German Phrase
Erzähl mir von dir.
Meaning
Literally, ‘Tell me about yourself.’ It is an informal invitation for the other person to share personal information, stories, or interests.
When to use
Use this phrase in casual settings – with friends, classmates, or new acquaintances when you want to get to know someone better. In a formal context you would switch to the Sie‑form: ‘Erzählen Sie mir von sich.’
✦Grammar Breakdown
Erzählmirvondir
Erzähl (imperative)
‘Erzähl’ is the du‑imperative of the verb ‘erzählen’ (to tell, to narrate).
mir (dative)
‘mir’ is the dative form of the first‑person singular pronoun, required after the verb when you are the indirect object.
von (preposition)
‘von’ is a preposition that always governs the dative case; it means ‘about’ or ‘of’ in this context.
dir (dative)
‘dir’ is the dative form of the second‑person singular pronoun, matching the case required by ‘von’.
🗨In Conversation
Erzähl mir von dir.
Tell me about yourself.
Ich komme aus Berlin, studiere Informatik und spiele gern Gitarre.
I’m from Berlin, I study computer science, and I like playing guitar.
✕Common Mistakes
Erzählen Sie mir von dir.
Mixes formal ‘Sie’ with informal ‘dir’; use ‘Erzählen Sie mir von sich’ instead.
Erzähl mir von dich.
‘von’ requires the dative case; the correct form is ‘von dir’.
Erzähl mir über dich.
‘erzählen’ collocates with ‘von’, not ‘über’. Use ‘Erzähl mir von dir’ or ‘Erzähl mir etwas über dich’.
↔Alternatives
Erzähl mir etwas über dich.
Tell me something about yourself.
Sag mir etwas von dir.
Say something about yourself.
Berichte mir von dir.
Report (tell) me about yourself.
Cultural Tip
German speakers often keep personal topics private at first, so ‘Erzähl mir von dir’ works best after a brief ice‑breaker. Switching to the formal ‘Erzählen Sie mir von sich’ shows respect in professional or older‑person contexts. Also, avoid using ‘über’ with ‘erzählen’; the correct collocation is ‘von’.