Hola, ¿cómo estás? Me llamo
The English phrase "hi, how are you? My name is" can be translated into Spanish as Hola, ¿cómo estás? Me llamo.
When using Me llamo, you follow it directly with your name without using an article like el or la.
What does it mean word for word?
The part Me llamo literally translates to "I call myself" rather than "My name is".
Which one should you use?
The form ¿Cómo estás? is informal, whereas ¿Cómo está usted? is the formal way to ask "How are you?"
How does it change in a sentence?
The form ¿Cómo estás? uses the informal tú conjugation of the verb estar. In the phrase Me llamo, the verb llamar is conjugated in the first-person singular present tense.
When do people say it?
A common response to the question ¿Cómo estás? is Bien, gracias. ¿Y tú? (Fine, thanks. And you?).
Did you know?
- Some linguists believe hola is related to an Old High German shout used to hail ferrymen.
- While 'me llamo' means 'I call myself', the verb llamar is used in many other contexts, such as 'llamar a la puerta', which means 'to knock on the door'.
- In very formal Spanish introductions, it is customary to use the phrase Mucho gusto after saying your name.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola! ¿Cómo está? Mi nombre es María.Hi! How are you? My name is María.
- ¡Hola! ¿Cómo estás? Me llamo Juan.Hi! How are you? My name is Juan.
- Hola, ¿cómo estás? Me llamo Carlos.Hi, how are you? My name is Carlos.
- Hola, ¿cómo estás? Me llamo Elena.Hi, how are you? My name is Elena.
- Hola, ¿cómo estás? Me llamo Luis.Hi, how are you? My name is Luis.
Example conversation
Javier meets María at a language school party.
- JavierHola, ¿cómo estás? Me llamo Javier.Hi, how are you? My name is Javier.
- MaríaHola, muy bien. Me llamo María.Hi, very well. My name is María.
- JavierMucho gusto, María.Nice to meet you, María.
- MaríaIgualmente, Javier.Likewise, Javier.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, hola, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
