How to say 'What is her name?' in Spanish
To ask "What is her name?" in Spanish, say ¿Cómo se llama ella? (neutral) or ¿Cuál es su nombre? (slightly more formal). Both work for asking about a woman's name; the first is the everyday choice, the second appears in polite or written contexts. Practice the question aloud with a Langel until the rhythm feels natural—a few minutes is enough.
The two everyday forms
¿Cómo se llama ella? KOH-moh seh YAH-mah EH-yah This is the most common way to ask. Se llama is the third-person singular of llamarse (to be called), and ella makes it clear you're asking about a woman. You'll hear it in any conversation: ¿Cómo se llama ella? Se llama María.
¿Cuál es su nombre? KWAHL ehs soo NOHM-breh Literally "What is her name?" — su covers both "her" and "his" (and formal "your"). It sounds a touch more formal, so you'll see it in emails, introductions, or when speaking to someone you'd address as usted.
When to add ella and when to drop it
In ¿Cómo se llama ella?, the ella is optional but helpful for clarity. Without it, ¿Cómo se llama? could mean "What's his name?", "What's her name?", or even "What's your name?" (formal). Add ella when the context doesn't make the person obvious: Esa mujer de la foto… ¿cómo se llama ella?
With ¿Cuál es su nombre?, the su already signals third person, so ella isn't used. You'd simply say ¿Cuál es su nombre? and the listener knows you mean "her" (or "his") from context.
Answering the question
The reply mirrors the verb:
- Se llama Ana. — Her name is Ana. (most common)
- Su nombre es Ana. — Her name is Ana. (matches the ¿Cuál es su nombre? form)
Both are neutral. If you're introducing someone, Se llama… flows better in speech; Su nombre es… appears more in writing.
Common mistakes a Langel will catch
- **¿Cómo se llama ella se llama?** — Double verb. Say ¿Cómo se llama ella? or ¿Cómo se llama?
- **¿Cuál es ella nombre?** — Ella is a subject pronoun; you need the possessive su. Say ¿Cuál es su nombre?
- **¿Cómo te llama ella?** — Te is for "you" (informal). Third person uses se: ¿Cómo se llama ella?
A Langel repeats the correct form inside her reply so you hear the contrast without a grammar lecture.
Practice pattern with a Langel
- Start with the dial on Talk to me. Run the exchange three times:
- You: ¿Cómo se llama ella? - Langel: Se llama Lucía. - You: ¿Cuál es su nombre? - Langel: Su nombre es Lucía.
- Nudge the dial toward Teach me and ask: "Why se and not te?" The Langel explains the reflexive pronoun shift for third person without jargon.
- Slide back to Talk to me and keep speaking—maybe add a follow-up: ¿De dónde es ella?
A few minutes of this loop builds the muscle memory better than an hour of flashcards.
With a Langel
> You: ¿Cómo se llama ella? > Langel: ¿Cómo se llama ella? > You: Se llama Carmen. > Langel: Se llama Carmen. > You: ¿Cuál es su nombre? > Langel: ¿Cuál es su nombre? > You: Su nombre es Carmen. > Langel: Su nombre es Carmen.
The formal "your name" trap
Spanish uses su for both "her/his" and formal "your," so ¿Cuál es su nombre? can mean "What is her name?" or "What is your name?" (formal). Context decides: if you're speaking to the person with usted, it's "your"; if you're speaking about a third person, it's "her/his." A Langel will flip the dial to Teach me and give you a quick contrast: ¿Cuál es su nombre, señora? vs. Esa doctora… ¿cuál es su nombre? so you hear the difference in tone and setting. The same ambiguity hits ¿Cómo se llama? — without a pronoun it can be "What's your name?" (formal), "What's his name?" or "What's her name?" Adding usted, él or ella removes the guesswork. Practice the three side by side: ¿Cómo se llama usted?, ¿Cómo se llama él?, ¿Cómo se llama ella? until the right one jumps out automatically.
Frequently asked questions
Is ¿Cómo se llama ella? only for women?
No. ¿Cómo se llama? works for anyone. Add él for "him" (¿Cómo se llama él?) or drop the pronoun when context is clear. Ella simply specifies "she."
Can I use ¿Cuál es su nombre? for a man?
Yes. Su covers "his," "her," "your" (formal), and "their." The phrase is gender-neutral.
What's the difference between se llama and su nombre es?
Se llama = "is called" (verb llamarse). Su nombre es = "her name is" (noun + ser). Both answer the question; se llama is more conversational, su nombre es slightly more formal.
Do I need the upside-down question marks?
In writing, yes—Spanish uses ¿ at the start and ? at the end. In speech they're invisible, but a Langel will model the intonation so your voice does the work.
How do I ask "What's your name?" informally to a woman?
Use ¿Cómo te llamas? — te is the informal "you." ¿Cómo se llama? with no pronoun is formal (usted). A Langel will model both so you match the register to the situation.
Does se llama change if I'm asking about a group of women?
Yes. For "they" (feminine) use ¿Cómo se llaman ellas? — the verb goes plural. Se llama stays singular for one woman.
Why does the upside-down question mark matter when I'm only speaking?
It doesn't change the sound, but seeing ¿ trains your brain to start the intonation rise early. A Langel exaggerates the pitch curve so your voice does the work the punctuation marks on paper.
Can I just say ¿Nombre? to be quick?
You'll hear it in very casual speech, but it sounds abrupt. Stick with ¿Cómo se llama ella? or ¿Cuál es su nombre? — they're still short and never rude.
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