Hola, ¿cómo te llamas?
The English phrase 'hi, what's your name?' is translated into Spanish as Hola, ¿cómo te llamas?
Hola, ¿cómo te llamas? is an informal way to ask someone's name. Other ways to express this include ¿Cuál es tu nombre?, which means 'What is your name?' in an informal setting. To state your own name, you can say Soy María to mean 'I am Maria.'
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿cómo te llamas? literally translates to 'how do you call yourself?'
How does it change in a sentence?
Use ¿cómo se llama usted? instead of ¿cómo te llamas? when speaking to elders, superiors or in formal settings.
When do people say it?
When someone asks you for your name, the standard way to respond is Me llamo [nombre], which means 'My name is [name].'
Did you know?
- The word hola may have originated not as a friendly greeting, but as a command to 'stop' or a way to hail a ferryman.
- While hola is universal, in many Spanish-speaking cultures a greeting is often accompanied by a physical gesture, such as a single cheek kiss or a handshake.
- The verb llamar used in ¿cómo te llamas? also means 'to call' on the telephone.
Examples in context
- Hola, ¿cómo se llama usted? Mi nombre es María.Hello, what's your name? My name is Maria.
- Hola, ¿cómo te llamas? Me llamo Pedro.Hi, what's your name? My name is Pedro.
Example conversation
Alejandro meets Elena for the first time at a party.
- AlejandroHola, ¿cómo te llamas?Hi, what's your name?
- ElenaHola, me llamo Elena.Hi, my name is Elena.
- AlejandroMucho gusto, Elena. Soy Alejandro.Nice to meet you, Elena. I am Alejandro.
- ElenaIgualmente, Alejandro.Likewise, Alejandro.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, hola, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
