Portuguese Phrase
Como você se chama?
Meaning
Literally ‘How do you call yourself?’, this is the standard way to ask someone’s name in Brazilian Portuguese. It is polite yet informal, suitable for most everyday encounters.
When to use
Use this phrase when meeting a new person for the first time, in a casual setting such as a party, a class, or a social gathering. It works well with people of the same age group or when you want to keep the conversation friendly and relaxed.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Comovocêsechama?
Como (question word)
‘Como’ means ‘how’ and introduces a question about manner or identity.
você (subject pronoun)
‘você’ is the informal second‑person singular pronoun in most of Brazil; it triggers third‑person verb forms.
se (reflexive pronoun)
The reflexive pronoun ‘se’ is required with the verb ‘chamar’ when asking someone’s own name.
chama (present indicative)
‘chama’ is the 3rd‑person singular present form of ‘chamar’; with ‘você’ it works as a 2nd‑person polite form.
Verb + pronoun order
In Portuguese the reflexive pronoun comes before the verb (se chama), not after.
🗨In Conversation
Como você se chama?
What’s your name?
Eu me chamo Ana.
My name is Ana.
✕Common Mistakes
Como você chama?
Missing the reflexive pronoun ‘se’; the verb must be reflexive when asking for a name.
Qual seu nome?
In Portuguese the article ‘o’ is required before ‘seu nome’ in standard speech.
Você se chama como?
Word order is incorrect; the question word ‘Como’ must start the sentence.
↔Alternatives
Qual é o seu nome?
What is your name?
Como é o seu nome?
What is your name?
Qual o seu nome?
What’s your name?
Cultural Tip
In Brazil, ‘você’ is the default informal pronoun, but in the South and in more formal contexts people may prefer ‘o senhor/a senhora’ or the regional ‘tu’. If you’re unsure, start with ‘Como você se chama?’ and adjust based on the other person’s response. Also, Brazilians often follow the question with a smile and a handshake or a light hug, depending on the region.