me llamo Lily
/me ʝamo lili/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'my name is Lily' is translated into Spanish as me llamo Lily.
This phrase is used to introduce yourself by stating your name.
What does it mean word for word?
The part me llamo literally translates to 'I call myself'.
Which one should you use?
While Mi nombre es Lily is a grammatically correct way to say 'My name is Lily', the phrase me llamo Lily is much more common and natural in spoken Spanish for introductions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb llamar is used in its reflexive form llamarse to express one's name.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, stating your name is only the start of a detailed exchange of family names, as providing only a first name can seem overly informal.
- The verb llamar is the same one used in llamar por teléfono, meaning that when you say me llamo, you are technically using the same verb one uses to 'call' someone on a device.
- In very casual settings, Spanish speakers often bypass the reflexive verb entirely and use soy Lily, which translates simply to 'I am Lily'.
Examples in context
- Me llamo Lily.My name is Lily.This sentence demonstrates how to use me llamo Lily to introduce yourself.Tatoeba #12251426 by opalandwoof, translation #12251427 by opalandwoof
- Hola, me llamo Lily.Hello, my name is Lily.
- Mucho gusto, me llamo Lily.Nice to meet you, my name is Lily.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
