mi chiamo …
In Italian, "my name is" can be expressed as mi chiamo … Wiktionary also lists il mio nome è …
Meaning: a way to identify oneself (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Italian |
|---|
| mi chiamo … |
| il mio nome è … |
These phrases are used to identify oneself when introducing your name to others.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mi chiamo literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
mi chiamo … is the most common and natural way to introduce yourself in Italian. In contrast, il mio nome è … sounds more formal or like a direct translation from English.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
il mio nome è … is a more formal way to state your name, often used in official contexts or when reading from a document. Additionally, in informal settings, you can use Sono followed by your name to introduce yourself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase mi chiamo uses a reflexive verb, which means the pronoun mi (myself) must change if the subject of the sentence changes, such as using ti chiami for "you call yourself".
Did you know?
- While mi chiamo is used for names, the word nome specifically refers to a person's given name. To ask for someone's family name, Italians use cognome, which literally means 'shared name'.
- In very formal Italian, such as in the legal system or high bureaucracy, you might encounter the phrase il sottoscritto, meaning 'the undersigned', instead of using a standard 'my name is' phrase.
- The accent on the word è comes from a Latin practice of using marks to tell two words apart. This ensured the verb 'is' would not be confused with other similar sounds.
Examples in context
- Mi chiamo Maria.My name is Maria.
- Il mio nome è Giuseppe.My name is Giuseppe.
- Sono Luca.I am Luca.
- Mi chiamo Sofia.My name is Sofia.
- Mi chiamo Carlo, piacere di conoscerti.My name is Carlo, nice to meet you.
- Mi chiamo Marco.My name is Marco.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries il, mi, mio, nome, è, CC BY-SA 4.0.
