How do you ask someone's name in Portuguese?
Say Qual é o seu nome? or Como você se chama?; both are fine with anyone. With an older person, Qual é o nome do senhor? (to a man) or da senhora (to a woman) is extra polite.
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Qual é o seu nome? | What's your name? | Unit 2 |
| Como você se chama? | What's your name? | Unit 2 |
| Qual é o nome do senhor? | What's your name? (polite, to an older man) | Not in the course |
How do you say "my name is" in Portuguese?
Say Meu nome é… or Me chamo…, then Muito prazer ("Nice to meet you"); Eu sou… ("I'm…") is common too.
| Portuguese | Meaning | In CiaoSpeak |
|---|---|---|
| Meu nome é Ana. | My name is Ana. | Unit 2 |
| Me chamo Lucas. | My name is Lucas. | Unit 2 |
| Muito prazer. | Nice to meet you. | Unit 2 |
| O prazer é meu. | The pleasure is mine. | Unit 2 |
What does a first meeting sound like?
In the first scene of CiaoSpeak's Speak tab, Ana introduces herself and you answer:
Meeting Ana
Meu nome é Ana. Muito prazer!
My name is Ana. Nice to meet you!
Muito prazer, Ana.
Nice to meet you, Ana.
More on greetings and muito prazer: the guide to Portuguese greetings.
What mistakes do English speakers make with names?
The common mistakes are Meu nome está… and Eu chamo… without me.
- Meu nome está Ana. A name takes é: Meu nome é Ana.
- Eu chamo Lucas means "I call Lucas". It's Me chamo Lucas (or Eu me chamo Lucas).
- Dropping the é in writing. Qual seu nome? is common in quick speech, but write Qual é o seu nome?.
How can you practice saying it out loud?
Say it to someone who answers. In CiaoSpeak's Brazilian Portuguese course, the lessons teach Meu nome é… and Muito prazer with a recording in a Brazilian accent, and in the Speak tab a character in a real scene (a São Paulo baker, a Rio ride-app driver, your language-exchange partner Ana) talks to you and you answer out loud. The app tells you whether a Brazilian would understand you, with one gentle fix if not. Lessons are free; in the Speak tab, today's questions (up to five a day) are free too, and CiaoSpeak+ adds practice in any scene whenever you like. More phrases: how to say everyday things in Portuguese.