How to Introduce Yourself in Spanish

No matter how little Spanish you know, its easy to introduce yourself to someone who speaks Spanish. Here are three ways you can do it: Introduce Yourself: Method 1 Simply follow these steps, and youll be well on your way to making a connection with someone even if that person doesnt speak your language: To say hello or hi, merely say Hola or OH-la (rhymes with Lola; note that the letter h is silent in Spanish).To introduce yourself, simply say Me llamo (may YAHM-oh) followed by your name. For example, Hola, me llamo Chris (OH-la, may YAHM-oh Chris) means Hi, Im Chris.To ask someones name in a formal way, say  ¿Cà ³mo se llama usted? or KOH-moh say YAHM-ah oo-STED. (The oo rhymes with moo.) This means, What is your name?In an informal setting, or if speaking to a child, say  ¿Cà ³mo te llamas? or KOH-mo tay YAHM-ahss. That also means, What is your name?After the person responds, you may say, Mucho gusto or MOOCH-oh GOOSE-toh. The phrase means much pleasure or, less literally, pleased to meet you. Introduce Yourself: Method 2 This second method may be a slightly less common way of introducing yourself, but its still perfectly acceptable and is easier to learn. Most of the steps are the same as above, but for the second step, where you actually introduce yourself, merely say Hola followed by soy and your name. Soy is pronounced basically the same as it is in English. Hola, soy Chris means Hello, Im Chris. Introduce Yourself: Method 3 The third method also isnt as common as the first in most areas, but it may be the most straightforward way for those who have English as a first language. For the second step, you can use Mi nombre es or mee NOHM-breh ess followed by your name. Thus, if your name is Chris, you can say: Hola, mi nombre es Chris. Whichever method you use, dont be afraid to sound silly. Youll be understood by following these directions, and in nearly any Spanish-speaking area even the feeblest attempts to speak Spanish will be honored. Spanish Introductions The most common way to introduce yourself in Spanish is to say  Me llamo followed by your name.Alternatives include Mi nombre es or Soy followed by your name.Hola can be used for either  hi or hello. Grammar and Vocabulary Behind These Introductions You dont need to understand the precise meanings of what youre saying or how the words relate to each other grammatically to introduce yourself. But if youre curious, or if youre planning on learning Spanish, you may find them interesting to know. As you might have guessed, hola and hello are basically the same word. Those who know etymology, the study of word origins, think the word goes back to at least the 14th century, before English and Spanish existed in their current form. Although it is unclear how the word entered Spanish, it probably originated with German as a way of trying to get someones attention. Me in the first method above means myself (obviously, theres an etymological connection with the English me), and llamo is a form of the verb llamar, which usually means to call. So if you say Me llamo Chris, thats a direct equivalent of I call myself Chris. Llamar is used in many of the same ways as to call is, such as for calling out to someone or calling someone on the telephone. In both Spanish and English, verbs in which the person is referring to doing something to him- or herself are known as reflexive verbs. The reason two methods are used with llamar for asking someones name is because Spanish differentiates between formal and informal (sometimes called formal and familiar) ways of addressing people. English used to do the same thing — thou, thee and thine were all informal terms at one time, although in modern English you and your can be used in both formal and informal situations. Although there are regional variations in how Spanish distinguishes between the two forms, as a foreigner you are safer in using the formal form ( ¿Cà ³mo se llama _____?) with adults and especially with authority figures. Soy is a form of the verb ser, which means to be. In the final method, mi nombre es is a word-for-word equivalent of my name is. Like soy, es comes from the  verb ser.