When learning Spanish, one of the most basic things you can learn is how to introduce yourself. In order to do this correctly, many Spanish learners wonder what phrases they can use to say ‘my name is’ in Spanish.
Depending on the speaker’s personal preferences, there are three common and standard expressions to say someone’s name in Spanish:
- Me llamo (llamarse) – My name is
- Soy – I am
- Mi nombre es – My name is
Learning how to say your name in Spanish will allow you to introduce yourself and start practicing your Spanish with others. For that reason, in this article, we’ll explain to you when and how to use each one of these options. Remember that using one expression or another one may depend on your preference as well as the context you’re in.
Furthermore, we’ll also provide you with phrase structures so you can customize these expressions depending on what you want to express and we’ll include some examples so you can see different ways to say your name in Spanish.
By the end of this, the question of how to say “my name is” in Spanish will no longer be a problem for you.
1. Me llamo – My name is…
Me llamo is one of the most standard and common ways to say ‘my name is’ in Spanish. Although this expression may be confusing for Spanish learners, ‘me llamo’ is quite popular and casual among Spanish speakers. As a standard term, this expression can be used both in formal and informal situations.
‘Me llamo’ is the conjugation for the first person singular (Yo), but if you wanted to use this expression for other people, you will need to follow this phrase structure:
[Llamarse conjugated] + [name]
Yo me llamo Sandy este es Fabio
My name is Sandy and this is Fabio
Tú te llamas Kathy, ¿no?
Your name is Kathy, isn’t it?
Nuestra maestra se llama Marcela
Our teacher’s name is Marcela
No me llamo José, me llamo Juan
My name is not José, it’s Juan
Hola, me llamo Daniela, ¿tú cómo te llamas
Hi, my name is Daniela, what’s your name
In Spanish, we use the verb llamarse as a way to say someone’s name. So, in order to use this verb correctly, we need to make sure to conjugate it properly.
Take Note: Llamarse is a pronominal verb which means that, unlike ‘normal’ verbs, it needs to work with pronouns in order to keep its meanings. In other words, ‘llamarse’ follows the conjugation of reflexive verbs.
Related Resource: How to Conjugate Reflexive Verbs in Spanish
2. Soy… – I am
In Spanish, soy is another popular option that people use to say their names. ‘Soy’ is slightly more casual than ‘me llamo’ and it can be used as a quick way to introduce or identify yourself and others.
‘Soy’ is the conjugation of the verb ‘ser’ for the first person (Yo). In order to use this verb correctly, you need to make sure that the conjugation matches with the person whose name you’re saying. Here is a basic structure that you can follow:
[Ser conjugated] + [name]
Yo soy Zac, ¿tú como te llamas?
I’m Zac, what’s your name?
¿Eres Tony, verdad?
You’re Tony, right?
Hola, soy Jessica, la hermana de James
Hi, I’m Jessica, I’m James’ sister
David, ella es Steffani, es la chica nueva
David, this is Steffani, she’s the new girl
Esos son Carlos y Francisco, viene de España
Those are Carlos and Francisco, they are from Spain
Related Resource: How to Use the Verb Ser in Spanish
3. Mi nombre es… – My name is…
Mi nombre es is the direct translation of ‘my name is’. Even though ‘mi nombre’ is a standard expression, it’s not as common as ‘me llamo’ or ‘soy’. For Spanish speakers, this expression is a little bit more formal and it feels less natural than the other two options. Here is a phrase structure that you can follow:
[Possessive adjective] + nombre + [ser conjugated] + [name]
Mi nombre es Daniela
My name is Daniela
Creo que su nombre es Alicia
I think her name is Alicia
Su nombre es Luciana
Her name is Luciana
¿Tu nombre es Paloma, verdad?
Your name is Paloma, isn’t it?
Mi nombre es Natalia, pero me dicen Naty
My name is Natali, but people call me Naty
Take Note: Noticed that in order to use mi nombre es correctly, not only you need to conjugate the verb ‘ser’ properly, but also you need to make sure to use the proper possessive adjective.
Related Resource: Possessive Adjectives in Spanish
How Do You Say What’s Your Name in Spanish?
Now that you have a better understanding of how to say your name as well as someone else’s, let’s see expressions that you use to say ‘what’s your name?’ in Spanish.
- ¿Cómo te llamas? – What’s your name.
¿Cómo te llamas? is the most standard and common way to ask people their names. It can be used both in formal and informal contexts, but if you’re addressing someone older than you, you will need to use ¿Cómo se llama? instead.
Soy Carolina, ¿tú cómo te llamas?
I’m Carolina, what’s your name?
Señora, ¿cómo se llama?
Madam, what’s your name?
- ¿Cuál es tu nombre? – What’s your name?
Although ¿cuál es tu nombre? is the direct translation of ‘what’s your name?’, this question tends to be more popular in formal situations.
Disculpa, ¿cuál es tu nombre?
Excuse me, what’s your name?
Señora, ¿cuál es su nombre completo?
Mrs., what’s your full name?
Vocabulary Related To People’s Names in Spanish
Here is a list with useful vocabulary that you can use when saying your name or asking’s someone’s name. In order to use this vocabulary correctly, you need to replace ‘mi nombre es’ for some of these words.
| Apellido | Last name |
| Segundo nombre | Middle name |
| Nombre | Name |
| Nombre de pila | First name |
| Primer nombre | First name |
| Nombre completo | Full name |
| Apodo | Nickname |
Mi segundo nombre es Natali
My middle name is Natali
Su nombre completo es Carol Smith
Her full name is Carol Smith
¿Cuál es tu apellido?
What’s your last name?
Wrapping Up
Learning how to say your name in Spanish will allow you to start more conversations where you can practice your speaking skills. For that reason, in this article, we discussed different ways to say your name and someone else’s in Spanish.
We learned that me llamo is a very popular expression among Spanish speakers and in order to use it, we need to conjugate properly the verb ‘llamarse’. Additionally, soy is a more casual way that people use to introduce or identify themselves.
And even though mi nombre es is the direct translation of ‘my name is’, we learned that this expression is not as popular as the other two options. On top of this, we also discussed some questions that you can use to ask someone’s name and we learned some vocabulary that you can use in this situation.
Hopefully, now you have a more solid understanding of how to say your name in Spanish.