Comment elle s'appelle ?
In French, 'what is her name?' is translated as Comment elle s'appelle ?
This phrase is used to ask for the name of a female person.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase Comment elle s'appelle ? literally translates to 'How she calls herself?' because the verb used is reflexive.
Which one should you use?
While Comment elle s'appelle ? and Elle s'appelle comment ? are both used in casual settings, Comment s'appelle-t-elle ? and Quel est son nom ? are formal alternatives.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase uses the reflexive verb s'appeler, where s' is the reflexive pronoun meaning 'herself'.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often try to translate 'What is her name?' literally as Quel est son nom ? While this is grammatically correct, it sounds much more formal and is less natural than using the verb s'appeler in everyday conversation.
Did you know?
- In the formal version Comment s'appelle-t-elle ?, the 't' is a 'euphonic t'. It exists solely to prevent two vowel sounds from crashing together, and it has no meaning of its own.
- While Quel est son nom ? is correct, using it in a casual setting can make you sound like a police officer or a government official conducting an official intake.
- If you want to sound extremely elegant or formal, you can use Quel est son nom ?, but be aware that this often implies you are asking for her legal surname rather than her first name.
Examples in context
- Excusez-moi, comment s'appelle-t-elle ?Excuse me, what is her name?
- Puis-je savoir quel est son nom ?May I know what her name is?
- Dis-moi, comment elle s'appelle ?Tell me, what is her name?
- Tu sais comment elle s'appelle ?Do you know what her name is?
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are looking at a photo of a woman.
- ManonComment elle s'appelle ?What is her name?
- HugoElle s'appelle Camille.Her name is Camille.
- ManonC'est une amie à toi ?Is she a friend of yours?
- HugoOui, c'est une ancienne collègue.Yes, she is a former colleague.
