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heißen

be called

verb HYE-sen Common
Communication

Also means

mean

Usage Note

heißen is how you state your name — Ich heiße Anna ('My name is Anna') — literally 'to be called'. It also means 'to mean' in the impersonal das heißt ('that is to say', abbreviated d. h.).

Examples

"Wie heißen Sie?"

Natural Translation

What is your name?

Literal Translation

How are-called you?

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