Introducing yourself in English: greetings, age, and answers to “How are you?”

To introduce yourself in English you need a greeting, your name, your age, where you are from, and what you do. With these five pieces you can give a natural one-minute introduction.

Saying hello and goodbye

Hello: “Hello.”, “Hi.”, “Good morning.”, “Good afternoon.”, “Good evening.” Goodbye: “Goodbye.”, “Bye.”, “See you later.”, “See you tomorrow.”, “Have a nice day.” “Good night” is only used when leaving at night or going to bed, never as a greeting.

A one-minute introduction

“Hi, my name is Deniz. I'm 25 years old. I'm from İzmir, but I live in Ankara now. I'm a nurse. In my free time, I like reading and swimming. Nice to meet you!” Fill the pattern with your own details and say it out loud.

Saying your age

Age is said as “I'm 10.” or “I'm 10 years old.”, never “I have 10 years.” The question is “How old are you?” Children can also say half years: “I'm seven and a half!”

Answers to “How are you?”

You don't always have to say “I'm fine, thank you.” Try “I'm good, thanks. And you?”, “Not bad.”, “Pretty good!”, “I'm a bit tired today.”, or “Great, thanks!” Asking “And you?” after your answer keeps the conversation going politely.

To keep going, see Starting a conversation in English: small talk phrases and Talking about hobbies and weekend plans in English.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to say my age when I introduce myself? No. Adults usually don't mention their age; your name, where you are from, and what you do are enough.

Should I give a long answer to “How are you?” Usually a short answer and “And you?” are enough. The question is often just part of the greeting.