How to introduce yourself in English: work, travel and social examples

Choose the situation before choosing the words

Start with your name or nickname, your current situation and one relevant detail. In an informal exchange, a 20–30 second introduction can leave space for a reply. You do not need to share your age, full address or life history.

All names and experiences below are fictional examples. Use accurate details about yourself and avoid sharing sensitive information in public chats.

At work: meeting a new colleague

“Hi, I’m Lin. I’ve just joined the design team. I’ll be working on the mobile app. I’m looking forward to working with you.”

Replace “design team” and “mobile app” with your actual role. To describe a current occupation, try “I work as a designer.” A casual meeting does not need an interview speech.

A possible follow-up is “What will you be working on?” An example answer is “I’ll be helping improve the app’s onboarding.” Use a description that matches your work.

When travelling: meeting someone at an activity

“Hi, I’m Lin. I’m visiting Kyoto for a few days. It’s my first time here, and I’m interested in local food. Have you tried any good restaurants nearby?”

If you have visited before, use “I’ve been here before.” A city and an interest are usually enough; you do not need to give your hotel or room details.

For “What have you visited so far?”, mention a real place and a reaction: “I visited a local market this morning. I enjoyed trying the food.”

In a social chat: give someone a topic to reply to

“Hi, I’m Lin. I’m practising my English, and I enjoy movies and running. I watched a comedy last weekend. What do you like to do in your free time?”

You do not need to apologise repeatedly for your English. If you need slower speech, ask “Could you speak a little more slowly?”.

For “What kind of movies do you like?”, try an accurate answer and a return question: “I like comedies because they help me relax. What about you?”

Three useful wording checks

For a name, use “I’m Lin” or “My name is Lin”, rather than “My name Lin”. For a job, “I’m a designer” needs the article before the singular occupation.

For an interest, use “I like watching movies” or “I like to watch movies”, rather than “I like watch movies”. Get one pattern comfortable before adding sentences.

“I live in Shanghai” describes where you live; “I grew up in Shanghai” describes where you grew up. Choose the detail you actually want to share.

Make your own 30-second introduction

Write three key words: a name, a situation and an interest or task. Speak once with the notes, then once without them. Avoid copying experiences that are not yours.

Prepare answers to two possible follow-ups, such as “What do you do?” and “Why do you like it?”. The goal is to continue an exchange, not just recite a paragraph.

Continue after the introduction

If your partner mentions running, try “I like running too. I usually run on weekends. Where do you like to run?”. Acknowledge their message, add your detail and ask a related question.

In KYKO’s asynchronous real-person chats, start with a short introduction and follow up on the reply. When listening back or using AI voice feedback, choose one point that affects understanding rather than rewriting everything into a complicated script.