# How to Give a Self-Introduction Speech (Examples for Class)

A self-introduction speech takes about 60 seconds, or 130 to 150 words. Say your name, give one line that makes you memorable, say what you study or do, share one specific detail people can ask you about, and close by saying what you're looking forward to. One real detail beats a list of hobbies.

By the Speaking Coach team at Sodhera Intelligence. Updated 2026-10-22. Source: https://www.orecci.com/speaking-coach/speeches/self-introduction-speech/

## The 60-second formula

| Step | What to say | Time | Example (made up) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1. Name | Your name, clearly, maybe what you like to be called | 5 seconds | "Hi, I'm Aisha, and everyone calls me Ash." |
| 2. Hook | One line that makes you easy to remember | 10 seconds | "I'm the person who learned to cook from cooking videos in a language I didn't speak." |
| 3. What you do | Course, role, or why you're in this room | 10–15 seconds | "I'm in first year studying biology." |
| 4. One real detail | A story-sized fact people can ask about | 20 seconds | "Back home in Lahore I ran a small cake business from our kitchen during school holidays." |
| 5. Close | What you're looking forward to, or an invitation | 10 seconds | "I'm looking forward to the lab sessions, and if anyone wants cake recommendations, find me." |

That's roughly a minute. Many class assignments ask for 1 to 2 minutes; for two minutes, expand step 4 into a short story rather than adding more facts.

## Why one detail beats a list

The most common self-introduction sounds like a form: "I'm 19, I like music, sports and travelling, and I have a dog." Nobody remembers it, because everyone says something similar.

A single specific detail works better because it gives people something to ask you later:

| Generic | Specific |
| --- | --- |
| "I like music." | "I play bass in a band that has performed exactly once, at my cousin's wedding." |
| "I enjoy sports." | "I've run the same 5 km park route every Saturday for three years." |
| "I like travelling." | "Last summer I took a 30-hour train ride to see my grandmother, and I'd do it again." |
| "I'm a hard worker." | "I worked weekends at a garden centre through school, so I know far too much about compost." |

## Example self-introductions

These are made-up examples. Use them for the shape, then put in your own details.

### First day of a university class (about 60 seconds)

> "Hi everyone, I'm Daniel. I'm the one who got lost on the way here, so if you saw someone walking past this room twice, that was me. I'm studying computer science, and I chose it because I spent most of school building small games that nobody played except my little brother. He's a harsh critic. Outside of class, I cook a lot, badly but confidently. I'm looking forward to the group project, and to finding someone who knows where the library is."

### English class or language course (about 45 seconds)

> "Hello, my name is Mei. I'm from Taichung in Taiwan, and I've lived here for three months. I work as a nurse, and I'm learning English because I want to talk to my patients without a dictionary in my pocket. My favourite word in English so far is 'cosy'. In my free time I take photos of street food. I'm happy to be here, and a little nervous, so please be kind."

Non-native speakers: keep sentences short, speak a little slower than feels natural, and choose words you can pronounce comfortably. Being clear is more important than using advanced vocabulary.

### Joining a new team at work (about 40 seconds)

> "Hi all, I'm Leo. I've just joined as a data analyst, working with Priya on the customer reports. Before this I spent three years at a logistics company, mostly building dashboards that tracked late deliveries, so I'm very good at spotting where things get stuck. Outside work I coach an under-10s football team on Sundays. Looking forward to working with you; please send me your hardest spreadsheet."

At work, a shorter, more practical version usually fits better. Our guide to [introducing yourself in a meeting](/speaking-coach/guides/how-to-introduce-yourself/) has 15-second versions.

### A club or group (about 30 seconds)

> "I'm Grace. I joined the hiking club because I've lived here two years and never been up the hill everyone talks about. I'm a primary school teacher, so I'm used to herding people up slopes. Happy to carry snacks."

## How to deliver it

1. **Say your name slowly.** It's the one thing everyone needs to catch, and nerves make people swallow it.
2. **Smile at the hook.** It gives the room permission to smile back.
3. **Look at three different people,** one per part of the room, as you go.
4. **Stop at the close.** Don't add "so, yeah, that's me". End on your last line and nod.
5. **Rehearse it five times out loud.** Sixty seconds is short enough to practise while you walk to class.

To check your timing, record yourself and use the [pace checker](/speaking-coach/tools/pace-checker/). If you want a partner who reacts, the Speaking Coach app has an "Introduce yourself" scene where you say your introduction and someone asks a follow-up.

## Mistakes to avoid

- Starting with "Um, so, I don't really know what to say."
- Reading it from your phone word for word.
- Listing five hobbies with no detail on any of them.
- Apologising for your accent or English.
- Going on for three minutes when others took one.

## Questions people ask

### How long should a self-introduction speech be?

Usually 30 seconds to 2 minutes. If the teacher doesn't say, aim for one minute: long enough to be specific, short enough to stay memorable.

### What should I not say when introducing myself?

Skip private information like your address, anything negative about yourself, and long lists of hobbies. Choose one detail and stop.

### How do I make my introduction interesting?

Lead with a specific, slightly surprising fact or a light line about yourself. One concrete detail does more than adjectives like "friendly" or "hardworking".

### Can I use notes?

For a 60-second introduction, try without. Keep the five steps in your head instead of the exact words.

### Is a self-introduction the same as "tell me about yourself" in an interview?

No. In class you're making a connection; in an interview you're showing you fit the job. See our guide to [answering tell me about yourself](/speaking-coach/interview-questions/tell-me-about-yourself/).

---
Speaking Coach on the App Store: https://apps.apple.com/app/id6767124039
Speaking Coach on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sodhera.speakingcoach