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How to Say ‘What's the name of’ in Portuguese

Como se chama

KOH-moo seh SHAH-mah

[KOH-moo seh SHAH-mah]

💬 Usage Tip: Literally 'how does … call themselves'. Add any person after it: Como se chama o teu pai? "What's your father's name?"

Phrase Breakdown

Como

[KOH-moo]

how

Used to ask about the manner or quality of something.

Example

Como foi a viagem?

How was the trip?

[seh]

itself

A reflexive pronoun often used to emphasize the previous word.

Example

O projeto se completou "se" sozinho.

The project completed itself.

chama

[SHAH-mah]

calls

A form of 'chamar' (to call); with 'se' it means 'is called' or 'is named'.

Example

Como se chama o teu pai?

What is your father's name?

Guides for Portuguese learners

The Portuguese You Actually Need in Your First Month in PortugalThe European Portuguese phrases for your first weeks in Portugal: paperwork, renting a flat, the bank, the health centre, cafés, trains and your new neighbours.

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