mă numesc …
In Romanian, 'my name is' can be expressed in several ways, most commonly as mă numesc … Wiktionary also lists numele meu este … and pe mine mă cheamă …
Meaning: a way to identify oneself (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Romanian |
|---|
| mă numesc … |
| numele meu este … |
| pe mine mă cheamă … |
These phrases are used to identify yourself to others. mă numesc … is the most common and natural way to introduce yourself in everyday Romanian speech.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase mă numesc literally translates to 'I call myself'. The phrase numele meu este is a literal translation of the English 'my name is'.
Which one should you use?
mă numesc … is the most natural way to introduce yourself. numele meu este … is a literal translation and is often used in official contexts. pe mine mă cheamă … is used to emphasize that it is *your* name, often in response to someone else stating their name first.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb in mă numesc is reflexive, which is why it includes the pronoun mă (myself).
Did you know?
- While mă numesc is the standard way to say 'my name is', the verb comes from the same root as the English word 'numeral'. Both relate to the act of assigning a number or name to something.
- The phrase pe mine mă cheamă uses a double object construction that is very common in Romanian but rare in English. It uses both pe mine and mă to refer to the speaker simultaneously.
- The word pe in pe mine mă cheamă evolved from the Latin word per, which originally meant 'through' or 'by'.
Examples in context
- Mă numesc Ana.My name is Ana.
- Eu mă numesc Alex.I'm named Alex.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries este, meu, mine, mă, pe, CC BY-SA 4.0.
