Say ‘My Name Is…’ in Italian To Meet a New Friend

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Introducing yourself can be the start of making new amici (“friends” in Italian). So you must get it right! In Italy, getting acquainted with others often goes hand in hand with Italian greetings and other polite phrases that can get your relationship off to the right foot. In this guide, you’ll learn three easy ways to say “my name is” in Italian and how to pair each to create useful Italian phrases.

How to say “my name is” in Italian

There are three ways to say “my name is” in Italian, two with the verb essere (to be) and one with the verb chiamare (to call). They all work perfectly to say your nome (name) and cognome (surname).

Il mio nome è

Let’s start with the most familiar expression to English speakers: Il mio nome è is the word-for-word translation of “my name is” in Italian.

This expression mostly comes up when you want to ensure someone catches your name correctly. For example, you might hear it at a public office when someone asks, Qual è il suo nome? (the formal: What’s your name? ), or when a native Italian speaker talks with someone who doesn’t speak Italian well.

• Il mio nome è Sara. = My name is Sara.
  

Mi chiamo

While il mio nome (my name is) is correct, Italians prefer to say mi chiamo followed by their name when they introduce themselves in everyday situations. Mi chiamo means “I call myself.” It’s made up of the Italian pronoun mi (myself) and the first-person singular of the verb chiamare (to call). This is your go-to phrase: You’ll hear it in real life all the time, and you can use it from casual meetups to professional settings.

• Mi chiamo Maria. = My name is Maria.
  
• Mi chiamo David. = My name is David.
  
• Io mi chiamo Giulia Allegretti. = My name is Julia Allegretti.
  

Quick grammar tip: chiamare is one of the most used regular -ARE verbs in Italian. It’s easy to learn, and once you grasp it, you’ll start spotting patterns in tons of other Italian verbs, too.

Sono

Sono (I am) followed by your name is another common way to introduce yourself in Italian. You can also say io sono (I am), the complete form using the subject pronoun io (I). But in Italian, people often drop the subject because the verb already specifies it, so go ahead and skip it, too.

• Sono Daniele Rossi. = Sono Daniele Rossi.
  

This is not just a synonym of “my name is” in Italian; it’s also perfect for introducing yourself with other personal details, like your nationality, profession, or role.

• Buon giorno. Mi chiamo Alejo. Sono la vostra guida turistica. = Hello, my name is Alejo. I am your tour guide.
  
• Io sono americana. = I am from the United States.
  

Bonus: Piacere

Another common thing to say when meeting someone for the first time is piacere/piacere di conoscerti (nice to meet you).

These phrases work alongside expressions like “my name is” in Italian, or they replace them entirely. This usually happens when a third person makes the introduction, or when someone responds to it.

• Questa è la mia ragazza, Rebecca. = This is my girlfriend, Rebecca.
  
  • Piacere, Rebecca. = Nice to meet you, (I’m) Rebecca.
    
• Mi ha parlato di Lei. Piacere, Alessandro. = He has talked about you. Nice to meet you, Alex.
  

Cultural tip: According to modern etiquette, you’re advised to avoid saying piacere di conoscerti or similar expressions. However, in real life, every native Italian uses these polite phrases when meeting someone new. And if you don’t say it, you actually come across as a bit cold.

How to introduce yourself in Italian with a complete sentence

Most of the time, you won’t just say your name. You’ll also want to add a greeting like “good morning” in Italian before introducing yourself, or other sentences like piacere di conoscerti (nice to meet you) or il piacere è mio (the pleasure is mine).* 

Here’s a quick chart with some useful Italian expressions when meeting someone new.

*These phrases can be tricky at first because they use the word piacere, which means “pleasure”, but also “nice” in Italian.

Now you’re ready to make new Italian friends! Connecting with native speakers is one of the best ways to practice and pick up Italian social cues, everyday expressions, and even a bit of Italian slang (which is always fun!).

Want to go beyond just saying your name? Join a Rosetta Stone Live Lessons! These interactive livestream classes give you real-time guidance, help you grow your vocabulary, and answer your questions as you learn Italian.