わたしのなまえはマイクです
watashi no namae wa Maiku desuintroduction
Foreign names are written in katakana, so "My name is Mike" becomes わたしのなまえはマイクです (watashi no namae wa Maiku desu). You spell your name by its sound. It is also called サラ (Sara) and デビッド (Debiddo).
Meaning: introducing a foreign name in katakana (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| わたしのなまえはマイクです | watashi no namae wa Maiku desu | introduction |
| サラ | Sara | example name, katakana |
| デビッド | Debiddo | example name, katakana |
Japanese words for "name" are written in hiragana or kanji. Katakana is used for your own foreign name, such as サラ (Sara) or デビッド (Debiddo).
Which one should you use?
Japanese has no "l" sound, so Lucy becomes ルーシー (Rūshī). Final consonants gain a vowel, which is why David ends in ド (do).
How does it change in a sentence?
The order is "my name" then the name then です. Often people shorten it to マイクです (Maiku desu).
Did you know?
- A name can have more than one katakana spelling, so デビッド and デイビッド can both appear for David.
Examples in context
- わたしはデビッドです。Watashi wa Debiddo desu.I am David.
- なまえはエマです。Namae wa Ema desu.My name is Emma.
Example conversation
At a language class in Tokyo, a teacher asks a new student to introduce herself.
- Teacherおなまえはなんですか。Onamae wa nan desu ka?What is your name?
- Studentわたしのなまえはサラです。Watashi no namae wa Sara desu.My name is Sarah.
- Teacherサラさん、よろしくおねがいします。Sara-san, yoroshiku onegai shimasu.Sarah, nice to meet you.
