με λένε
me léne
To say "my name is" in Greek, you can use με λένε (me léne) or το όνομά μου είναι.
Meaning: a way to identify oneself (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Greek | Romanization (Wiktionary) |
|---|---|
| με λένε | me léne |
| το όνομά μου είναι | to ónomá mou eínai |
Both forms are used to identify yourself. When using με λένε, you follow it directly with your name without needing an article or the word for "name".
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase με λένε literally translates to "they call me".
Which one should you use?
Με λένε is the most common and natural way to introduce oneself in spoken Greek. In contrast, το όνομά μου είναι sounds more formal or like a direct translation from English.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase με λένε uses the third-person plural verb λένε (they call), which is the standard way to express "my name is" in Greek.
How do you pronounce it?
me léne
Did you know?
- The word όνομα for 'name' is the ancestor of the English word 'onomatopoeia', which literally means 'the making of a name'.
- The modern Greek verb είναι evolved from the Byzantine Greek ἔναι, which was a shortened version of a phrase meaning 'to be in'.
- In very formal Greek introductions, such as in professional ceremonies, a person might omit 'my name is' entirely and simply state their full name after a polite greeting.
Examples in context
- Το όνομά μου είναι Τζακ.My name is Jack.This sentence is useful for practicing the form το όνομά μου είναι with the name Jack.Tatoeba #3593817 by glavkos, translation #1646 by CN
- Το όνομά μου είναι Σάλι.My name is Sally.This sentence is useful for practicing the form το όνομά μου είναι with the name Sally.Tatoeba #5341218 by Zeus, translation #766635 by BraveSentry
- Το όνομά μου είναι Σάσα.My name is Sasha.This sentence is useful for practicing the form το όνομά μου είναι with the name Sasha.Tatoeba #5545999 by Zeus, translation #567334 by Manfredo
- Με λένε Μαρία.They call me Maria.
- Με λένε Γιώργο.They call me George.
- Με λένε Παναγιώτα.They call me Panagiota.
- 11 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two people meet for the first time at a party.
- Κώστας KostasΓεια σας, με λένε Κώστας.Ya sas, me lene Kostas.Hello, my name is Kostas.
- Ελένη EleniΧαίρομαι, Ελένη με λένε.Cherome, Eleni me lene.Nice to meet you, my name is Eleni.
- Κώστας KostasΧαίρομαι επίσης, Ελένη.Cherome episis, Eleni.Nice to meet you too, Eleni.
- Ελένη EleniΑπό πού είσαι, Κώστα;Apo pou eisai, Kosta?Where are you from, Kostas?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations and entries με λένε, το όνομά μου είναι, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries είναι, με, μου, το, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
