dein Name
/daɪ̯n ˈnaːmə/word by word
In German, dein Name is the way to say "your name".
The phrase refers to the name of the person being spoken to.
Which one should you use?
dein Name is the informal version used when speaking to one person whom you address as du. In contrast, use Ihr Name when speaking to one or more people whom you address as Sie.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form changes depending on the grammatical case. Use deinen Namen when the phrase is the direct object of a verb (accusative case), such as in Ich kenne deinen Namen. Use deines Namens when using the genitive case to show possession, for example in Die Bedeutung deines Namens.
How do you pronounce it?
/daɪ̯n ˈnaːmə/
Did you know?
- When asking for a name in a formal setting, Germans often use Wie ist Ihr Name? instead of 'What is your name?', literally translating to 'How is your name?'
- German has a specific term, Namensvetter, for someone who shares the same first name as you.
- When introducing yourself in a formal setting, Germans often provide their full name including titles, such as Herr Doktor or Frau Professor.
Examples in context
- Ist Tom dein Name?Is Tom your name?This sentence uses dein Name to ask if a specific name belongs to the person.Tatoeba #6625716 by Felixjp, translation #5418426 by CK
- Ist das dein Name?Is that your name?This sentence uses dein Name to ask if a certain name is the person's name.Tatoeba #6770080 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #6900607 by kaiperkins271
- Dein Name ist mir bekannt.I am familiar with your name.This sentence uses dein Name to state that a name is known to the speaker.Tatoeba #2107393 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #63914 by CK
- Guten Tag! Ich heiße Maria Schmidt.Good day! I am called Maria Schmidt.
- Es freut mich, mich Ihnen vorzustellen. Mein Name lautet Sophia Wagner.It is a pleasure to introduce myself to you. My name is Sophia Wagner.
- Hallo! Ich bin der Jan.Hello! I am Jan.
- Ich bin die Lena.I am Lena.
- Hey, ich bin der Max.Hey, I am Max.
- 52 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are meeting for the first time at a party.
- LukasHallo, ich bin Lukas. Wie ist dein Name?Hello, I am Lukas. What is your name?
- SarahFreut mich, Lukas. Ich heiße Sarah.Nice to meet you, Lukas. My name is Sarah.
- LukasSehr schön, Sarah. Woher kommst du?Very nice, Sarah. Where are you from?
- SarahIch komme aus Berlin.I come from Berlin.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (dein, Name) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
