je m'appelle Sarah
To say my name is Sarah in French, say je m'appelle Sarah.
This is the standard way to introduce yourself. You can open with a greeting, as in Bonjour, je m'appelle Sarah, hello, my name is Sarah.
What does it mean word for word?
je m'appelle literally means I call myself.
Which one should you use?
Je suis Sarah is correct grammar, but je m'appelle Sarah is the more standard and natural introduction.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb is reflexive, which is why the pronoun m' comes before appelle.
Did you know?
- The verb appeler used in je m'appelle is the same root used for the English word 'appeal', as both originate from the Latin 'appellare', meaning to call upon.
- While je m'appelle is the standard phrase, French has a distinct word prénom for a first name and nom for a family name. In English, the word 'name' covers both, but in French, asking for someone's nom usually refers specifically to their surname.
- While je m'appelle is standard, in certain regions of Canada, you may hear people introduce themselves as moi, c'est Sarah, a construction that emphasizes the person more than the name.
Examples in context
- Enchanté, je m'appelle Sarah.Nice to meet you, my name is Sarah.
- Bonjour, je m'appelle Sarah et j'ai vingt ans.Hello, my name is Sarah and I am twenty years old.
Example conversation
Two people meet for the first time at a party.
- HugoSalut ! Je m'appelle Hugo.Hi! My name is Hugo.
- ChloéSalut Hugo, je m'appelle Sarah.Hi Hugo, my name is Sarah.
- HugoTu es d'ici, Sarah ?Are you from here, Sarah?
- ChloéOui, j'habite dans le quartier.Yes, I live in the neighborhood.
