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Lesson 3: はじめまして – Nice to Meet You (Self-Introduction)

よろしくお願いします Simple self-introduction vocabularies for meeting someone for the first time.

You will learn how to introduce yourself and ask others about their name, country, hometown, and other basic personal information. This lesson covers the polite copula です, the origin pattern 〜から来ました, the question particle か, the particle も for 'also', and the negative form じゃないです. By the end, you will be able to confidently introduce yourself in situations such as meeting a new colleague, classmate, or friend.

Lesson 3: はじめまして – Nice to Meet You (Self-Introduction) image

Key topics:

  • ・Basic noun sentences: N です / N1 は N2 です
  • ・Stating origin: [Place] + から来ました
  • ・Asking questions with the particle か (S か)
  • ・The particle も meaning 'also' or 'too'
  • ・Negative form: N じゃないです
  • ・Vocabulary for countries, nationalities, and personal information
  • ・Self-introduction greetings: はじめまして, よろしくお願いします

Vocabulary

1
くる
kuru
来くる
to come
Example
あした、きますか.
Ashita, kimasu ka.
Are you coming tomorrow?
2
インドネシア
indoneshia
-
Indonesia
Example
インドネシアからきました.
Indoneshia kara kimashita.
I came from Indonesia.
3
くに
kuni
国くに
(your) country
Example
おくにはどちらですか.
Okuni wa dochira desu ka.
Where is your country?
4
おなじ
onaji
同おなじ
same
Example
わたしもおなじです.
Watashi mo onaji desu.
Mine is the same too.
5
なまえ
namae
名前なまえ
name
Example
おなまえはなんですか？
O-namae wa nan desu ka?
What is your name?
6
かいしゃ
kaisha
会社かいしゃ
company
Example
かいしゃはどちらですか.
Kaisha wa dochira desu ka.
Where is your company?
7
がつ
gatsu
月がつ
month of the year
Example
なんがつですか.
Nangatsu desu ka.
What month is it?
8
かんこく
kankoku
韓国かんこく
South Korea
Example
かんこくからきました.
Kankoku kara kimashita.
I came from South Korea.
9
カンボジア
kanbojia
-
Cambodia
Example
カンボジアからきました.
Kanbojia kara kimashita.
I came from Cambodia.
10
こくせき
kokuseki
国籍こくせき
nationality
Example
こくせきはなんですか.
Kokuseki wa nan desu ka.
What is your nationality?
11
しゅっしん
shusshin
出身しゅっしん
(your) country / hometown
Example
ごしゅっしんはどちらですか.
Goshusshin wa dochira desu ka.
Where are you from?
12
じゅうしょ
juusho
住所じゅうしょ
address
Example
じゅうしょはどちらですか.
Juusho wa dochira desu ka.
What is your address?
13
せいねんがっぴ
seinengappi
生せい年ねん月がつ日せいねんがっぴ
date of birth
Example
せいねんがっぴはなんですか.
Seinengappi wa nan desu ka.
What is your date of birth?
14
せいれき
seireki
西暦せいれき
Western calendar year
Example
せいれきでおねがいします.
Seireki de onegaishimasu.
Please use the Western calendar.
15
タイ
tai
-
Thailand
Example
タイからきました.
Tai kara kimashita.
I came from Thailand.
16
でんわばんごう
denwa bangou
電話でんわ番号でんわばんごう
telephone number
Example
でんわばんごうはなんですか.
Denwa bangou wa nan desu ka.
What is your telephone number?
17
ともだち
tomodachi
友ともだち
friends
Example
ともだちときました.
Tomodachi to kimashita.
I came with friends.
18
にち
nichi
日にち
day of the month
Example
なんにちですか.
Nannichi desu ka.
What day of the month is it?
19
ねん
nen
年ねん
year
Example
なんねんですか.
Nannen desu ka.
What year is it?
20
ハノイ
hanoi
-
Hanoi
Example
ハノイからきました.
Hanoi kara kimashita.
I came from Hanoi.
21
フエ
fue
-
Hue
Example
フエからきました.
Fue kara kimashita.
I came from Hue.
22
ブラジル
burajiru
-
Brazil
Example
ブラジルからきました.
Burajiru kara kimashita.
I came from Brazil.
23
ベトナム
betonamu
-
Vietnam
Example
ベトナムからきました.
Betonamu kara kimashita.
I came from Vietnam.
24
ミャンマー
myanmaa
-
Myanmar
Example
ミャンマーからきました.
Myanmaa kara kimashita.
I came from Myanmar.
25
メール
meeru
-
email
Example
メールアドレスはなんですか.
Meeru adoresu wa nan desu ka.
What is your email address?
26
わたし
watashi
私わたし
I / myself
Example
わたしはがくせいです.
Watashi wa gakusei desu.
I am a student.
27
いいえ
iie
-
No / You're welcome.
Example
ありがとうございます. - いいえ.
Arigatou gozaimasu. - Iie.
Thank you. - You're welcome.
28
どちら
dochira
-
where (polite expression)
Example
おくにはどちらですか.
Okuni wa dochira desu ka.
Where are you from?

Conversation

1
どうぞよろしくおねがいします
douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu
Nice to meet you. / Pleased to meet you.
Example Usage
トンです.どうぞよろしくおねがいします.
Hajimemashite. Ton desu. Tai kara kimashita. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu.
I'm Ton. Nice to meet you.
2
おなまえは？
onamae wa?
What is your name?
Example Usage
A：おなまえは？ B：チャンです.
A: Onamae wa? B: Chan desu.
A: What is your name? B: I'm Chan.
3
おくには？
okuni wa?
What is your country? / Where are you from?
Example Usage
A：おくには？ B：インドネシアです.
A: Okuni wa? B: Indonesia desu.
A: Where are you from? B: I'm from Indonesia.
4
ごしゅっしんは？
goshusshin wa?
Where are you from? (polite)
Example Usage
マルシアさん、ごしゅっしんは？
Marushia-san, goshusshin wa?
Marushia-san, where are you from?
5
〜からきました
~ kara kimashita
I came from ~
Example Usage
ミャンマーからきました.
Myanmaa kara kimashita.
I came from Myanmar.
6
〜からですか？
~ kara desu ka?
Are you from ~?
Example Usage
ケマラさんも、ベトナムからですか？
Kemara-san mo, Betonamu kara desu ka?
Kemara-san, are you also from Vietnam?
7
ちがいます
chigaimasu
That's not right. / That's wrong.
Example Usage
ちがいます.ベトナムじゃないです.
Chigaimasu. Betonamu ja nai desu.
That's not right. I'm not from Vietnam.
8
みなさんは、ともだちですか？
minasan wa, tomodachi desu ka?
Are you all friends?
Example Usage
みなさんは、ともだちですか？
Minasan wa, tomodachi desu ka?
Are you all friends?

Kanji

1
会社かいしゃ
company
会🎬
meet, meeting
社🎬
company, shrine
Example
かいしゃはどちらですか.
Kaisha wa dochira desu ka.
Where is your company?
2
友ともだち
friend(s)
友🎬
friend
Example
ともだちときました.
Tomodachi to kimashita.
I came with friends.

Grammar Rules

Rule 1: Identifying yourself and others

Structure: N + です ／ N1 + は + N2 + です

The copula です (desu) at the end of a sentence means 'is/am/are' in a polite sense. The particle は (wa) marks the topic of the sentence. This is the most basic sentence pattern for identifying yourself or others.

How to use: Start with the topic, mark it with は, then give the identifying noun, and end with です. For example: わたし は マルシア です. The topic can be omitted when it's clear from context, leaving just マルシアです. In questions, add か at the end: マルシアさんですか？
💡 Pro Tip: は is written with the hiragana は but pronounced 'wa' when used as a particle. Don't confuse it with the は in はい (hai). Also, です doesn't change for singular/plural — わたしもがくせいです works for one or many. In casual speech, だ replaces です (わたしはマルシアだ), but です is the safe, polite default.
Examples
わたしはマルシアです.
Watashi wa Marushia desu.
I am Marcia.
こちらはたなかさんです.
Kochira wa Tanaka-san desu.
This is Mr./Ms. Tanaka.

Rule 2: Saying where you came from

Structure: [Place] + から + 来きました

The particle から (kara) means 'from'. Combine it with the past tense of the verb 来くる (kuru - to come), which is 来きました (kimashita), to state where you are from. This is commonly used when introducing your country or hometown.

How to use: Place the origin first, mark it with から, and follow with 来きました. For example: ブラジルから来きました. To ask where someone is from, use どこから来きましたか？. If the answer is a country, you can also use the shorter N です form: ブラジルです.
💡 Pro Tip: から marks a starting point — it works for time too: ９時ときから = 'from 9 o'clock'. For a more casual way to say where you're from, you can just say the place name + です (e.g., ブラジルです) in many conversational contexts. Also, 来きました is past tense even though it describes your current origin — the 'coming' happened in the past.
Examples
ブラジルから来きました.
Burajiru kara kimashita.
I came from Brazil.
どこから来きましたか？
Doko kara kimashita ka?
Where are you from?

Rule 3: Asking questions with か

Structure: Sentence + か ／ N は 何なんですか？

Adding the particle か (ka) at the end of a sentence turns it into a question. The word order does not change. You can also use the question word 何なに (nani/nan - what) to ask for specific information, like a name.

How to use: Simply add か to the end of a statement and pronounce it with rising intonation: 友ともだちですか？ = 'Are you friends?'. To ask what something is, use 何なに: これは何なんですか？ = 'What is this?'. In casual speech, か is often dropped and rising intonation alone marks the question.
💡 Pro Tip: か is polite and can sound slightly abrupt in very casual conversation — dropping it and using rising intonation is common among friends. Note that 何なに is read なん before です and counters (なんですか, なんさい), and なに before most other words (なにを). Also, don't confuse the question particle か with か as in 'or' (A か B か).
Examples
みなさんは、友ともだちですか？
Minasan wa, tomodachi desu ka?
Are you all friends?
お名前なまえは何なんですか？
Onamae wa nan desu ka?
What is your name?

Rule 4: Saying something is also true

Structure: N + も

The particle も (mo) replaces は (wa) when you want to say that something is also true for a new subject. It indicates that the new item shares the same property or action as a previously mentioned one.

How to use: Swap は for も in the topic position: わたしも = 'me too', ケマラさんも = 'Kemara-san too'. If the original sentence had が, も replaces it as well: だれも = 'nobody either'. When answering, use も to show you share the same state as the other person.
💡 Pro Tip: も and は can't appear together in the same slot — it's one or the other, never はも. も is not just 'also' — it can also mean 'even' with emphasis (e.g., 子こどももできます = 'Even a child can do it'). Watch out for でも, which is a separate word meaning 'but' or 'even so.'
Examples
ケマラさんも、ベトナムからですか？
Kemara-san mo, Betonamu kara desu ka?
Is Kemara-san also from Vietnam?
わたしも学生がくせいです.
Watashi mo gakusei desu.
I am a student too.

Rule 5: Saying something is not the case

Structure: N + じゃないです

This is the negative form of N です. じゃないです (ja nai desu) is a common and polite way to say 'is not'. You use it to correct information or state that something is not the case.

How to use: Replace です with じゃないです to make a negative statement: ベトナムです → ベトナムじゃないです. The more formal variant ではありません is used in writing and formal speech. In casual speech, じゃない (without です) is common. To ask a negative question, add か: ベトナムじゃないですか？
💡 Pro Tip: じゃないです is a contraction of では ない です — the では becomes じゃ in speech. Both じゃないです and じゃありません are polite; じゃない alone is casual. Watch the tone of じゃないですか — depending on intonation, it can either be a genuine question ('Isn't it Vietnam?') or an expression of surprise/agreement ('Oh, it IS Vietnam, isn't it!').
Examples
ベトナムじゃないです.
Betonamu ja nai desu.
It is not Vietnam.
わたしは学生がくせいじゃないです.
Watashi wa gakusei ja nai desu.
I am not a student.

Exercises

Question 1

Which greeting do you use when meeting someone for the first time?

______ .トンです.

Question 2

Which phrase completes a self-introduction politely?

トンです.タイからきました.どうぞ ______ .

Question 3

How do you ask 'What is your name?' politely?

______ は？

Question 4

How do you ask 'What is your country?' politely?

______ は？

Question 5

Choose the correct particle to say 'I came from Indonesia.'

インドネシア ______ きました.

Question 6

What is 'Indonesia' in Japanese?

______ からきました.

Question 7

What is 'South Korea' in Japanese?

______ からきました.

Question 8

What is 'Thailand' in Japanese?

______ からきました.

Question 9

What is 'Vietnam' in Japanese?

______ からきました.

Question 10

What is 'Brazil' in Japanese?

______ からきました.

Question 11

What is 'Myanmar' in Japanese?

______ からきました.

Question 12

What is 'Cambodia' in Japanese?

______ からきました.

Question 13

Which response means 'I see' when someone tells you new information?

A: ミャンマーからきました. B: ______ .

Question 14

Which word means 'That's not right / That's wrong'?

______ .ベトナムじゃないです.

Question 15

Which word means 'same'?

はい.______ かいしゃです.

Question 16

Which word means 'nationality'?

______ はなんですか.

Question 17

Which word means 'address'?

______ はどちらですか.

Question 18

Which word means 'telephone number'?

______ はなんですか.

Question 19

Which word is the polite way to ask 'where'?

おくには ______ ですか.

Question 20

Choose the correct particle: 'I am also a student.'

わたし ______ がくせいです.

On'yomi:
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