To introduce yourself in Hindi, say "Namaste, mera naam [your name] hai" — hello, my name is [your name]. Add "main [your city] se hoon" (I'm from [your city]) and "aap se milkar khushi hui" (pleased to meet you), and you have the complete first-meeting script. Here's the part textbooks skip: real people mix Hindi and English constantly, so "Hi, main Sam hoon — Priya ka friend" (Hi, I'm Sam — Priya's friend) isn't cheating, it's exactly how a native speaker your age would say it.
I'm Akhil. I'm Indian, my wife Hannah is British, and I've watched her introduce herself to my extended family somewhere north of a hundred times — at our engagement party in Delhi, at weddings, on FaceTime calls where a phone gets passed around a living room without warning. This post is the version of "introduce yourself" that survives contact with an actual Indian family, not the one from chapter one of a textbook.
The three lines that do all the work
| Line | Meaning | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Namaste, mera naam Sam hai | Hello, my name is Sam | Works for everyone, everywhere, always |
| Main London se hoon | I'm from London | Swap in your city or country |
| Aap se milkar khushi hui | Pleased to meet you | Literally "meeting you brought happiness" — the respectful version |
That's the whole ceremony. Word by word, the first line is: "mera" (my), "naam" (name), "hai" (is) — Hindi puts the verb last, so it's literally "my name Sam is." That verb-goes-last pattern is the single biggest structural difference from English, and once you've internalised it from this one sentence, you've learned something that applies to nearly every Hindi sentence you'll ever build.
One pronunciation note that pays for itself immediately: the "aa" in "naam" is long, like the a in "father" — "naam" rhymes with "calm," not with "ham." And "main" (I) sounds like the English word "may" with a slight nasal finish — not like the main in "main street."
What people will actually ask you next
An introduction is a volley, not a speech. Chances are the conversation goes somewhere within seconds, and it helps enormously to recognise the standard follow-ups:
| You'll hear | It means | A good reply |
|---|---|---|
| Aap kahan se hain? | Where are you from? (respectful) | Main America se hoon (I'm from America) |
| Aap kya karte hain? / karti hain? | What do you do? (to a man / to a woman) | Main teacher hoon (I'm a teacher) — English job titles are normal |
| Aap kaise hain? / kaisi hain? | How are you? (to a man / to a woman) | Main theek hoon, aap? (I'm fine, and you?) |
| Aur aap? | And you? | Your cue to return whatever question you just answered |
| Arre wah! | Oh wow! | Not a question — just enjoy it. You'll hear it the moment you attempt Hindi |
Notice "main teacher hoon" — the job title stays in English. Nobody expects you to know the Hindi word for accountant; most Hindi speakers would use the English word themselves. That's not a beginner shortcut, it's how the language actually works day to day, and if that surprises you, Hinglish vs Hindi explains why English words are load-bearing in real spoken Hindi.
The gender endings (two minutes, worth it)
Hindi verbs agree with the speaker's gender, which is the first genuinely new mechanic for English speakers. The pattern in introductions:
| Sentence | Said by a man | Said by a woman |
|---|---|---|
| I'm learning Hindi | Main Hindi seekh raha hoon | Main Hindi seekh rahi hoon |
| I work in an office | Main office mein kaam karta hoon | Main office mein kaam karti hoon |
| I'm [name]'s friend | Main Priya ka dost hoon | Main Priya ki dost hoon |
The rule of thumb: "-a" endings (raha, karta, ka) for male speakers, "-i" endings (rahi, karti, ki) for female speakers. Getting this wrong is the most common beginner slip and also the most instantly forgiven — but getting it right early earns real delight, because it signals you're learning the actual language rather than memorising noises.
Aap vs tum: pick your "you" before you speak
Hindi has levels of formality built into the word "you," and your choice sets the tone of the whole exchange:
- Aap — respectful. For elders, in-laws, strangers, anyone you'd call Mr or Mrs. When in doubt, aap. Nobody in history has caused offence by being too respectful to an aunty.
- Tum — familiar. For friends, peers, people younger than you. Warm, but presumptuous if aimed at an elder.
- Tu — intimate. Very close friends, small children, and arguments. As a learner, simply do not use it; the blast radius of a misplaced "tu" is not worth the syllable you save.
For introductions specifically: default to aap for everyone on the first meeting. If someone your age laughs and says "tum is fine," that's a small friendship milestone — take it.
Introducing your partner, friend, or kids
You'll often be introducing someone else along with yourself, and Hindi has a lovely quirk here: respected people get grammatically pluralised. Your one husband becomes "hain" (are), not "hai" (is), as a mark of respect:
- Yeh mere pati hain — this is my husband (respectful plural)
- Yeh meri patni hain — this is my wife
- Yeh mera dost Sam hai — this is my friend Sam (said about a male friend)
- Yeh meri dost Emma hai — this is my friend Emma (about a female friend)
- Yeh mere bachche hain — these are my kids
If you're introducing yourself to a partner's family for the first time, the introduction is honestly the least of it — the full survival guide for that scenario, from the twelve phrases that matter to the feet-touching question, is in learning Hindi for your partner's Indian family, and if the occasion is a wedding, there's a dedicated playbook in what to say at an Indian wedding as a guest.
The sentence that changes the room
"Main Hindi seekh raha hoon" (I'm learning Hindi — said by a man) or "main Hindi seekh rahi hoon" (said by a woman). Deploy this early. The reaction is reliably outsized: an "arre wah!" (oh wow), a flurry of encouragement, and usually an on-the-spot volunteer tutor. Hannah says this one sentence has done more for her relationship with my family than any other, because it reframes every mistake that follows — you're no longer a foreigner mangling Hindi, you're a student mid-lesson, and Indian families take to that role assignment with terrifying enthusiasm.
Two follow-ups you'll want ready: "dhanyavad" (thank you — though families often just say "thank you" in English), and "dheere boliye, please" (please speak slowly — respectful), for when your new volunteer tutor gets excited and switches to full-speed Hindi.
Why the textbook version fails
The classic textbook introduction runs something like "Namaskar. Mera naam Samuel hai. Main ek vidyarthi hoon." (Greetings. My name is Samuel. I am a student.) Every word is technically correct, and the total effect is a nineteenth-century telegram. "Vidyarthi" (student) is a word real people rarely reach for — they say "student." The stiffness isn't just an aesthetics problem; it puts distance between you and people whose entire goal is to pull you closer.
The fix is not more grammar, it's calibrating to how people actually talk: Hindi frame, everyday words, English where English is normal. Two example intros that sound like a person:
- At a party: "Hi, main Sam hoon — Priya ka college friend. Main Chicago se hoon." (Hi, I'm Sam — Priya's friend from college. I'm from Chicago.)
- Meeting the family: "Namaste aunty, main Emma hoon. Aap se milkar bahut khushi hui. Main Hindi seekh rahi hoon — dheere-dheere!" (Namaste aunty, I'm Emma. So pleased to meet you. I'm learning Hindi — slowly-slowly!) The doubled "dheere-dheere" (slowly-slowly) is a real Hindi pattern, and using it will earn you a laugh and probably a second helping of dessert.
If you grew up hearing Hindi at home and the problem isn't knowing these lines but getting them out of your mouth, that's a different (and faster to fix) situation — see how to learn Hindi when you grew up hearing it.
From reading this to actually saying it
Here's the honest gap: you can read every line on this page and still freeze when an uncle extends his hand. Introductions are a performance skill, and performance skills need reps out loud. Options that work: a patient partner who'll drill you, a tutor briefed to do small-talk roleplay, or the reason I'm here — Hinglish Vinglish, the app I built when Hannah needed exactly this. It's voice-first: Ellie, the saffron-orange elephant coach, runs you through real scenarios (introducing yourself included), listens to your actual pronunciation, and tells you specifically what to fix — that the "aa" in "naam" needs to be longer, not just that you scored three stars. Mini-games and a daily challenge keep the reps going on busy days. Free to start, one-time unlock, no subscription, on iOS and Android. And once your introduction is solid, the 100 most common Hindi phrases list is the natural next stack of material.
FAQ
How do you say "my name is" in Hindi?
"Mera naam [name] hai" — literally "my name [name] is," because Hindi puts the verb at the end. Pronounce "naam" to rhyme with "calm." Lead with "namaste" (hello) and you have the standard polite opener: "Namaste, mera naam Sam hai."
How do you say "nice to meet you" in Hindi?
"Aap se milkar khushi hui" — literally "meeting you brought happiness." It's the respectful version, right for elders and first meetings. Among peers, plenty of people just say "nice to meet you" in English — mixing is normal.
Should I use aap or tum when meeting someone new?
Aap, always, until invited otherwise. Aap is the respectful "you" and it's the correct default for strangers, elders, and anyone's parents. Tum is for established friends and peers; tu is intimate and best avoided entirely as a learner.
Do men and women introduce themselves differently in Hindi?
The core lines are identical, but verbs agree with the speaker's gender: a man says "main seekh raha hoon" (I am learning) and "karta hoon" (I do); a woman says "seekh rahi hoon" and "karti hoon." The pattern is "-a" endings for male speakers and "-i" endings for female speakers.
What if I panic and forget everything?
Then introduce yourself in English — genuinely fine, since most people you'll meet speak it. One remembered Hindi line is a gift, not an exam. "Namaste" plus your name plus a smile clears the bar, and "main Hindi seekh raha hoon / seekh rahi hoon" (I'm learning Hindi) instantly converts any stumble into charm.
— Akhil Madan, founder of Keeda Studios. I've introduced Hannah to roughly the population of a small town, and the aunties remember her verb endings better than I do.