What does it mean word for word?
The phrase je m'appelle literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
While je m'appelle Madison is the standard way to introduce yourself, you can also use je suis Madison, which means "I am Madison".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
There are several ways to introduce yourself depending on the level of formality. For a formal introduction, use Bonjour, je m'appelle Madison. or Enchanté(e), je suis Madison. To be more informal, such as when speaking to peers or children, you can replace bonjour with salut to say Salut, je m'appelle Madison. For a very casual and affectionate way to say "Hi" or "Hey", you can use Coucou, moi c'est Madison, where moi c'est is a colloquial way to say "I am" or "my name is".
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase je m'appelle uses the reflexive form of the verb appeler, which means "to call".
Did you know?
- The word bonjour is so essential to French social etiquette that omitting it when entering a shop or starting a conversation is often perceived as a direct insult or a sign of aggression.
- When using enchanté to follow an introduction, the word literally means 'enchanted', reflecting a historical tradition of courtly gallantry.
- In some French-speaking regions, the informal salut is used not only to say 'hi' when meeting someone but also as a way to say 'bye' when leaving.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Madison et je suis nouvelle ici.Hello, my name is Madison and I am new here.
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Madison, enchantée.Hello, my name is Madison, nice to meet you.
Example conversation
Two students meet for the first time in a classroom.
- LéaBonjour, je m'appelle Madison.Hello, my name is Madison.
- HugoSalut Madison, moi c'est Hugo.Hi Madison, I'm Hugo.
- LéaEnchantée de te rencontrer, Hugo.Nice to meet you, Hugo.
- HugoMoi aussi, bienvenue dans le cours.Me too, welcome to the class.
