Introducing yourself

Travel to wherever Spanish is spoken, and chances are you'll meet people you've never seen before. You need not be tongue-tied as you introduce yourself.

Difficulty: Easy

Time Required: 5 minutes

Here's How:

1. To say hello, merely say 'Hola' or 'oh-la' (rhymes with 'Lola'; note that the letter H is silent in Spanish).
2. To intoduce yourself, merely say 'Me llamo' (may YAHM-oh) followed by your name. For example, 'Hola, me llamo Chris' ('OH-la, may YAHM-oh Chris') means 'Hi, I'm Chris.'
3. To ask someone's name in a formal setting, say '¿Cómo se llama usted?' or 'KOH-moh say YAHM-ah oo-STED.' (The 'oo' rhymes with 'moo.' This means, 'What is your name?'
4. In an informal setting, or if speaking to a child, say '¿Cómo te llamas?' or 'KOH-mo tay YAHM-ahss.' That also means, 'What is your name?'
5. After the person responds, you may say, 'Mucho gusto' or 'MOOCH-oh GOOSE-toe.' The phrase means 'much pleasure' or, in this context it is understood as 'pleased to meet you.'

Tips:

1. To sound better with these phrases, learn how the Spanish letters are pronounced.
2. Don't be afraid to sound silly. In nearly any Spanish-speaking area, even the feeblest attempts to speak Spanish will be honored.