tu nombre
/tu nombɾe/from spelling rules
To say your name in Spanish, use tu nombre, as in ¿Cuál es tu nombre? for what is your name.
tu nombre is the informal way to say your name, used with friends, family, children and peers.
Which one should you use?
Use su nombre instead of tu nombre when you address someone formally or want to show respect.
How does it change in a sentence?
The possessive tu agrees in number with the noun, so if you talk about several names it becomes tus nombres. tu nombre refers to a given name. A surname has its own word.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not put an accent on tu here. tú with an accent means you as the subject of a sentence, while tu without it means your. Writing tú nombre is a mistake.
Did you know?
- The word nombre can be used as an exclamation in the phrase ¡No, hombre! which translates to 'No, man!' or 'No way!' to express disbelief.
- While tu nombre refers to a given name, people in Spanish-speaking cultures typically have two surnames: one from their father and one from their mother.
- The word nombre is the source of the English word 'nominate', as both stem from the idea of calling or naming someone.
Examples in context
- Yo sé tu nombre.I know your name.Yo sé tu nombre is a simple statement meaning I know your name.Tatoeba #395877 by hayastan, translation #16887 by fucongcong
- Ay, ¡di tu nombre!Oh, say your name!Here tu nombre follows the command di, meaning say.Tatoeba #4728218 by cueyayotl, translation #4766302 by cairnhead
- ¿Cuál es tu nombre?What is your name?¿Cuál es tu nombre? is a common way to ask for someone's name.Tatoeba #1213833 by marcelostockle, translation #70623 by frpzzd
- Soy la señora MartinezI am Mrs. Martinez
- Me llamo Isabella, pero mis amigos me llaman IsaMy name is Isabella, but my friends call me Isa
- Hola, me llamo Ana Ríos. Soy de México.Hello, my name is Ana Ríos. I'm from Mexico.
- Soy Juan Martínez, pero mis amigos me llaman Juani.I'm Juan Martínez, but my friends call me Juani.
- Yo me llamo Carlos González. Mucho gusto.I am Carlos González. Nice to meet you.
- 95 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are filling out a registration form.
- JavierEscribe tu nombre aquí, Elena.Write your name here, Elena.
- ElenaEstá bien, ¿y tu nombre?Okay, and your name?
- JavierEl mío es Javier.Mine is Javier.
- ElenaPerfecto, ya terminé.Perfect, I'm finished.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nombre, tu, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
