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How to Say ‘What is your name? (formal)’ in German

Wie heißen Sie?

vee HYE-sen zee

[vee HYE-sen zee]

💬 Usage Tip: German asks "how are you called?" with wie "how", not was "what". To a child or a friend, ask Wie heißt du?.

Phrase Breakdown

Wie

[vee]

how

Question word meaning 'how'.

Example

Ich frage: „Wie geht es dir?“, und das Wort „Wie“ startet die Frage.

I ask: “How are you?”, and the word “Wie” starts the question.

heißen

[HYE-sen]

are called / are named

Form of heißen meaning to be called or to be named.

Example

Wie heißen Sie auf Deutsch?

What are you called in German?

Sie

[zee]

You (formal)

Formal second-person pronoun.

Example

Denken Sie, dass Netzwerken wichtig ist?

Do you think networking is important?

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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