To ask someone their name in Spanish, you can use the phrase “¿Cómo te llamas?”. This is the most common and informal way to ask someone their name. It directly translates to “How do you call yourself?” in English.
Here’s a breakdown of the phrase:
- ¿Cómo? – This means “How?”
- te – This is a reflexive pronoun that means “yourself.”
- llamas – This is the second person singular form of the verb “llamar,” which means “to call.”
If you want to ask in a more formal context, such as speaking to an elder or someone in a professional setting, you can use “¿Cómo se llama?”. This phrase uses the formal pronoun “se” instead of “te.”
Here’s an example of how you might use it in a conversation:
Person A: Hola, ¿cómo te llamas?
Person B: Me llamo María. ¿Y tú?
Person A: Me llamo Juan.
This simple phrase is a great way to start a conversation and get to know someone in Spanish.