Introducing Yourself

Being able to talk about yourself is essential in English. Whether you are meeting new classmates, starting a new job, or traveling, you need to share basic information about who you are. In this lesson, you will learn the key phrases and structures.

Basic Information: The Big Five

When introducing yourself, most conversations cover these five topics:

1. Your name -- "My name is..." / "I'm..."
2. Where you are from -- "I'm from..." / "I come from..."
3. Where you live -- "I live in..."
4. Your job or studies -- "I'm a..." / "I work as a..." / "I study..."
5. Your hobbies -- "I like..." / "I enjoy..."

Talking About Your Name

There are several ways to tell someone your name:

• My name is Maria. -- Clear and simple.
• I'm Maria. -- Short and natural. The most common way.
• I'm Maria Petrova. -- Full name for formal situations.
• Please call me Masha. -- When you want people to use a nickname.

To ask someone's name:

• What's your name? -- Neutral, works everywhere.
• What is your name? -- Slightly more formal.
• May I ask your name? -- Very polite and formal.
• And you are...? -- Informal, used when you expect them to answer.

Talking About Where You Are From

• I'm from Ukraine. -- Simple and direct.
• I come from Kyiv, Ukraine. -- More specific.
• I'm originally from Ukraine, but I live in Canada now. -- When you have moved.
• I was born in Kyiv. -- About your birthplace.

The key verb here is "to be from":

• I am from Japan.
• She is from Brazil.
• They are from Germany.

Nationalities: When talking about your nationality, use the adjective form:

• Ukraine --> I am Ukrainian.
• Japan --> I am Japanese.
• Brazil --> I am Brazilian.
• Germany --> I am German.
• China --> I am Chinese.
• France --> I am French.

Talking About Your Job

Use "I'm a..." for jobs:

• I'm a teacher.
• I'm a student.
• I'm a doctor.
• I'm an engineer. (Use "an" before vowel sounds: a/e/i/o/u)
• I'm an accountant.

Use "I work as a..." or "I work at..." for more detail:

• I work as a software developer.
• I work at a hospital.
• I work for Google.

If you are a student:

• I'm a student.
• I study English / medicine / business.
• I'm studying at the University of Toronto.

If you are not currently working:

• I'm looking for work right now.
• I'm between jobs at the moment.
• I'm a stay-at-home parent.

Talking About Your Hobbies

Use "I like" + verb-ing or "I enjoy" + verb-ing:

• I like reading.
• I enjoy cooking.
• I love traveling.
• I'm interested in photography.
• In my free time, I play guitar.

Common hobbies vocabulary:

• Reading, writing, drawing, painting
• Cooking, baking, gardening
• Playing sports (soccer, tennis, basketball)
• Playing music (guitar, piano, violin)
• Watching movies, listening to music
• Traveling, hiking, swimming
• Playing video games

Putting It All Together

Here is a complete self-introduction:

"Hi! My name is Maria, but please call me Masha. I'm from Ukraine -- I was born in Kyiv. I moved to Canada two years ago, and now I live in Toronto. I'm an English teacher. I work online, helping students from all over the world improve their English. In my free time, I enjoy reading, hiking, and cooking Ukrainian food. It's nice to meet you!"

The Verb "To Be" -- Your Most Important Verb

This verb is used constantly in introductions:

Contractions (shortened forms) are very common in spoken English:

• I am --> I'm
• You are --> You're
• He is --> He's
• She is --> She's
• We are --> We're
• They are --> They're

Asking Questions About Others

To have a real conversation, ask questions back:

• Where are you from?
• What do you do? (This means "What is your job?")
• What do you study?
• What do you like to do in your free time?
• How long have you been here?

Practice: Write Your Own Introduction

Try writing a short introduction about yourself using this template:

Hi! My name is ______. I'm from ______. I live in ______. I'm a / I work as a ______. In my free time, I enjoy ______. Nice to meet you!

Read it out loud several times until it feels natural. You will use these sentences hundreds of times in real life.

Key Takeaways

• Learn the Big Five topics: name, origin, home, work, hobbies.
• Use "I'm" (contraction of "I am") in most situations -- it sounds more natural.
• Use "a" before consonant sounds and "an" before vowel sounds.
• Always ask questions back to keep the conversation going.
• Practice your self-introduction out loud until it feels comfortable and automatic.