Introducing yourself (AQA GCSE Spanish): Revision Notes
Introducing yourself
When meeting new people in Spanish-speaking countries, knowing how to introduce yourself properly is essential for effective communication. This topic covers the fundamental phrases and vocabulary you need to share basic personal information about yourself, including your name, age, birthday, and where you live.
Essential vocabulary
The following table contains the core vocabulary you'll need for basic introductions. These phrases form the foundation of self-introduction in Spanish:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Hola | Hello |
| Me llamo... | I am called.../My name is... |
| Tengo...años | I am...years old |
| Mi cumpleaños es el... | My birthday is the... |
| Vivo en... | I live in... |
| Soy del... | I am from the... |
| un pueblo | a village |
| una ciudad | a town/city |
| cerca de | near to |
| norte | north |
| sur | south |
| este | east |
| oeste | west |
Notice how Spanish uses "Me llamo" (literally "I call myself") rather than a direct equivalent of "I am" when stating your name. This is the standard and most natural way to introduce yourself in Spanish.
Numbers 1-31
Learning numbers up to 31 is crucial for stating your age and birthday dates. These numbers will be used constantly in basic conversations, so it's important to memorise them thoroughly.
Pay special attention to the numbers 16-29, as they follow a unique pattern in Spanish. Numbers 16-19 combine "diez" (ten) with the units, while 21-29 use "veinti" plus the units.
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| uno | one | doce | twelve | veintitrés | twenty-three |
| dos | two | trece | thirteen | veinticuatro | twenty-four |
| tres | three | catorce | fourteen | veinticinco | twenty-five |
| cuatro | four | quince | fifteen | veintiséis | twenty-six |
| cinco | five | dieciséis | sixteen | veintisiete | twenty-seven |
| seis | six | diecisiete | seventeen | veintiocho | twenty-eight |
| siete | seven | dieciocho | eighteen | veintinueve | twenty-nine |
| ocho | eight | diecinueve | nineteen | treinta | thirty |
| nueve | nine | veinte | twenty | treinta y uno | thirty-one |
| diez | ten | veintiuno | twenty-one | ||
| once | eleven | veintidós | twenty-two |
Months of the year
When talking about birthdays, you'll need to know the months. Understanding the Spanish months is essential for communicating dates and will help you discuss when events happen.
Notice that Spanish months are not capitalised unlike in English. This is a consistent rule in Spanish - only proper nouns like names of people and places are capitalised.
| Spanish | English | Spanish | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| enero | January | julio | July |
| febrero | February | agosto | August |
| marzo | March | septiembre | September |
| abril | April | octubre | October |
| mayo | May | noviembre | November |
| junio | June | diciembre | December |
Example sentences
Understanding how these vocabulary words work together in real sentences is crucial for practical communication. Here are some practical examples of how to introduce yourself in different situations:
Basic Introduction Examples:
Simple name and age:
- Hola, me llamo María. (Hello, my name is María.)
- Tengo quince años. (I am fifteen years old.)
Stating your birthday:
- Mi cumpleaños es el cuatro de junio. (My birthday is the 4th of June.)
- Mi cumpleaños es el veintidós de enero. (My birthday is the 22nd of January.)
Describing where you live:
- Vivo en un pueblo cerca de Bristol en el oeste del país. (I live in a village near Bristol in the west of the country.)
- Soy de Manchester, pero ahora vivo en el sur del país. (I am from Manchester, but now I live in the south of the country.)
Grammar and pronunciation tips
Mastering the grammar rules for introductions will help you speak more naturally and avoid common mistakes that learners often make.
Age expressions: Always use "tengo" (I have) followed by the number and "años" (years) to state your age. Never use "soy" (I am) for age in Spanish.
Common Mistake Alert: English speakers often try to say "Soy quince años" (I am fifteen years) because this follows English grammar. However, Spanish uses "Tengo quince años" (I have fifteen years). This is a fundamental difference between the languages.
Birthday dates: Use "el" before the date number when stating birthdays. The format is: Mi cumpleaños es el + [number] + de + [month].
Gender agreement: Remember that "un pueblo" (a village) is masculine, while "una ciudad" (a town/city) is feminine. This affects which articles and adjectives you use.
Pronunciation tip: The letter "ñ" in "años" is pronounced like "ny" in "canyon". Practice this sound as it's essential for saying your age correctly. Mispronouncing this can lead to confusion or misunderstanding.
Months: Spanish months are not capitalised and are all masculine, so use "el" when referring to them with articles.
Translation practice
Practice is essential for building confidence with these new phrases. Try translating these sentences to test your understanding:
Translation Practice:
Spanish to English:
- Me llamo Pedro y tengo diecisiete años.
- Mi cumpleaños es el treinta de abril.
English to Spanish: 3. Hello, I am called Sarah and I live in a city near London. 4. My birthday is the 15th of September.
Answers:
- My name is Pedro and I am seventeen years old.
- My birthday is the 30th of April.
- Hola, me llamo Sarah y vivo en una ciudad cerca de Londres.
- Mi cumpleaños es el quince de septiembre.
Key Points to Remember:
- Use "me llamo" (I am called) rather than "soy" (I am) when stating your name
- Ages always use "tengo...años" (I have...years), never "soy" (I am)
- Spanish months are not capitalised and follow the pattern "el + number + de + month"
- Practice numbers 1-31 thoroughly as you'll use them frequently for ages and dates
- When describing location, you can combine "vivo en" (I live in) with "soy de/del" (I am from) to give more detailed information