Me llamo
everyday
In Puerto Rico the most natural way to say “my name is” is Me llamo, followed by your name. Mi nombre es and the short Soy also work.
Meaning: introducing yourself (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | Note |
|---|---|
| Me llamo | everyday |
| Mi nombre es | neutral |
| Soy | short |
Say Me llamo María when you meet someone. In casual talk Soy María is just as natural and shorter.
Which one should you use?
Mi nombre es is correct and a bit more formal, as in an interview or an official desk. Me llamo literally means “I call myself”.
How do you pronounce it?
In Puerto Rican speech ll sounds like the English “y” in “yes”, so me llamo is close to “meh YAH-mo”.
Did you know?
- Puerto Ricans often follow a name with a nickname, so you may hear Me llamo José, pero me dicen Che.
Examples in context
- Hola, me llamo Carlos.Hi, my name is Carlos.
- Mi nombre es Ana Rivera.My name is Ana Rivera.
- Soy Pedro, mucho gusto.I am Pedro, nice to meet you.
Example conversation
At a school open house in San Juan, Carlos meets Ana, another parent.
- CarlosHola, mucho gusto. Me llamo Carlos.Hello, nice to meet you. My name is Carlos.
- AnaMucho gusto, Carlos. Yo soy Ana.Nice to meet you, Carlos. I am Ana.
- CarlosMi hijo está en el tercer grado.My son is in third grade.
