To say my name is in French, use Je m'appelle plus your name: Je m'appelle Anna (zhuh mah-PEL AH-nah). Literally it means "I call myself". In conversation, Je suis Anna and Moi, c'est Anna sound just as natural. To ask someone's name, say Comment vous appelez-vous ? (polite) or Tu t'appelles comment ? (informal).
- My name is…
- Je m'appelle…
- I'm…
- Je suis…
- Casual
- Moi, c'est…
- What's your name? (vous)
- Comment vous appelez-vous ?
- What's your name? (tu)
- Tu t'appelles comment ?
- Level
- A1
Je m'appelle, je suis or mon nom est?
Je m'appelle is the one every textbook starts with, and it is right everywhere. Je suis is what many people actually say when they walk up and introduce themselves, often with a detail: who they are, or why they are there. Moi, c'est is the friendly answer once someone else has given their name first.
| French | English | Feel |
|---|---|---|
| Je m'appelle Anna. | My name is Anna. | Neutral; works anywhere |
| Je suis Anna, la nouvelle voisine. | I'm Anna, the new neighbour. | Natural when you introduce yourself in person |
| Moi, c'est Anna. Et toi ? | I'm Anna. And you? | Casual reply, among people your age |
| Mon prénom, c'est Anna. | My first name is Anna. | When you need to separate first name and surname |
| Mon nom est Martin. | My (sur)name is Martin. | Stiff in conversation; sounds like a form or a film |
| C'est Anna. | It's Anna. | On the phone or at the door |
Notice that nom on its own often means surname. On a French form, Nom asks for your family name and Prénom for your first name.
How do you ask someone's name in French?
Choose tu or vous first. With an adult you don't know, a shopkeeper or anyone older, use vous. With children, other students, or when the other person has already said tu to you, use tu.
Comment vous appelez-vous ?
What is your name?
Polite, a little formal.
Vous vous appelez comment ?
What's your name?
Polite but everyday; the question word moves to the end.
Tu t'appelles comment ?
What's your name?
Informal, tu.
C'est quoi, ton prénom ?
What's your first name?
Very casual.
Ça s'écrit comment ?
How is that spelled?
Contos stories use the same verb to introduce characters. In one beginner romance, a small fire in a Paris courtyard brings Margot face to face with the man from the flat opposite:
Il s'appelle Julien.Why does appeler have one l in some forms and two in others?
The verb is s'appeler, to be called. When the ending is silent the l doubles and the vowel before it sounds like the e in "bed": je m'appelle, tu t'appelles, il s'appelle. When the ending is spoken, one l is enough: nous nous appelons, vous vous appelez.
Don't drop the little m'. J'appelle means "I'm calling", as in phoning someone, so j'appelle Anna tells people you are about to ring her.
Meet Margot, Julien and dozens of other characters in free A1 French chapters; tap any word to translate it.
Read free in your browserFrequently asked questions
How do you pronounce je m'appelle?
"zhuh mah-PEL". The j sounds like the s in "measure", and the e of je is short and soft; many speakers almost swallow it, giving "zh'mah-PEL". The final e of appelle is silent.
Is mon nom est wrong?
Not wrong, just unusual in conversation. It sounds formal, like reading from a document. Je m'appelle or je suis is what people say when they meet.
How do you say my name is in a formal email?
Je m'appelle Anna Martin works, but in a first email French writers often prefer Je suis Anna Martin, followed by your role, or Je me permets de vous écrire… (I am taking the liberty of writing to you…).
How do you answer comment tu t'appelles?
Je m'appelle Anna, or simply Anna. If you want to return the question, add Et toi ? (and you?), or Et vous ? if the conversation is in vous.