es mi nombre
/es mi nombɾe/from spelling rules
The phrase "it is my name" in Spanish is es mi nombre.
This phrase is used to identify the name that belongs to the speaker.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of es (it is), mi (my) and nombre (name).
Which one should you use?
While es mi nombre is grammatically correct, it is more common in natural conversation to simply say me llamo… (I call myself…) or soy… (I am…).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin America, the variation Mi nombre es is commonly used to introduce oneself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The subject "it" is omitted because the verb es implies the subject.
How do you pronounce it?
/es mi nombɾe/
Did you know?
- While nombre means 'name', it is also a common contraction of ¡no, hombre!, which is used as an exclamation to say 'no way' or 'come on'.
- Spanish has a distinct word, apellido, for a person's family name, meaning that nombre often refers specifically to the given name rather than the full name.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, using mi nombre es can sound overly formal or like a police interrogation, which is why me llamo is preferred in social settings.
Examples in context
- Ese es mi nombre en el papel.That is my name on the paper.
- Lo que ves escrito es mi nombre.What you see written is my name.
- No es un apodo, es mi nombre.It is not a nickname, it is my name.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are meeting for the first time at a class.
- SofíaHola, soy Sofía.Hello, I am Sofía.
- Alejandro¿Sofía es mi nombre?Is Sofía my name?
- SofíaNo, Sofía es mi nombre.No, Sofía is my name.
- AlejandroPerdona, soy Alejandro.Sorry, I am Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, mi, nombre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
