jmenuji se …
jmenuji se … is the Czech way to say "my name is".
This phrase is used to identify yourself when introducing yourself to others.
Meaning: a way to identify oneself (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase jmenuji se literally means "I am named" or "I call myself".
How does it change in a sentence?
The word jmenuji is the first-person singular form of the verb jmenovat, which means "to name".
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often attempt to use Moje jméno je … to translate "my name is", but this sounds unnatural and robotic in Czech. Instead, use the standard jmenuji se …
Did you know?
- In very formal or legal contexts, you might encounter the phrase jmenuji se used to mean 'I appoint myself', as the verb jmenovat has a double meaning of both 'naming' and 'appointing to a position'.
- Czech has a distinct way of handling names based on gender. While jmenuji se is neutral, the name that follows will often have a suffix like -ová for women, which is not found in English.
- The reflexive particle se in jmenuji se descends from the Proto-Indo-European root *swé, which is a distant relative of the English word 'self'.
Examples in context
- Mé jméno je Petr.My name is Petr.
- Jsem Klára.I am Klára.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
