How to Ask Someone's Name in Spanish: Formal and Informal Phrases
Learn to ask "What's your name?" in Spanish for both casual and polite situations, with pronunciation, regional notes, and a short dialogue.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Asking someone's name is one of the first real conversations you will have in Spanish, and the wording you choose signals how polite or casual you want to sound. Spanish has a relaxed question for friends and peers and a more respectful question for strangers, older people, or professional settings. This lesson teaches both, plus the small words that make a question sound courteous. You will practice five useful phrases, see how word order changes between formal and informal, and avoid the most common beginner error.
By the end, you can…
- ask a peer or friend their name using an informal question.
- ask a stranger, elder, or professional their name politely.
- choose between informal and formal phrasing based on the situation.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
¿Cómo te llamas?
What's your name? (informal)
KOH-moh teh YAH-mahs
Use with friends, classmates, people your age, or children. Literally "How do you call yourself?" The double l sounds like the y in "yes" in most Latin American varieties, but in many parts of Spain and some Andean regions it sounds closer to the ll in "million" or the s in "measure."
¿Cómo se llama?
What's your name? (formal)
KOH-moh seh YAH-mah
Use with strangers, older people, customers, doctors, or anyone you address as usted. The pronoun se marks the formal you.
¿Me permite su nombre?
May I ask your name?
meh pehr-MEE-teh soo NOHM-breh
Very polite and somewhat formal. Common in customer service, reception desks, and professional phone calls. Su is the formal possessive "your."
¿Cuál es tu nombre?
What is your name? (informal)
kwahl ehs too NOHM-breh
A neutral, direct alternative to ¿Cómo te llamas? Use tu for informal you. It sounds slightly more like a form or a teacher taking attendance.
¿Cuál es su nombre?
What is your name? (formal)
kwahl ehs soo NOHM-breh
The formal version of the previous phrase. Use su for formal you. Good in offices, hotels, and any situation where you want to show respect.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The informal question uses te: ¿Cómo te llamas? The formal question changes that one word to se: ¿Cómo se llama? The verb llamar literally means "to call," so the question is closer to "How do you call yourself?" You can also ask directly with a name word: ¿Cuál es tu nombre? (informal) and ¿Cuál es su nombre? (formal). Notice that tu and su both mean "your," but tu goes with informal you and su with formal you. The verb stays the same in both direct questions: es.
When to use it
Choose the informal form with friends, siblings, classmates, teammates, and people clearly your own age in casual settings. Choose the formal form with strangers, people older than you, supervisors, officials, and anyone you would address as usted. In many Latin American workplaces, the formal form is the safe default until the other person invites you to switch, often by saying "tutéame" or simply using your first name. If you are unsure, start formal; it is rarely offensive, while being too casual with an elder can feel disrespectful.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hola, ¿cómo te llamas?
Hi, what's your name?OH-lah, KOH-moh teh YAH-mahsMe llamo Ana. ¿Y tú?
My name is Ana. And you?meh YAH-moh AH-nah. ee tooYo soy Luis. Mucho gusto.
I'm Luis. Nice to meet you.yoh soy LWEES. MOO-choh GOOS-tohIgualmente.
Likewise.ee-gwahl-MEN-tehA little context goes a long way
In much of Latin America, usted is not only for strangers; it can also express respect or affection within families and between coworkers. Younger speakers in cities like Mexico City or Buenos Aires may use informal forms more quickly, while some Andean and Central American regions keep usted longer. When in doubt, use the formal question first and let the other person set the tone.
One thing to watch for
Using ¿Cómo te llamas? with a stranger, an older person, or a client because it is the phrase you learned first.
Try this instead: Use the formal version instead: ¿Cómo se llama? or ¿Cuál es su nombre? For example, to a hotel receptionist, say "Disculpe, ¿cómo se llama?" The informal te can sound overly familiar in that context.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are talking to a new classmate your own age. Which question fits best?
Show a sample answer
¿Cómo te llamas?
The informal te matches a peer in a casual setting. ¿Cuál es tu nombre? also works here and is equally acceptable.
2You need the name of a doctor at a clinic. Which question is more appropriate?
Show a sample answer
¿Cómo se llama?
The formal se shows respect to a professional you do not know. ¿Cuál es su nombre? is another correct formal option.
3Which word changes between ¿Cómo te llamas? and ¿Cómo se llama?
Show a sample answer
The pronoun changes from te to se.
Te marks informal you and se marks formal you; the verb llamar stays the same. This single change is what makes the question polite.
Use ¿Cómo te llamas? with peers and ¿Cómo se llama? with strangers, elders, or professionals. When unsure, start formal; it is the safer choice.
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