¿cómo se llaman?
The English phrase 'what is their name?' is translated into Spanish as ¿cómo se llaman?
This phrase is used when you want to ask for the names of two or more people.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally translates to 'how do they call themselves?'
Which one should you use?
In English, you use the verb 'to be' to ask for a name, but in Spanish, you use the reflexive verb llamarse (to call oneself).
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb llaman is in the third-person plural form to agree with the plural subject 'they'.
Did you know?
- The reflexive pronoun se in this phrase underwent a strange historical evolution, where a sound shift from /ʒe/ to /ʃe/ caused speakers to reanalyze the word entirely.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿cómo se llaman? for a group is often followed by a collective introduction where the speaker expects one person to introduce the whole group rather than each person answering individually.
- While llamarse means 'to call oneself', using the verb ser (to be) to ask for a name, such as ¿quiénes son?, changes the meaning from asking for their names to asking for their identities.
Examples in context
- ¿Cómo se llaman ellos?What are their names?
Example conversation
Lucía and Javier are looking at a photo of some friends.
- LucíaMira esta foto. ¿Cómo se llaman?Look at this photo. What are their names?
- JavierSe llaman Ana y Luis.Their names are Ana and Luis.
- LucíaSon muy simpáticos.They are very nice.
- JavierSí, son muy divertidos.Yes, they are very funny.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cómo, se, CC BY-SA 4.0.
