¿cómo te llamas?
In Spanish, the phrase for "what do you call yourself?" is ¿cómo te llamas?
This phrase is used to ask someone for their name. When someone asks you this, the standard way to respond is to use the first person of the verb llamarse by saying Me llamo… followed by your name.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿cómo te llamas? literally translates to "how do you call yourself?"
Which one should you use?
The default form ¿cómo te llamas? uses the informal tú conjugation. In contrast, if you are asking a group of people for their names, you should use the plural form ¿cómo se llaman?
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes based on the level of formality and the number of people you are addressing. Use ¿cómo se llama usted? for a single person in a formal context, such as an elder or a stranger in a professional setting. Use ¿cómo se llaman? when asking a group of people for their names.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, when a child is asked ¿cómo te llamas?, they might respond with their full name including both paternal and maternal surnames.
- The verb llamar is used not only for names but also for calling someone on the phone, making the phrase me llamo a linguistic cousin to the act of telephoning.
- In some parts of Latin America, such as Colombia, people might use ¿cómo se llama usted? even with peers to show a specific type of social politeness or distance.
Examples in context
- ¿Cómo te llamas? Me llamo Juan.What is your name? My name is Juan.
- Hola, ¿cómo te llamas?Hello, what is your name?
Example conversation
Elena meets Alejandro for the first time at a party.
- ElenaHola, soy Elena. ¿Cómo te llamas?Hello, I am Elena. What is your name?
- AlejandroMucho gusto, Elena. Me llamo Alejandro.Nice to meet you, Elena. My name is Alejandro.
- ElenaEncantada de conocerte, Alejandro.Delighted to meet you, Alejandro.
- AlejandroIgualmente, Elena.Likewise, Elena.
