Lesson 2 of 69 · A1, Unit 1: First words
Meeting people
These are the lines you need the first time you meet someone: exchanging names, saying where you're from and where you live, and — the useful one — explaining that your German is still basic.
Notice that the verb changes its ending to match the person: ich heiße, du heißt, Sie heißen. You'll learn the full pattern in Unit 2; for now, learn these as set phrases.
By the end you can:
- ask for and give a name, with du or Sie
- say where you come from and where you live
- explain that you speak only a little German and ask someone to slow down
1.Your name
The usual way is Ich heiße … — literally “I am called”. Mein Name ist … is a little more formal. When you’re introduced, say Freut mich! — “pleased to meet you”.
Wie heißt du?
What’s your name? (informal)
Wie heißen Sie?
What’s your name? (polite)
Ich heiße Sam.
My name is Sam.
Freut mich!
Nice to meet you!
Which question asks a stranger their name politely?
2.Where you’re from: aus
Woher? asks “from where?”, and you answer with aus. Most countries need nothing extra: aus Kanada, aus England. A few have an article, and it shows up after aus: aus den USA, aus der Schweiz.
Woher kommst du?
Where are you from?
Ich komme aus Kanada.
I’m from Canada.
Ich komme aus den USA.
I’m from the USA.
Ich komme aus der Schweiz.
I’m from Switzerland.
3.Where you live: in
Where you come from takes aus; where you live takes in. Watch the question words: Woher? (from where) and Wo? (where).
Wo wohnst du?
Where do you live?
Ich wohne in Berlin.
I live in Berlin.
Ich komme aus Kanada, aber ich wohne in Köln.
I’m from Canada, but I live in Cologne.
Someone asks Wo wohnst du? Which answer fits?
4.When your German runs out
These sentences keep a conversation alive. Say them early and without apology — people slow down happily.
Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch.
I speak a little German.
Langsamer, bitte.
More slowly, please.
Können Sie das wiederholen?
Could you repeat that?
Was bedeutet das?
What does that mean?
Words in this lesson (19)
Wie heißt du?
Say it: vee HAIST doo
What's your name? (informal)
literally how are-called you
Wie heißen Sie?
Say it: vee HAI-sen zee
What's your name? (polite)
Ich heiße ...
Say it: ikh HAI-suh
My name is ...
Ich heiße Anna.
My name is Anna.
Mein Name ist ...
Say it: main NAH-muh ist
My name is ... (a bit more formal)
Freut mich!
Say it: FROYT mikh
Nice to meet you!
literally pleases me
Woher kommst du?
Say it: voh-HAIR KOMST doo
Where are you from? (informal)
Woher kommen Sie?
Say it: voh-HAIR KOM-men zee
Where are you from? (polite)
Ich komme aus den USA.
Say it: ikh KOM-muh ows dayn oo-es-AH
I'm from the USA.
Countries are usually article-free (aus Kanada, aus England), but a few take one: aus den USA, aus der Schweiz, aus der Türkei.
Ich komme aus Kanada.
Say it: ikh KOM-muh ows KAH-nah-dah
I'm from Canada.
Wo wohnst du?
Say it: voh VOHNST doo
Where do you live? (informal)
Ich wohne in Berlin.
Say it: ikh VOH-nuh in ber-LEEN
I live in Berlin.
Sprechen Sie Englisch?
Say it: SHPRE-khen zee ENG-lish
Do you speak English?
Ich spreche ein bisschen Deutsch.
Say it: ikh SHPRE-khuh ain BIS-khen DOYTCH
I speak a little German.
Ich lerne Deutsch.
Say it: ikh LER-nuh DOYTCH
I'm learning German.
Ich verstehe nicht.
Say it: ikh fer-SHTAY-uh nikht
I don't understand.
Langsamer, bitte.
Say it: LANG-zah-mer, BIT-tuh
More slowly, please.
Können Sie das wiederholen?
Say it: KUR-nen zee das vee-der-HOH-len
Could you repeat that?
Wie sagt man das auf Deutsch?
Say it: vee ZAHKT man das owf DOYTCH
How do you say that in German?
Was bedeutet das?
Say it: vas buh-DOY-tet das
What does that mean?
See it in context
- Lena
Hallo! Ich heiße Lena. Wie heißt du?
Say it: HAH-loh. ikh HAI-suh LAY-nah. vee HAIST doo
Hi! I'm Lena. What's your name?
- Sam
Ich heiße Sam. Freut mich!
Say it: ikh HAI-suh SAM. FROYT mikh
I'm Sam. Nice to meet you!
- Lena
Woher kommst du?
Say it: voh-HAIR KOMST doo
Where are you from?
- Sam
Ich komme aus Kanada, aber ich wohne in Köln.
Say it: ikh KOM-muh ows KAH-nah-dah, AH-ber ikh VOH-nuh in KURLN
I'm from Canada, but I live in Cologne.
- Lena
Super! Du sprichst gut Deutsch.
Say it: ZOO-per. doo SHPRIKHST goot DOYTCH
Great! You speak good German.
- Sam
Danke! Ein bisschen. Langsamer, bitte!
Say it: DAN-kuh. ain BIS-khen. LANG-zah-mer, BIT-tuh
Thanks! A little. Slower, please!
Did you follow it?
Where is Sam from?
Where does Sam live?
What does Sam ask Lena to do?
Beyond the words
Where German is spoken
German is an official language in Germany, Austria, Switzerland (one of four national languages, alongside French, Italian, and Romansh), Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Belgium's small German-speaking community in the east. It's also an official regional language in South Tyrol in northern Italy. German is the most widely spoken first language in the European Union.
Say it in German
Read the English, say the sentence out loud, then check yourself.
My name is Sam. Nice to meet you!
I’m from Canada, but I live in Cologne.
I speak a little German.
Could you repeat that?
Flashcards and a quick quiz
19 words. Flip through them, then take the quiz: multiple choice, typing, listening, and matching.
Meaning
Do you speak English?
Sprechen Sie Englisch?
SHPRE-khen zee ENG-lish
Or drill every lesson together.
Remember
- Ich heiße … / Mein Name ist … — Freut mich!
- From: Woher? — aus. Live: Wo? — in.
- aus den USA, aus der Schweiz — a few countries bring an article.
- Langsamer, bitte; Können Sie das wiederholen?