Now that you can greet someone, it's time to introduce yourself. This lesson teaches you the two main ways Brazilians say 'my name is' — and how to ask someone else's name. By the end, you'll be able to have your first real exchange with a Brazilian. Vamos lá!
Learning tips
- 'Meu nome é...' (my name is) and 'Eu me chamo...' (I'm called) are both used all the time — pick whichever feels easier.
- Brazilians love nicknames — 'Beatriz' becomes 'Bia', 'Rafael' becomes 'Rafa'. Don't be surprised if your new friend introduces themselves with a nickname right away.
- Drop subject pronouns ('eu', 'você') when the verb makes it clear — 'Me chamo Ana' is perfectly natural.
- The 'nh' in 'tenho' or the 'ch' in 'chamo' both sound like English 'ny' and 'sh' respectively.
Warm-up & Active Recall
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| oi | hi |
| bom dia | good morning |
| boa tarde | good afternoon |
| boa noite | good night |
| tchau | bye |
| tudo bem | how are you? (all well) |
| tudo bom | how are you? (all good) |
| bem | well/good |
| mal | badly |
| obrigado/obrigada | thank you |
Dialog
Beatriz meets a new neighbor in her building in Santa Teresa. Watch how they exchange names, surnames, and pleasantries. Notice that 'Meu nome é...' and 'Eu me chamo...' are both used — Brazilians mix them freely.
Vocabulary
Active words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| meu nome é | /mew ˈno.mi ˈɛ/ | my name is | The most common way to introduce yourself |
| o seu nome | /u sew ˈno.mi/ | your name | Literally 'the your name' — BR often includes the article |
| eu me chamo | /ew mi ˈʃɐ.mu/ | I'm called (I call myself) | Reflexive verb chamar-se — equally common |
| você se chama | /voˈse si ˈʃɐ.mɐ/ | you are called (you call yourself) | Used when asking 'Como você se chama?' |
| muito prazer | /ˈmũj̃.tu pɾaˈzeʁ/ | very nice to meet you | The standard polite response when introduced |
| igualmente | /i.ɡwawˈmẽ.tʃi/ | likewise, same here | Perfect reply to 'muito prazer' |
| eu | /ew/ | I | First-person pronoun |
| você | /voˈse/ | you (informal) | The default 2nd-person pronoun in Brazil, conjugated with 3rd-person singular |
| sim | /ˈsĩ/ | yes | Nasalized: /sĩ/ |
| não | /ˈnɐ̃w̃/ | no | Very nasalized: /nɐ̃w̃/ — similar to saying 'now' while humming |
Passive words
| Word | IPA | Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| prazer em conhecer | /pɾaˈzeʁ ẽj̃ ko.ɲeˈseʁ/ | pleasure to meet | Slightly more formal variation |
| o sobrenome | /u so.bɾiˈno.mi/ | the surname / family name | Brazilians often have multiple surnames |
| também | /tɐ̃ˈbẽj̃/ | also, too | Very useful connector |
| né? | /ˈnɛ/ | right? / isn't it? | Tag question — super common in spoken BR |
| ele | /ˈe.li/ | he | 3rd-person masc. |
| ela | /ˈɛ.lɐ/ | she | 3rd-person fem. |
Useful chunks
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| qual é o seu nome? | what is your name? |
| como você se chama? | how are you called? (how do you call yourself?) |
Grammar: Subject pronouns and chamar-se (reflexive) in present tense
| Pronome | Chamar-se (presente) | Exemplo |
|---|---|---|
| Eu | (me) chamo | Eu me chamo Beatriz. |
| Você | (se) chama | Você se chama Thiago? |
| Ele / Ela | (se) chama | Ela se chama Camila. |
| Nós / A gente | (nos) chamamos / (se) chama | Nós nos chamamos Silva. / A gente se chama Silva. |
| Vocês | (se) chamam | Vocês se chamam como? |
| Eles / Elas | (se) chamam | Eles se chamam Souza. |
Brazilian Portuguese usually drops subject pronouns when the verb is clear, and 'você' is the default informal 2nd-person (conjugated like 3rd-person singular).
To introduce yourself, Brazilian Portuguese gives you two equally good options:
1. Meu nome é [name]. — literally 'My name is [name].'
2. Eu me chamo [name]. — literally 'I call myself [name].' (reflexive verb)
Both are natural and used daily. 'Chamar-se' is a reflexive verb — notice the 'me' (myself) in 'eu me chamo' and 'se' (yourself) in 'você se chama'.
To ask someone's name:
- Qual é o seu nome? (What's your name?) — literally 'Which is the your name?'
- Como você se chama? (What are you called?) — more direct
Subject pronouns in BR:
- eu (I)
- você (you, informal — conjugated with 3rd-person forms!)
- ele (he) / ela (she)
- nós (we) — formal/written
- a gente (we) — informal/spoken, conjugated as 3rd-person singular
- vocês (you plural)
- eles (they, masc.) / elas (they, fem.)
A key Brazilian quirk: 'você' takes 3rd-person singular verb endings. So 'Você se chama...' is grammatically like 'He/she calls himself/herself...' Keep this in mind — it affects every verb you learn from now on.
Exercises
Fill in the Blanks
Complete each sentence with the missing word.
- Oi! Eu Beatriz.(chamar-se, eu form)
- Qual é o nome?(possessive — your)
- Muito !(nice to meet you)
- Ela Camila.(chamar-se, ela form)
- prazer! — Igualmente.(very / a lot)
Grammar Application
Conjugate or choose correctly.
- Complete: 'Eu Maria.' (chamar-se)(chamar-se with eu)
- Complete: 'Você Pedro?' (chamar-se)(chamar-se with você)
- Complete: 'Ele João.' (chamar-se)(chamar-se with ele)
- Escolha: Eu / Ele — me chamo Ana.(which pronoun matches 'me chamo'?)
- Escolha: Você / Ela — se chama como?(which pronoun matches 'se chama'?)
Translation (English → Portuguese)
Translate each sentence into Brazilian Portuguese.
- My name is Thiago.
- What is your name?
- Nice to meet you!
- Her name is Ana.
- Yes, I'm Beatriz.
Creative Construction
Write a short self-introduction in Brazilian Portuguese. Then try introducing a friend.
Takeaway
To say your name: 'Meu nome é...' OR 'Eu me chamo...'. To ask: 'Qual é o seu nome?' or 'Como você se chama?'. Respond to 'Muito prazer!' with 'Igualmente!'