me llamo Alexa
/me ʝamo aleɡsa/from spelling rules
me llamo Alexa is the way to say "my name is alexa" in Spanish.
This phrase is used to introduce yourself by stating your name.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me llamo literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
While Mi nombre es Alexa is grammatically correct, me llamo Alexa is the more natural and common way to introduce yourself in Spanish. You can also use Soy Alexa as a shorter and more direct way to introduce yourself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb llamar is used in the reflexive form llamarse to express one's name.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ʝamo aleɡsa/
Did you know?
- If you want to ask someone's name, you do not ask 'what is your name' but rather ¿Cómo te llamas?, which literally means 'how do you call yourself?'
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, people may introduce themselves using mucho gusto before or after stating their name. This phrase literally means 'much pleasure' and serves as a social lubricant to signal warmth and friendliness.
- The verb llamar is used to describe names because the language views the name as something you 'call' others by, rather than a possession you 'have'. This is why the phrase uses a reflexive verb instead of a possessive adjective like 'my'.
Examples in context
- Mucho gusto, me llamo Alexa.Nice to meet you, my name is Alexa.
- Soy nueva aquí, me llamo Alexa.I am new here, my name is Alexa.
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier meet for the first time at a party.
- LucíaHola, me llamo Alexa.Hello, my name is Alexa.
- JavierHola Alexa, yo soy Javier.Hello Alexa, I am Javier.
- LucíaEs un placer conocerte, Javier.It is a pleasure to meet you, Javier.
- JavierIgualmente, Alexa.Likewise, Alexa.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
