How to Talk About Your Nationality - Examples and Variations

Master how to talk about your nationality with the key pattern

Also Appears In: Can Introduce Yourself Level 1.1 Can Do Italian

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Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Sono italiana.

Sono americana.

Sono australiana.

Sono inglese.

Non sono giapponese, sono cinese.

Did you notice how the last speaker uses a different pattern?

Non sono giapponese, sono cinese.

"I'm not Japanese. I'm Chinese."

First is non, "not." Non. Non.

Next is sono. "[I] am." Sono.

Together, it's non sono, literally "not I am," but it translates as "I'm not." Non sono.

Next is giapponese. "Japanese." Giapponese. Giapponese.

Note: giapponese ends in -e, and it can refer to either a female or a male.

All together, Non sono giapponese. "I'm not Japanese." Non sono giapponese.

Jing Liu then states her actual nationality. Sono cinese. "I'm Chinese." Sono cinese.

First, sono "[I] am." Sono.

Next is cinese, "Chinese." Cinese. Cinese.

Note: cinese ends in -e and can refer to either a female or a male.

Together, Sono cinese. "I'm Chinese." Sono cinese.

All together, Non sono giapponese, sono cinese. "I'm not Japanese. I'm Chinese."

Non sono giapponese, sono cinese.

This pattern is:

Non sono NATIONALITY, sono ACTUAL NATIONALITY.

I'm not NATIONALITY. I'm ACTUAL NATIONALITY.

This can be shortened to

No, sono cinese. “No, I'm Chinese.” No, sono cinese.

The pattern is:

No, sono {ACTUAL NATIONALITY}.

No, I'm {ACTUAL NATIONALITY}

Remember this shortened pattern. You’ll need it for the practice section.

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