hola, me llamo Alex
The English phrase "hi, my name is alex" is translated into Spanish as hola, me llamo Alex.
This phrase is a friendly greeting used when introducing yourself to another person for the first time.
What does it mean word for word?
The part me llamo literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
While English speakers typically use the verb "to be" to introduce themselves (I am Alex), standard Spanish introductions use the reflexive verb llamarse (I call myself Alex).
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spanish, the verb llamar is used in its reflexive form llamarse to express one's name.
Did you know?
- The greeting hola may have originated from the French word holà, which was used as a command meaning 'hey! stop!'
- In some regions, people respond to me llamo… not by saying 'nice to meet you', but by saying mucho gusto, which literally means 'much pleasure'.
- The verb llamar is also used to describe 'calling' someone's attention, meaning the same root is used for both naming a person and shouting to get their focus.
Examples in context
- ¡Hola! Mi nombre es Alex. ¿Y tú?Hi! My name is Alex. And you?
- Hola, me llamo Alex. ¿Y tú?Hi, my name is Alex. And you?
- Hola, me llamo Alex y soy de España.Hi, my name is Alex and I am from Spain.
- Hola, me llamo Alex, mucho gusto.Hi, my name is Alex, nice to meet you.
Example conversation
Two people meet at a party.
- ElenaHola, me llamo Alex.Hi, my name is Alex.
- DanielHola Alex, yo soy Daniel.Hi Alex, I am Daniel.
- ElenaMucho gusto, Daniel.Nice to meet you, Daniel.
- DanielIgualmente, Alex.Likewise, Alex.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hola, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
