French · Greetings & Essentials
"What's your name?" in French: Tu t'appelles comment ?
Tu t'appelles comment ?
Note: formal: Comment vous appelez-vous ?
What's your name in French is often Tu t'appelles comment ? in everyday tu speech. The formal version is Comment vous appelez-vous ? Both ask for the other person's name.
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How to pronounce Tu t'appelles comment ?
Say it
tew ta-PELL koh-MAHN
/ty ta.pɛl kɔ.mɑ̃/
Tu is tew. T'appelles is ta-PELL. Comment is koh-MAHN. Rise at the end for the question.
"What's your name?" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| Tu t'appelles comment ? | What's your name? Default casual. | Default casual. |
| Comment tu t'appelles ? | What's your name? Same meaning, different order. | Same meaning, different order. |
| Comment vous appelez-vous ? | What's your name? (formal) Vous form. | Vous form. |
| C'est quoi ton prénom ? | What's your first name? Very casual. | Very casual. |
How to use Tu t'appelles comment ? in real life
- 1Language exchange
Salut ! Tu t'appelles comment ?
Hi! What's your name?
Classic casual ask.
- 2Party intro
Pardon, tu t'appelles comment déjà ?
Sorry, what's your name again?
Déjà for a reminder.
- 3New roommate
On n'a pas encore fait les présentations : tu t'appelles comment ?
We haven't introduced ourselves yet: what's your name?
Full phrase in context.
Mistakes English speakers make with Tu t'appelles comment ?
Incorrect: Comment t'appelles ?
Correct: Tu t'appelles comment ? / Comment tu t'appelles ?
Keep tu (or the vous form) in the question.
Incorrect: What's your name ? in a French café to a stranger you should vousvoyer.
Correct: Comment vous appelez-vous ?
Use the formal pattern with vous when needed.
Good to know
Word order is flexible in speech: Tu t'appelles comment ? and Comment tu t'appelles ? both sound natural. Formal settings prefer Comment vous appelez-vous ?
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Meeting at a coworking desk
ChatPal
Hey ! Tu t'appelles comment ?
Hey! What's your name?
You
Je m'appelle Camille. Et toi, tu t'appelles comment ?
My name is Camille. And you, what's your name?
ChatPal
Moi c'est Jules.
I'm Jules.
You
Enchanté, Jules.
Nice to meet you, Jules.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"What's your name?" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "What's your name?" in French
How do you say what's your name in French?
Tu t'appelles comment ?
What is the formal version?
Comment vous appelez-vous ?
Is Comment tu t'appelles okay?
Yes — same meaning.
How do you answer?
Je m'appelle…
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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