New faces, new names, new tiny panic? Don’t worry — this lesson gives you the polite, natural phrases people use when meeting someone in Taiwan.
Level A2: you’ll practice introducing yourself, saying where you’re from, asking if you’ve met before, and connecting two people politely. You’ll also learn gentle save-the-moment phrases like asking someone to repeat or spell their name. By the end, you’ll be ready to yak with new people without your brain running for the exit.
After this lesson you'll be able to:
Start a simple self-introduction in a friendly A2 conversation.
Say where you are from and whether you are new to a place.
Introduce another person and ask how two people know each other.
Politely ask for someone’s name again or ask how to spell it.
Ready? Let's go!
When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.
1. Reading + Listening Practice
Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.
我來自 ___
Wǒ láizì ___.
I'm from ___.
Meaning: 我來自 ___。 (Wǒ láizì ___.) means “I’m from ___.”
When to use: Use it to introduce your country, city, hometown, or background.
Tip: Don’t say 我是來自 ___ (Wǒ shì láizì ___) here. Just say 我來自 ___ (Wǒ láizì ___).
我來自美國
Wǒ láizì Měiguó.
I’m from the United States.
我來自台北
Wǒ láizì Táiběi.
I’m from Taipei.
很高興認識你
Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Nice to meet you.
Meaning: 很高興認識你。 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.) means “Nice to meet you.”
When to use: Use it right after meeting someone for the first time.
Anna，很高興認識你。
Anna, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Anna, nice to meet you.
你好，很高興認識你。
Nǐ hǎo, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Hi, nice to meet you.
我也很高興認識你。
Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Nice to meet you too.
Meaning: 我也很高興認識你。 (Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.) means “Nice to meet you too.”
When to use: Use it as a polite response after someone says nice to meet you.
Tip: Remember the 也 (yě), meaning “too.” Without it, you are just saying “Nice to meet you,” not “Nice to meet you too.”
我也很高興認識你，David。
Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ, David.
Nice to meet you too, David.
我也很高興認識你，請多指教。
Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ, qǐng duō zhǐjiào.
Nice to meet you too; please guide me.
你怎麼認識___的？
Nǐ zěnme rènshi ___ de?
How do you know ___?
Meaning: 你怎麼認識___的？ (Nǐ zěnme rènshi ___ de?) means “How do you know ___?”
When to use: Use it to ask the connection between two people.
Tip: Keep 的 (de) at the end in this pattern: 你怎麼認識___的？ (Nǐ zěnme rènshi ___ de?) sounds natural for asking how the connection started.
你怎麼認識Anna的？
Nǐ zěnme rènshi Anna de?
How do you know Anna?
你怎麼認識David的？
Nǐ zěnme rènshi David de?
How do you know David?
我們是在___認識的。
Wǒmen shì zài ___ rènshi de.
We know each other from ___.
Meaning: 我們是在___認識的。 (Wǒmen shì zài ___ rènshi de.) means “We know each other from ___.”
When to use: Use it to say the place, event, school, class, or workplace where you met.
我們是在公司認識的。
Wǒmen shì zài gōngsī rènshi de.
We know each other from work.
我們是在中文課認識的。
Wǒmen shì zài Zhōngwén kè rènshi de.
We know each other from Chinese class.
你是新來的嗎
Nǐ shì xīn lái de ma?
Are you new here?
Meaning: 你是新來的嗎？ (Nǐ shì xīn lái de ma?) means “Are you new here?”
When to use: Use it in a class, office, club, or regular place when someone seems new.
你是新來的嗎？我以前沒看過你。
Nǐ shì xīn lái de ma? Wǒ yǐqián méi kànguò nǐ.
Are you new here? I haven’t seen you before.
你是新來的嗎？歡迎！
Nǐ shì xīn lái de ma? Huānyíng!
Are you new here? Welcome!
我是新來的
Wǒ shì xīn lái de.
I'm new here.
Meaning: 我是新來的。 (Wǒ shì xīn lái de.) means “I’m new here.”
When to use: Use it to tell people you are new to a place, group, class, or workplace.
我是新來的，請多指教。
Wǒ shì xīn lái de, qǐng duō zhǐjiào.
I’m new here; please guide me.
不好意思，我是新來的。
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ shì xīn lái de.
Sorry, I’m new here.
不好意思，可以再請問一次你的名字嗎？
Bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ zài qǐngwèn yí cì nǐ de míngzi ma?
Sorry, what was your name again?
Meaning: 不好意思，可以再請問一次你的名字嗎？ (Bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ zài qǐngwèn yí cì nǐ de míngzi ma?) means “Sorry, what was your name again?”
When to use: Use it when you need someone to repeat their name politely.
Tip: This sounds softer than directly saying 我忘記你的名字了 (Wǒ wàngjì nǐ de míngzi le), “I forgot your name.”
不好意思，可以再請問一次你的名字嗎？
Bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ zài qǐngwèn yí cì nǐ de míngzi ma?
Sorry, what was your name again?
不好意思，可以再請問一次你的名字嗎？我想確認一下。
Bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ zài qǐngwèn yí cì nǐ de míngzi ma? Wǒ xiǎng quèrèn yíxià.
Sorry, what was your name again? I’d like to check.
我先自我介紹一下。
Wǒ xiān zìwǒ jièshào yíxià.
Let me introduce myself.
Meaning: 我先自我介紹一下。 (Wǒ xiān zìwǒ jièshào yíxià.) means “Let me introduce myself.”
When to use: Use it before saying your name, where you are from, or your role.
我先自我介紹一下，我叫Sarah。
Wǒ xiān zìwǒ jièshào yíxià, wǒ jiào Sarah.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Sarah.
大家好，我先自我介紹一下。
Dàjiā hǎo, wǒ xiān zìwǒ jièshào yíxià.
Hi everyone, let me introduce myself.
我想我們應該沒見過。
Wǒ xiǎng wǒmen yīnggāi méi jiànguò.
I don't think we've met.
Meaning: 我想我們應該沒見過。 (Wǒ xiǎng wǒmen yīnggāi méi jiànguò.) means “I don’t think we’ve met.”
When to use: Use it softly when you think this is your first time meeting someone.
我想我們應該沒見過，我是Mike。
Wǒ xiǎng wǒmen yīnggāi méi jiànguò, wǒ shì Mike.
I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Mike.
不好意思，我想我們應該沒見過。
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ xiǎng wǒmen yīnggāi méi jiànguò.
Sorry, I don’t think we’ve met.
我們以前見過嗎？
Wǒmen yǐqián jiànguò ma?
Have we met before?
Meaning: 我們以前見過嗎？ (Wǒmen yǐqián jiànguò ma?) means “Have we met before?”
When to use: Use it when someone looks familiar but you are not sure.
我們以前見過嗎？你看起來很眼熟。
Wǒmen yǐqián jiànguò ma? Nǐ kàn qǐlái hěn yǎnshú.
Have we met before? You look familiar.
不好意思，我們以前見過嗎？
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒmen yǐqián jiànguò ma?
Sorry, have we met before?
我來介紹___給你認識。
Wǒ lái jièshào ___ gěi nǐ rènshi.
I'd like you to meet ___.
Meaning: 我來介紹___給你認識。 (Wǒ lái jièshào ___ gěi nǐ rènshi.) means “I’d like you to meet ___.”
When to use: Use it when introducing one person to another.
我來介紹Anna給你認識。
Wǒ lái jièshào Anna gěi nǐ rènshi.
I’d like you to meet Anna.
David，我來介紹Mike給你認識。
David, wǒ lái jièshào Mike gěi nǐ rènshi.
David, I’d like you to meet Mike.
請問你的名字怎麼拼？
Qǐngwèn nǐ de míngzi zěnme pīn?
How do you spell your name?
Meaning: 請問你的名字怎麼拼？ (Qǐngwèn nǐ de míngzi zěnme pīn?) means “How do you spell your name?”
When to use: Use it for names written with letters, especially foreign-language names.
Tip: For Chinese characters, ask 名字怎麼寫？ (míngzi zěnme xiě?), “How do you write the name?” For letter spelling, use 拼 (pīn).
請問你的名字怎麼拼？
Qǐngwèn nǐ de míngzi zěnme pīn?
How do you spell your name?
不好意思，請問你的名字怎麼拼？
Bù hǎoyìsi, qǐngwèn nǐ de míngzi zěnme pīn?
Sorry, how do you spell your name?
2. Conversational Listening Practice
Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.
At a language exchange meetup in Taipei, Anna introduces David to a new friend.
Who is new to the meetup?
Anna
David，我來介紹Sarah給你認識。
David, wǒ lái jièshào Sarah gěi nǐ rènshi.
David, I’d like you to meet Sarah.
David
你好，Sarah，很高興認識你。
Nǐ hǎo, Sarah, hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.
Hi Sarah, nice to meet you.
Sarah
我也很高興認識你。我是新來的。
Wǒ yě hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ. Wǒ shì xīn lái de.
Nice to meet you too. I’m new here.
David
歡迎！我來自加拿大。你來自哪裡？
Huānyíng! Wǒ láizì Jiānádà. Nǐ láizì nǎlǐ?
Welcome! I’m from Canada. Where are you from?
Sarah
我來自美國。你怎麼認識Anna的？
Wǒ láizì Měiguó. Nǐ zěnme rènshi Anna de?
I’m from the United States. How do you know Anna?
David
我們是在中文課認識的。
Wǒmen shì zài Zhōngwén kè rènshi de.
We know each other from Chinese class.
Sarah
不好意思，可以再請問一次你的名字嗎？
Bù hǎoyìsi, kěyǐ zài qǐngwèn yí cì nǐ de míngzi ma?
Sorry, what was your name again?
David
David。請問你的名字怎麼拼？
David. Qǐngwèn nǐ de míngzi zěnme pīn?
David. How do you spell your name?
3. Guided Practice
Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.
Which phrase means “I’m from Taipei”?
Someone says 很高興認識你。 (Hěn gāoxìng rènshi nǐ.) What is the best polite response?
Which phrase asks “How do you know Anna?”
Which phrase is the most polite way to ask someone to repeat their name?
