er heißt
The English phrase "his name is" is expressed in German as er heißt.
er heißt is used to introduce a male person by stating his name. In informal situations, if a person goes by a nickname or an alternative name, a speaker might say Er nennt sich.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase er heißt literally translates to "he is called".
Which one should you use?
While er heißt is the most common way to introduce someone, you can also use sein Name ist, which is a more literal translation of the English phrase "his name is". Both are grammatically correct.
Did you know?
- In German, das heißt is used as a common filler phrase meaning 'that is to say' or 'in other words', which has nothing to do with a person's name.
- In older versions of German, such as Old High German, you might have seen the word er spelled as hër, starting with an 'h' just like the English 'he'.
- The phrase er nennt sich is a peculiar way to introduce someone, as it implies the person has chosen that name for themselves.
Examples in context
- Weißt du, wie er heißt?Do you know what his name is?This sentence is useful for asking if someone knows a person's name using er heißt.Tatoeba #2470722 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #2543246 by CK
- Ich weiß, wie er heißt.I know what his name is.This sentence is useful for stating that you know a person's name using er heißt.Tatoeba #6643705 by Felixjp, translation #287622 by CK
- Ich weiß nicht, wie er heißt.I don't know what his name is.Tatoeba #2239587 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #4404017 by space_badger
- Das ist mein Bruder. Er heißt Thomas.This is my brother. His name is Thomas.
- Das ist Max. Er nennt sich Lucky.This is Max. He goes by Lucky.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Felix introduces his new colleague to Sarah.
- FelixDas ist mein neuer Kollege. Er heißt Marc.This is my new colleague. His name is Marc.
- SarahHallo Marc! Schön, dich kennenzulernen.Hello Marc! Nice to meet you.
- FelixMarc kommt aus Berlin.Marc comes from Berlin.
- SarahDas ist ja interessant!That is very interesting!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries er, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
