mi mamá se llama
/mi mama se ʝama/from spelling rules
To say "my mother's name is" in Spanish, you say mi mamá se llama.
This phrase is used to introduce the name of your mother.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mi mamá se llama literally translates to "my mom calls herself".
Which one should you use?
You can also say El nombre de mi mamá es [Mother's Name], which is another informal way to express the same idea. For a more literal translation of the English structure, you might use el nombre de mi madre es. While mi mamá se llama is the most natural way to say this, the other forms are also used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb used here is llamarse, which is a reflexive verb. This is why the reflexive pronoun se is included in the phrase.
How do you pronounce it?
/mi mama se ʝama/
Did you know?
- The word llama in this phrase shares a spelling with the South American animal, but they have completely different origins. While the verb comes from the Latin word for 'flame', the animal's name was borrowed from the Quechua language.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, using the term madre instead of mamá when introducing her can change the social dynamic. While mamá is affectionate, madre is used to signal formality or respect in official settings.
Examples in context
- Buenas tardes, mi madre se llama María Pérez.Good afternoon, my mother's name is María Pérez.
- Oye, mi mamá se llama Ana.Hey, my mom's name is Ana.
- Mi mamá se llama Elena.My mother's name is Elena.
- Mi mamá se llama Carmen.My mother's name is Carmen.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Sofía are talking about their families.
- Alejandro¿Cómo se llama tu mamá, Sofía?What is your mother's name, Sofía?
- SofíaMi mamá se llama Laura.My mother's name is Laura.
- Alejandro¡Qué lindo nombre tiene tu mamá!Your mother has such a lovely name!
- SofíaGracias, Alejandro.Thank you, Alejandro.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries llama, mamá, mi, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
