How to Talk About Yourself in English

How many times have you heard the phrase "Tell me about yourself?" It's a popular phrase that comes up when you meet someone new, whether you're at a party or a job interview. People love to talk about themselves, and this is the perfect introductory question that lets you wow new friends or colleagues with the finer details of your life. So, where do you begin? If you're just learning English, this guide will give you as basis for perfecting how to talk about yourself in everyday English conversation. Take a look.

Common phrases you can use to describe yourself

•   What's your name? My name is Patricia.
•   How old are you? I’m 23 years old.
•   What do you do?  I’m a student.
•   Where do you live? I live in London.
•   What do you do for fun? I like to paint in my spare time. 

Remember, this is a general set of questions so you don't need to use all of these! The course of the conversation really depend on the situation. In a formal situation like an interview, people want to hear about your education and your working background and why these made you apply for the job. In an informal situation, like meeting someone at a party, people want to hear about what you do, how you know people at the party and what you enjoy doing in your spare time.

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Interview response

"I’m 21 years old and have just finished my degree in Philosophy. I am looking to develop other skills to work in politics. I really enjoyed being the president of the debate society, which helped me to construct arguments from different points of view. I also met many interesting people in that position. I want to learn on the job, which is why I’d like to work for __________ ."

Party response

"I’ve just finished my degree in Philosophy – it was a really tough three years but it was worth it! I met Sally last year at the debate society party and we got on really well. It must’ve been our love of techno music! How about you?"

Try talking about yourself and listen for other people introducing themselves too! And be sure to share your stories of meeting new people around the world with us at Kaplan on our Facebook page or in the comment section below.