¿cómo te llamas?
The English phrase "what is your name?" is translated into Spanish as ¿cómo te llamas?
This phrase is used to ask someone for their name. Unlike English, which asks "what" your name is, Spanish asks "how" you call yourself.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿cómo te llamas? literally translates to "how do you call yourself?"
Which one should you use?
Other variations exist depending on the level of formality or the specific region.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Argentina or Uruguay, people might say ¿Cómo te llamás? instead of ¿cómo te llamas?
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form ¿cómo te llamas? uses the informal "tú" and is used with peers, children or people you know well. Use ¿cómo se llama usted? when speaking to an elder, a stranger or someone in a professional setting to be polite.
What mistakes should you avoid?
While ¿cuál es tu nombre? is grammatically correct, it sounds much more robotic and less natural than ¿cómo te llamas? in everyday conversation.
When do people say it?
A natural response to this question is Me llamo… followed by your name.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿cómo te llamas? is often preceded by a handshake or a kiss on the cheek, depending on the region and gender of the people meeting.
- The word te comes from the Proto-Indo-European root *twé, making it a very distant relative of the English word 'thee'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, skipping the ¿cómo te llamas? and simply asking ¿Cómo te dicen? is a common way to ask for a person's nickname or the name they actually go by.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, ¿me podría decir cómo se llama?Excuse me, could you tell me your name?
- Mi nombre es María.My name is María.
- ¿Cómo te llamas?What's your name?
- Me llamo Juan.My name is Juan.
- Perdón, ¿cómo te llamas?Excuse me, what is your name?
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía meet for the first time at a party.
- MateoHola, ¿cómo te llamas?Hi, what is your name?
- SofíaMe llamo Sofía. ¿Y tú?My name is Sofía. And you?
- MateoMucho gusto, Sofía. Yo soy Mateo.Nice to meet you, Sofía. I am Mateo.
- SofíaEncantada de conocerte, Mateo.Delighted to meet you, Mateo.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
