me llamo
/me ʝamo/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "I call myself" is expressed as me llamo.
While the phrase literally means "I call myself", it is used as the standard and most common way to say "My name is…" when introducing yourself. You can use the phrase me llamo on its own, or you can add the subject pronoun Yo to the beginning to say Yo me llamo if you want to add extra emphasis to your self-introduction.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of the reflexive pronoun me (myself) and the first-person singular form of the verb llamar (to call).
How do you pronounce it?
/me ʝamo/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often try to translate the English structure directly by saying Mi nombre es… While this is understandable, it is much more natural in conversational Spanish to use me llamo instead.
Did you know?
- The word llamar shares a root with the English word 'alarm', as both relate to the act of calling out or shouting to get attention.
- While 'I call myself' sounds overly dramatic in English, in Spanish it is the most neutral and humble way to introduce oneself in a social setting.
- In Spanish, you can use llamar to mean 'to call' in the sense of naming someone, but also to describe the physical act of ringing a bell.
Examples in context
- Me llamo María.I call myself María.
- Me llamo Juan.I call myself Juan.
- Yo me llamo Ana.I call myself Ana.
- Hola, me llamo Carlos.Hello, my name is Carlos.
- Mucho gusto, me llamo Sofía.Nice to meet you, my name is Sofia.
Example conversation
Mateo and Elena meet for the first time at a social event.
- MateoHola, me llamo Mateo.Hello, my name is Mateo.
- ElenaEncantada, me llamo Elena.Nice to meet you, my name is Elena.
- MateoEs un placer, Elena.It is a pleasure, Elena.
- ElenaIgualmente, Mateo.Likewise, Mateo.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
