deletrear su nombre
/deletɾeaɾ su nombɾe/from spelling rules
The English phrase "spell his name" is translated into Spanish as deletrear su nombre.
The phrase is used when you want to say or write the individual letters of a person's name in the correct order. In practice, you may often encounter the reflexive construction ¿Cómo se deletrea…? when asking someone to spell a name.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase deletrear su nombre can also be translated as "to spell your name" in the context of the formal usted register.
How do you pronounce it?
/deletɾeaɾ su nombɾe/
Did you know?
- While nombre means 'name' in this phrase, the same word is used as a common exclamation ¡No, hombre! to express disbelief or frustration.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, people do not just say the letters when spelling. They use a phonetic alphabet where each letter is paired with a common word, such as B de burro.
- A Spanish speaker might use the verb dictar, which means 'to dictate', instead of deletrear when asking someone to spell a name.
Examples in context
- ¿Puede deletrear su nombre lentamente?Can you spell his name slowly?
- Ella tiene que deletrear su nombre en el formulario.She has to spell his name on the form.
Example conversation
Lucía is helping Mateo register a new client at the office.
- LucíaMateo, ¿puedes deletrear su nombre para el registro?Mateo, can you spell his name for the registration?
- MateoSí, es L-U-I-S.Yes, it is L-U-I-S.
- LucíaGracias, ahora terminaré el documento.Thank you, now I will finish the document.
- MateoDe nada, Lucía.You're welcome, Lucía.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries deletrear, nombre, su, CC BY-SA 4.0.
