingegnere. E tu?
• Anna: Io sono insegnante. Piacere di conoscerti, Tom!

Practise how to introduce yourself in Italian today

Write your own way to introduce yourself in Italian, following the conversation above, using your real name, city and job. Then say it aloud three times, first slowly and then at natural speed. If you can, record yourself on your phone: hearing your own voice is the quickest way to notice what to improve.

Once you feel confident, you could aim for an official qualification such as the CILS certificate from the University for Foreigners of Siena.

Want to practise with a real teacher?

If you would like to practise how to introduce yourself in Italian in a relaxed setting, join my free live lesson on “mi piace” and indirect pronouns on Friday 30 October at 7pm UK time, on Zoom. Reserve your free seat here.

And if you would like a personalised plan, book a free assessment call and we will find the right course for your level and your goals, with no obligation. You may also like my guide on mi piace or mi piacciono, the perfect next step once you can introduce yourself.