me llamo …
The English phrase "my name is" can be expressed in Spanish as me llamo … or mi nombre es …
Meaning: a way to identify oneself (phrase)
Ways to say it
| Spanish |
|---|
| me llamo … |
| mi nombre es … |
These phrases are used to identify oneself.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase me llamo literally translates to "I call myself".
Which one should you use?
Me llamo … is the most common and natural way to introduce yourself. In contrast, mi nombre es … sounds more formal or is used when filling out official forms.
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "his name is" or "her name is", you change the reflexive pronoun and verb to se llama.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often include the pronoun yo in yo me llamo, but in Spanish, the pronoun is usually omitted because the verb conjugation already indicates the subject.
Did you know?
- The verb inside me llamo is llamar, which means both 'to call' and 'to ring'. This means the logic of the phrase is more like saying 'I ring myself' or 'I call myself'.
- The word nombre comes from the Latin nōmen. This same Latin root gave English the word 'nominal', used to describe things that exist in name only.
- In some regions, people might avoid saying me llamo in a group of strangers and instead use soy… which means 'I am'. This shifts the focus from the act of naming to the identity of the person.
Examples in context
- Mi nombre es María.My name is María.
- Permítame presentarme, mi nombre es Alejandro Rodríguez.Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Alejandro Rodríguez.
- ¡Hola! Me llamo Juan.Hello! My name is Juan.
- Soy Carolina.I am Carolina.
- Me llamo Juan.My name is Juan.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “my name is” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries es, me, mi, nombre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
