Spanish · Greetings & Essentials

"My name is…" in Spanish: me llamo…

me llamo…

Say it: meh YAH-mohphrase/me ˈʝamo/

My name is… in Spanish is me llamo…. Literally me llamo means I call myself. Mi nombre es also works beside me llamo in introductions.

First day of class

Hola, me llamo Sam.
Hi, my name is Sam.
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How to pronounce me llamo…

Say it

meh YAH-moh

/me ˈʝamo/

meh YAH-moh. Stress YAH in llamo. In Latin America ll sounds like y, so me llamo starts meh-YAH.

"My name is…" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
me llamo…my name is… / I'm called…

Most common self-introduction.

mi nombre es…my name is…

Clear alternative to me llamo.

soy…I am…

Short intro with just your name.

me llamo … y soy de…my name is … and I'm from…

Name plus hometown pattern.

pueden llamarme…you can call me…

Offering a nickname to ustedes.

How to use me llamo… in real life

  1. 1First day of class

    Hola, me llamo Sam.

    Hi, my name is Sam.

    Me llamo plus your name is enough.

  2. 2A networking event

    Me llamo Carla y trabajo en diseño.

    My name is Carla and I work in design.

    Add your role after me llamo.

  3. 3Meeting parents

    Mucho gusto. Me llamo Diego.

    Nice to meet you. My name is Diego.

    Pair mucho gusto with me llamo.

Mistakes English speakers make with me llamo…

Incorrect: Yo llamo Sam.

Correct: Me llamo Sam.

Keep the me: me llamo. Yo llamo means I call someone else.

Incorrect: Me llama Sam. (talking about yourself)

Correct: Me llamo Sam.

For yourself use me llamo, not me llama.

Good to know

Latin American introductions often give first names quickly, then ask ¿Cómo te llamas?. In formal rooms you may hear full names after me llamo. A handshake still commonly follows the name.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Introducing yourself in a language exchange

  1. ChatPal

    Empecemos. ¿Cómo te llamas?

    Let's start. What's your name?

  2. You

    Me llamo Alex.

    My name is Alex.

  3. ChatPal

    Mucho gusto, Alex. Yo me llamo Sofía.

    Nice to meet you, Alex. My name is Sofía.

  4. You

    Igual, Sofía.

    Likewise, Sofía.

This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.

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"My name is…" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "My name is…" in Spanish

Is me llamo or mi nombre es better?

Both work. Me llamo is the everyday default.

How do you pronounce me llamo?

meh YAH-moh. In Latin America ll in llamo sounds like y.

Does llamo change for women?

No. Everyone says me llamo. Gender shows in other words.

How do I give a nickname?

Say me llamo …, pero pueden llamarme … with ustedes.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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