me llamo María
/me ʝamo maɾia/from spelling rules
To say "my name is maria" in Spanish, you use me llamo María.
The phrase me llamo María is the standard way to introduce yourself in both formal and informal social settings.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me llamo literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
While Mi nombre es María is grammatically correct, me llamo María is much more common and natural in spoken Spanish for introductions.
How does it change in a sentence?
The expression uses the reflexive form of the verb llamarse to express one's name.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ʝamo maɾia/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking contexts, the word María can be used as a colloquial clipping for 'marihuana', creating a very different meaning than an introduction.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, a professional introduction requires you to follow me llamo with both your first and second surnames rather than just one.
- If you are in a crowded or loud social setting, you might skip the reflexive verb entirely and simply say soy followed by your name.
Examples in context
- Mi nombre es María.My name is Maria.
- Me dicen MaríaThey call me María
- Soy María, mucho gustoI am Maria, nice to meet you.
- Hola, me llamo María y soy nueva aquí.Hello, my name is Maria and I am new here.
- Mucho gusto, me llamo María.Nice to meet you, my name is Maria.
Example conversation
Two students meet for the first time in a classroom.
- ElenaHola, me llamo María. ¿Y tú?Hello, my name is Maria. And you?
- AlejandroHola, María. Yo soy Alejandro.Hello, Maria. I am Alejandro.
- ElenaEs un placer conocerte, Alejandro.It is a pleasure to meet you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroIgualmente, María.Likewise, Maria.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries María, maría, me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
