me llamo Sarah
/me ʝamo saɾa/from spelling rules
To say "my name is sarah" in Spanish, use me llamo Sarah.
This phrase is used to introduce yourself by stating your name.
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 Sarah is grammatically correct, me llamo Sarah is much more common and natural in spoken Spanish for introductions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, it is common to say Soy Sarah when introducing yourself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb llamar is used in its reflexive form llamarse to express one's name.
How do you pronounce it?
/me ʝamo saɾa/
Did you know?
- The verb llamar can also mean 'to call' in the sense of using a telephone, meaning the phrase me llamo uses the same root word as 'calling someone on the phone'.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, you might actually introduce yourself by saying your first name followed by your paternal surname, as providing only me llamo Sarah might seem incomplete in official settings.
- The word me in me llamo shares the same ancient roots as the English word 'me', both descending from a single Proto-Indo-European ancestor.
Examples in context
- Hola, me llamo Sarah.Hello, my name is Sarah.
- Mucho gusto, me llamo Sarah.Nice to meet you, my name is Sarah.
- Perdone, me llamo Sarah y soy la nueva vecina.Excuse me, my name is Sarah and I am the new neighbor.
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.
