¿Cómo se llama?
/ˈkomo se ˈʝama/word by word
The English phrase "what is the name?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Cómo se llama?
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase ¿Cómo se llama? literally translates to "How is he/she/it called?"
Which one should you use?
The default form ¿Cómo se llama? is the formal version used with strangers or elders. In contrast, ¿Cómo te llamas? is used with peers or children.
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask someone's name informally, use the 'tú' form: ¿Cómo te llamas?
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often try to translate "What is your name?" literally as ¿Cuál es su nombre? While this is grammatically correct, it sounds much more stiff and unnatural in conversation than using ¿Cómo se llama?
When do people say it?
When someone asks for your name, the standard way to respond is by using the reflexive verb: Me llamo… (I call myself…).
Did you know?
- The verb llama used in this phrase is also the name for the 'llama', a domesticated pack animal from the Andes.
- While llama means 'called' here, it shares an ancient root with the English word 'flame' via the Latin flamma.
- The pronoun se in ¿Cómo se llama? is a linguistic chameleon, as Spanish uses the same word for reflexive actions, impersonal statements, and passive constructions.
Examples in context
- ¡Buenos días! ¿Cuál es su nombre?Good morning! What is your name?
- Señorita Hernández, ¿cómo se llama usted?Miss Hernandez, what are you called?
- Hola, ¿cuál es tu nombre?Hi, what is your name?
- Oye, ¿cómo te llamas?Hey, what are you called?
