How to Say ‘What is your name?’ in German
Wie heißen Sie?
vee HYE-sen zee
[vee HYE-sen zee]
💬 Usage Tip: Literally: 'What are you called?' 'Sie' is formal 'you.' The verb 'heißen' means 'to be called.'
🇩🇪 In Germany: This is the polite way to ask a stranger's name in Germany. First names are not always used right away in formal settings.
Phrase Breakdown
Wie
[vee]
what / how
Here Wie is used idiomatically in asking someone's name: literally how, but meaning what in English.
Wie heißt deine Lehrerin?
What is your teacher's name?
heißen
[HYE-sen]
are called / are named
Form of heißen meaning to be called or to be named.
Wie heißen Sie auf Deutsch?
What are you called in German?
Sie?
zee
you?
Formal polite ‘you’ in a question.
Wie heißen Sie noch einmal?
What is your name again?
Words in this phrase
Sie
[zee]
you (formal)
Formal pronoun Sie used to address one person politely.
Kommen Sie bitte herein.
Please come in.
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