Me llamo Paul
/me ʝamo paul/from spelling rules
To say "my name is Paul" in Spanish, you use Me llamo Paul.
The phrase is used to introduce yourself by stating your name.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Me llamo Paul literally translates to "I call myself Paul".
Which one should you use?
While Mi nombre es Paul is grammatically correct, Me llamo Paul is the much more natural and common way to introduce oneself in Spanish.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some Latin American countries, the expression Yo me llamo Paul is commonly used.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb used is llamarse, which is a reflexive verb. This is why the pronoun me is required in the phrase Me llamo Paul.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ʝamo paul/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, a person's full name includes two surnames, typically the father's first surname followed by the mother's first surname.
- The verb llamar can also mean 'to call' in the sense of a telephone call, meaning Me llamo could be jokingly interpreted as 'I am calling myself'.
- The word me in this phrase shares its ancient roots with the Latin 'mē', which is the accusative form of 'ego'.
Examples in context
- Buenos días, mi nombre es Paul. Trabajaré junto a ustedes en este proyecto.Good morning, my name is Paul. I will be working with you on this project.
- ¡Hola! Me llamo Paul, ¿y tú?Hi! My name is Paul, and you?
- Me llamo Paul.My name is Paul.
- Hola, me llamo Paul y soy nuevo aquí.Hello, my name is Paul and I am new here.
- Mucho gusto, me llamo Paul.Nice to meet you, my name is Paul.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries me, CC BY-SA 4.0.
