How to say 'what's your name' in Spanish (and answer it)
To ask someone's name in Spanish, say ¿Cómo te llamas? (informal) or ¿Cómo se llama? (formal). To answer, say Me llamo… followed by your name, or Mi nombre es… for a slightly more formal tone. Practice the question-and-answer pair aloud with a Langel until the rhythm feels automatic—about five minutes is enough.
The two most common ways to ask
¿Cómo te llamas? Everyday, friendly, used with peers, kids, or anyone you'd address as tú. Literally "How do you call yourself?"
¿Cómo se llama? Polite, used with usted—older people, strangers in formal settings, or anyone you want to show respect to.
A third option you'll hear: ¿Cuál es tu nombre? (informal) or ¿Cuál es su nombre? (formal). It translates closer to "What is your name?" and works in the same registers.
How to answer
Me llamo Ana. The default, natural reply. Works in every register.
Mi nombre es Ana. A touch more formal; good for introductions at work or on the phone.
Soy Ana. Casual, like "I'm Ana." Fine among friends, less common in a first meeting.
Pronunciation tips a Langel will catch
- The ll in llamas / llama sounds like the y in yes (most of Spain and Latin America) or like the j in measure (Rioplatense). A Langel repeats the word with the local flavor you're learning.
- Stress falls on the penultimate syllable: llá-mas, llá-ma, no-mbre.
- In ¿Cuál es tu nombre?, link es tu into a smooth es-tu without a hard stop.
Adjusting the Talk–Teach dial mid-practice
Start with the dial on Talk to me and run the exchange three times. Then nudge it toward Teach me and ask: "Why te in te llamas but se in se llama?" The Langel explains the reflexive pronoun shift between tú and usted without a grammar lecture. Slide the dial back to Talk to me and keep speaking.
Common mistakes the Langel corrects inside its reply
- Saying ¿Cómo te llama? (missing the s) → Langel models ¿Cómo te llamas? naturally.
- Answering Yo me llamo Ana (extra yo) → Langel echoes Me llamo Ana so you hear the leaner form.
- Mixing registers: ¿Cómo se llamas? → Langel repeats the matching pair ¿Cómo te llamas? / ¿Cómo se llama?.
Frequently asked questions
Which one should I learn first?
¿Cómo te llamas? / Me llamo… covers 90 % of daily encounters. Add the usted pair once you're comfortable.
Do I need usted as a beginner?
Only if you're heading to a formal workplace or speaking with noticeably older people. Otherwise tú is standard in most of Latin America and Spain among peers.
What if they answer with two surnames?
Spanish names often have two family names (e.g., Ana García López). Just repeat the given name: Encantado, Ana. The Langel will model this if you practice the scenario.
With a Langel
> You: ¿Cómo te llamas? > Langel: ¿Cómo te llamas? > You: Me llamo Alex. ¿Y tú? > Langel: Me llamo Elena. Encantada. > You: Encantado, Elena. > Langel: Encantado, Elena. > You: ¿Cómo se llama su amigo? > Langel: ¿Cómo se llama su amigo? > You: Se llama Carlos. > Langel: Se llama Carlos. > You: Gracias. > Langel: De nada. Hasta la próxima.
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