In this post you will learn how to introduce yourself to someone. Being able to introduce yourself to people can be useful when you are travelling. It may lead to new friendships and who knows… As for the greetings, there are differences between using the formal or the informal version of speech. I imagined 3 different situations related to the presentazioni [preh-zehn-tah-TSYOH-nee] i.e. Italian introductions.
Italian introductions
1) Informal dialogue
Two young girls, Sofia (Italian) and Mary (English), meet at the University in Rome.
- Sofia: Ciao, io sono Sofia. Piacere di conoscerti!
[CHOW, Eeo SOH-noh Soh-FEE-ah. Pyah-CHEH-reh dee koh-NOH-shehr-tee]
(Hi, I’m Sofia. Nice to meet you!) - Mary: Piacere mio! Or just: Piacere!
[Pyah-CHEH-reh MEE-oh]
(It’s my pleasure) - Sofia: Tu come ti chiami?
[Tooh KOH-meh tee kyAH-mee?]
(What’s your name?) - Mary: Mi chiamo Mary. Di dove sei, Sofia?
[Mee kyAH-moh Mary. Dee DOH-veh sey, Soh-FEE-ah?]
(My name is Mary. Where are you from, Sofia?) - Sofia: Sono di Venezia. E tu?
[SOH-noh dee Veh-NEH-tsee-ah. Eh tooh?]
(I’m from Venice. And you?) - Mary: Io sono di Londra.
[Eeo Soh-noh dee LON-drah]
(I’m from London. Yes, in Italian London is Londra. Weird, uh?)
Turn on your speakers and click on the play button: you can hear the dialogue!
2) Informal/Formal
Mary meets Sofia’s mother, Anna. Anna will address Mary in an informal way because Mary is young, but Mary must be formal with her friend’s mother.
- Sofia: Mamma, ti presento la mia amica Mary.
[MAHM-mah, tee preh-ZEHN-toh lah MEE-ah ah-MEE-kah Mary]
(Mum, let me introduce you – literally I introduce you – my new friend Mary.) - Anna: Ciao, Mary, piacere di conoscerti.
[CHOW, Mary, pyah-CHEH-reh dee koh-NOH-shehr-tee!]
(Hi, Mary, nice to meet you) - Mary: Buongiorno, signora, piacere di conoscerla.
[Bwohn-JOHR-noh, see-NYOH-rah, pyah-CHEH-reh dee koh-NOH-shehr-lah]
(Good morning, madam, nice to meet you)
Now you can hear the informal/formal dialogue:
3) Formal
Suppose that Sofia’s mum Anna and Mary’s mum, Kate, meet.
Anna: Buongiorno, signora, piacere di conoscerla. Io sono Anna. Lei come si chiama?
[Bwohn-JOHR-noh, see-NYOH-rah, pyah-CHEH-reh dee koh-NOH-shehr-lah. Eeo SOH-noh AHN-nah. Lay KOH-meh see KYAH-mah?]
(Good morning, madam, nice to meet you. I’m Anna. What’s your name?)
Kate: Piacere, Anna. Io mi chiamo Kate.
[Pyah-CHEH-reh, AHN-nah. Eeo mee kyAH-moh Kate]
(Nice to meet you, Anna. My name is Kate)
Here is the formal dialogue:
Since I think that this lesson is a bit complicated (there are many things to remember) I split it in two parts. In the second part, you’ll learn how to introduce someone else in Italian.
Enjoy and practise!
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