olá, meu nome é Matthew
To say "hello, my name is matthew" in Portuguese, use olá, meu nome é Matthew.
This phrase is used as a greeting when introducing yourself to another person. While olá, meu nome é Matthew is a standard way to introduce yourself, it is often more common in casual spoken Portuguese to simply say Eu sou o Matthew (I am Matthew) or even just Meu nome é Matthew if the context of the introduction is already established.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase meu nome é, meu means "my", nome means "name" and é is the third-person singular form of the verb "to be".
Which one should you use?
You can choose different greetings depending on the level of formality. For a polite introduction, you might use Bom dia/tarde/noite, eu me chamo Matthew (Good morning/afternoon/evening, my name is Matthew). For an informal setting, you can use Oi, eu sou o Matthew.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations exist. In Brazil, people often use the informal versions Oi, eu me chamo Matthew or Oi, meu nome é Matthew. In Portugal, you may hear the variations Olá, sou o Matthew or Olá, chamo-me Matthew.
Did you know?
- In Brazil, when you say Eu sou o Matthew, you are grammatically saying 'I am the Matthew'. Adding that little word o before your name is a standard way to sound natural and friendly in spoken Portuguese.
- The placement of the reflexive pronoun changes depending on which side of the Atlantic you are on. In Portugal, you would say chamo-me, but in Brazil, it is much more common to say me chamo.
- The word olá may have been borrowed from the Spanish word hola.
Examples in context
- Olá, meu nome é Matthew e eu sou novo aqui.Hello, my name is Matthew and I am new here.
Example conversation
Matthew introduces himself to a new coworker at the office.
- FelipeOlá, meu nome é Matthew.Hello, my name is Matthew.
- CamilaOi, Matthew! Eu sou a Camila.Hi, Matthew! I am Camila.
- FelipeMuito prazer, Camila.Nice to meet you, Camila.
- CamilaO prazer é meu!The pleasure is mine!
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries meu, nome, olá, é, CC BY-SA 4.0.
