How to Say ‘What is your name?’ in Mexican Spanish
¿Cómo se llama?
KOH-moh seh YAH-mah
[KOH-moh seh YAH-mah]
💬 Usage Tip: Spanish often uses [se llama] literally "calls himself/herself" where English uses "is named." You can reuse the pattern with polite [you]: [¿Cómo se llama?] and for someone else: [¿Cómo se llama ella?]
🇲🇽 In Mexico: This is the polite way to ask a stranger's name in Mexico. With someone your age in a casual setting, [¿Cómo te llamas?] is more natural.
Phrase Breakdown
Cómo
[KOH-moh]
how
Here it is used in the expression asking someone's name.
¿Cómo se llama su amigo?
What is your friend's name?
se
[seh]
oneself / yourself
A reflexive pronoun used with 'llamarse,' the verb used for names.
¿Cómo se llama la doctora nueva?
What is the new doctor's name?
llama
[YAH-mah]
is called
From 'llamarse'; used to ask or say what someone is named.
Mi vecino se llama Carlos.
My neighbor is named Carlos.
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