How to introduce yourself in English ► 4 easy steps

How to introduce yourself in English

Have you ever tried to pronounce the American “R” ?

Do you know how to introduce yourself in English? You’ll learn how today, but first, let me tell you a story about myself when I was learning French.

I used to be shy when I spoke French.

I had no idea what to say when I met someone new, especially in a new job.

“Bonjour, je m’appelle Christina.”

And then…?

Do I say where I’m from? (so they know why I make so many mistakes with masculine / feminine in French…)

Do I talk about my job?

Do I say my age?

And what tenses do I need to use?

Have you ever tried to pronounce the American “R” ?

Step 1: Say your name (OK, that’s obvious…)
Step 2: Share some relevant information about yourself
Step 3: Tell more about yourself
Step 4: Ping pong time!*

Do You Find it Difficult to Introduce Yourself in English?

It should be easy to say 3 lines about yourself. After all, you know yourself better than anyone else. When you introduce yourself in English, the vocabulary isn’t very complex. You usually know the words.

So it’s easy to introduce yourself in English, right?

No, not always. It’s difficult to talk about yourself.

(As Alanis Morissette once said, “Isn’t it ironic?”)

Why not?

Well, because you don’t always know what to include. If you’re starting at a new company, maybe you feel a little timid. And when you don’t feel comfortable, you make more mistakes. That’s normal.

Here are some typical mistakes that I hear ALL the time. All. The. Time.

“Hi, My name is Aurélie, I’m 36 years old. I’m a finance manager. I have worked at HP for 4 years. I have two children.”

Whaaaaaat? Can you see what’s wrong with this introduction?

If you do, tell me in the comments! We’ll see if we have the same ideas 🙂

How to Introduce Yourself in English in 4 Easy Steps

So, how do you introduce yourself in English correctly? It’s easier than you think. Let’s take a look.

All you need for the start are these 4 steps.

Step 1: Say your name (OK, that’s obvious…)

Start with your name and your job or your department. Simple really.

You can just say “Hi, I’m (first name) and I just started as a (job title) in the (name of your department) department.”

For example:

Hi, I’m Bruno and I just started as a sales consultant in the marketing department.

Step 2: Share some relevant information about yourself

It’s polite and friendly to give some information about yourself. You don’t want to just ask questions.

Small talk is like a ping pong game. Sometimes you ask questions, sometimes you give information. You can say something about your previous job.

For example:

Before this, I used to work as a solutions manager at Orange.

Step 3: Tell more about yourself

We want to know more about you! Tell us how long you’ve been working in your field, for example. For this, you’ll need the present perfect continuous tense.

For example:

I’ve been working in the telecom industry for about 12 years now.

Step 4: Ping pong time!*

*watch the video to understand that reference 🙂

And then you can give the “conversation ball” back to the other person. A simple question like “What about you, what do you do?” is good if you haven’t already talked about the subject.

Other options:

And how long have you been working here?
And how does this place compare to other companies you’ve worked for?
How did you get into (the field the other person works in: finance, tourism, etc.)?

Let the conversation develop. Relax and enjoy it.

Even if you make mistakes in English, the objective is to create a connection with the other person.

Self-Introduction in English Class

You are starting your (first) English class soon and don’t know the best way to introduce yourself in class?

I would like to show you a few easy examples of a self-introduction in this specific situation.

Hi, I am Maria. I come from New Delhi in India and just started as an Au pair in New York.
Hi, my name is Tom and I am about to start my exchange semester. I will be a student at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles).

How to Introduce Yourself in an Interview

Another difficult situation where you need to introduce yourself is a job interview. Who doesn’t fear the question: “Please introduce yourself in English”?

To prepare yourself for this, these short examples might be helpful for you:I would like to show you a few easy examples of a self-introduction in this specific situation.

Good morning, my name is Sebastian Clark. I’m here for the 10 a.m. job interview for the online marketing manager role.
Hello, I am Natalie. Nice to meet you in person. (if you have already talked to the person before via email or phone)

Icebreaker Sentences That You Can Start the Conversation Off With

Now that you know how to introduce yourself in English and how a conversation works, the next step is to actively start a conversation with someone. Sounds difficult? I got you covered!

To help you with this, here are a few icebreaker sentences for starting the conversation.

They are useful in many situations: in the office, at school or everywhere else. Just try them out.

What kind of drink is that? (everyone likes to talk about drinks and food)

I like your name. Are you named after someone? (works especially well in situations where people wear name tags)

How are you doing today? (simple but effective)

Who is your role model? (doesn’t matter whether it’s an uncle or a superstar, this question requires some thinking before giving an answer)

What is your favorite thing about your hometown? (good memories often can build a positive start to a conversation)

If you had to use a fake name, which one would you choose? (demands creativity and is very likely to turn over to a funny conversation start)

If you had to be a chocolate bar, what kind would you like to be? (everyone likes chocolate and this question is so absurd that your conversation partner will remember it for sure)

Do you have more icebreaker sentences that work well for you? Share them in the comments!

Remember: Small Talk Starts with Introducing Yourself, But It’s Just the Beginning!

After you introduce yourself in English, you actually have to talk about something: Your experience, your projects, your weekend, I don’t know!

That’s small talk. You talk about anything and everything!

Practice the vocabulary and expressions you need to make fluent small talk. Let me coach you! My Small Talk Conversation Coaching Program is perfect to help you feel more fluent and make conversation easier in English.

Click here to get more information.

You can start practicing right now!

Introduce yourself. It’s easy for you now!

Plus, you know me, but maybe I don’t know you! And I really would like to get to know you better.

So I’m looking forward to “meeting you” in the comments below.

Warmest wishes,

Christina

P.S. If you have any doubts about your CV in English, I will have a surprise for you on Thursday, but only if you’re a subscribed member of the Speak English Community. Click here to join us!