ime mi je …
/iméː míː jɛ́/word by word
The English phrase "my name is" is translated into Slovenian as ime mi je …
ime mi je … is the standard, neutral way to introduce yourself in Slovenian.
Meaning: a way to identify oneself (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to "name to me is". The word mi is the dative form of jaz (I), which indicates that the name is being given "to me".
Which one should you use?
While ime mi je … focuses on the name itself, the common alternative Zovem se … means "I am called …". You can also use Jaz sem [Your Name]. to say "I am [Your Name]."
How do you pronounce it?
/iméː míː jɛ́/
Did you know?
- Slovenian has a 'dual' grammatical number, but when introducing yourself with ime mi je, the sentence follows the singular pattern regardless of who is being addressed.
- The word ime is a cognate with the Sanskrit word 'nama' and the Latin 'nomen', showing a distant shared ancestry across Indo-European languages.
- If you use Jaz sem to introduce yourself, you are emphasizing 'I' more strongly than if you use ime mi je, which can sound overly assertive in humble company.
Examples in context
- Moje ime je Anna.My name is Anna.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (ime, mi, je) and can differ in connected speech.
