Lesson 5: What’s your name?
Expressions
If you don’t know someone, it might be good to start a conversation by asking the name.
In German, you do so by asking this question:
- Wie heißt du? (informal)
- Wie heißen Sie? (formal)
Note: the verb is heißen, (=my/your/… name is). Some Germans still use this form:
- Wie ist dein Name? (informal)
- Wie ist Ihr Name? (formal)
The translation is literally: how is your name. What is your name (Was its dein/Ihr Name) is not used, although Germans will understand it. Dein and Ihre are possessive pronouns, we’ll see them in another lesson.
How to reply?
- Ich heiße x.
- Mein Name ist x.
- Ich bin x.
You can add ‘und du?’ or ‘und Sie?’ at the end, to ask for the other person’s name. Mein is a possessive pronoun.
Looking for inspiration to give your baby a German name? Here’s a list of popular German names.
Words
We’ll see the verbs like heißen in another lesson.
Exercises
Translate the following sentences:
- What is your name, mrs…?
- What’s your name? (to a friend)
- My name is Ulrike (three ways)
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Solutions
- Wie heißen Sie, Frau…?
- Wie heißt du?
- Ich bin Ulrike/ Mein Name ist Ulrike / Ich heiße Ulrike.