How to Introduce Yourself in Japanese
A self-introduction — じこしょうかい [jikoshoukai] — is the first real thing you will say in Japanese, and it follows a friendly, predictable script. Learn the handful of phrases below and you can introduce yourself to anyone.
Start with はじめまして
Open with はじめまして [hajimemashite]. Literally "for the first time," it is the standard "nice to meet you" you say at the very start. A small nod or bow goes with it.
Say your name
The basic pattern is わたしは … です [watashi wa … desu] — "I am …":
- わたしはマイクです。 [watashi wa Maiku desu] — "I am Mike."
In a more formal setting, use … ともうします [… to moushimasu], a humble "my name is …": マイクともうします。 [Maiku to moushimasu]. You can drop わたしは [watashi wa] once it is obvious you are talking about yourself — Japanese leaves out the topic when it is clear.
Where you are from
Two easy options:
- … からきました [… kara kimashita] — "I came from …": アメリカからきました。 [amerika kara kimashita]
- …じんです […jin desu] — "I am [nationality]": アメリカじんです。 [amerikajin desu]
Add one detail
A self-intro often adds a job or status with the same … です pattern:
- がくせいです。 [gakusei desu] — "I am a student."
- エンジニアです。 [enjinia desu] — "I am an engineer."
Close with よろしくおねがいします
End with よろしくおねがいします [yoroshiku onegaishimasu]. It has no clean English equivalent — somewhere between "please be kind to me" and "I look forward to getting to know you" — and it politely closes almost every introduction.
Put it together
はじめまして。マイクです。アメリカからきました。がくせいです。よろしくおねがいします。
[hajimemashite. Maiku desu. amerika kara kimashita. gakusei desu. yoroshiku onegaishimasu]
"Nice to meet you. I'm Mike. I'm from America. I'm a student. I look forward to getting to know you."
That is a complete, natural self-introduction in five short sentences — and every piece reuses the same です building block.
Notice how much work the little words は [wa] and です [desu] are doing. They are the glue of Japanese — see Japanese particles for beginners. And once introductions feel easy, learn the greetings and honorifics that go with them.
Practice saying your own self-introduction out loud on Llearny — speaking from the very first lesson.