ich heiße …
The German phrase for "my name is" is ich heiße … Wiktionary also lists mein Name ist …
Meaning: a way to identify oneself (phrase)
Ways to say it
| German |
|---|
| ich heiße … |
| mein Name ist … |
These phrases are used to identify oneself when introducing your name to others.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ich heiße … literally translates to "I am called …".
Which one should you use?
ich heiße … is the most common and standard way to introduce yourself. In contrast, mein Name ist … translates to "my name is …" and is used in more formal situations. You may also encounter Ich bin [Name], which means "I am [Name].".
How does it change in a sentence?
When using the phrase ich heiße …, the verb heißen must be conjugated to heiße to match the first-person singular pronoun ich.
What mistakes should you avoid?
While English speakers may use ich bin [Name] to mean "I am [Name]," please note that ich heiße … is the more idiomatic way to introduce yourself in a social setting or a classroom.
Did you know?
- The verb heißen can also be used to define a word or a concept. For example, you can say das heißt to mean 'that means' or 'that is to say'.
- In very formal German settings, people may introduce themselves using only their last name. A person might say mein Name ist Müller without mentioning their first name at all.
- The phrase das heißt is so common that it is frequently abbreviated in writing as d.h, mirroring the English abbreviation 'i.e.'.
Examples in context
- Guten Tag! Mein Name ist Susanne Mayer.Good day! My name is Susanne Mayer.
- Grüß Gott! Ich heiße Michael Schmidt.Greetings! I am called Michael Schmidt.
- Hallo! Ich bin Laura.Hello! I am Laura.
- Servus! Ich heiße Felix.Hey! I am called Felix.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
