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Lesson 5 of 238

New here? This is lesson 5 of a free 238-lesson Spanish course.

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My name and where I'm from in Spanish

Amanda sits down at Justin's table in Café Laurel. She asks what every new neighbor asks: his name, where he's from, where he lives, and his last name.

Yako tries a very long name, and Michael shortens it to plain Yako.

You'll be able to say your name, where you're from, where you live, how old you are, and your last name.

These are the questions you'll get in a taxi, at a party, and at the next café table.

By the end of this lesson

Say your name, ask where someone is from, say where you're from and where you live, give your age and last name, and ask theirs.

  • Me llamo ___.My name is ___
  • ¿De dónde eres?Where are you from?
  • Soy deI'm from ___
  • ¿Dónde vives?Where do you live?
  • Vivo en ___.I live in ___
  • Tengo ___ años.I'm ___
  • Mi apellido es ___.My last name is ___
  • ¿Cuál es tu apellido?What's your last name?

Scene — names at the table

It's mid-morning at Café Laurel. Amanda has joined Justin at his table, and Yako is spread across his two chairs nearby.

Michael is at the counter with one ear on them, because Yako is about to try a very long name.

Amanda sits at Café Laurel for names and cities.

Learn — introduce yourself

Here are today's eight lines. Press Play, listen, then say each one out loud.

Clear and slow is enough. You don't have to rush a name or a city.

  1. Yako tries me llamo Yako de la Mesa de Atrás, using the whole hello.

    Me llamo ___.

    My name is ___

    When to use it: When someone asks your name or you introduce yourself.

    Me llamo Amanda. Me llamo Justin. The name fills the blank.

  2. ¿De dónde eres?: Amanda asks Justin where he is from, leaning forward over the table with a curious look.

    ¿De dónde eres?

    Where are you from?

    When to use it: When you want to know someone's hometown or country.

  3. Soy de: Justin presses a hand to his chest and answers proudly, a big-city skyline in a thought bubble above him.

    Soy de

    I'm from ___

    When to use it: Right before the city or country you come from.

    Soy de Chicago. Soy de México. Say the place right after de.

  4. ¿Dónde vives?: Amanda asks where Justin lives, tilting her head and gesturing toward the street outside the window.

    ¿Dónde vives?

    Where do you live?

    When to use it: When from is not enough and you want their neighborhood now.

  5. Vivo en ___: Justin points out the window at the nearby colonia street where he lives, with a pleased smile.

    Vivo en ___.

    I live in ___

    When to use it: To say the neighborhood or city where you live now.

  6. Tengo ___ años: Yako holds up both hands with fingers spread and a sheepish look, dodging the question of his age.

    Tengo ___ años.

    I'm ___

    When to use it: To give your age in Spanish.

    Use a number in the blank: Tengo treinta años.

  7. Mi apellido es ___: Justin raises one finger as he says his last name, and Amanda listens with a smile.

    Mi apellido es ___.

    My last name is ___

    When to use it: When someone asks your family name.

  8. ¿Cuál es tu apellido?

    What's your last name?

    When to use it: A direct way to ask someone's last name.

    Cuál picks one answer from a set; here, your family name.

Story — call me Yako

Watch Amanda ask where Justin lives, and watch Yako shorten his own very long name.

The highlighted words are the lines you just learned. Tap ▶ to play the scene, and turn on Show English if you get stuck.

  1. Amanda sits down with Justin at Café Laurel and starts by giving her name.
  2. AmandaHola, Justin. Me llamo Amanda.Hi, Justin. My name is Amanda.
  3. YakoMe llamo Yako de la Mesa de Atrás.My name is Yako from the Back Table.
  4. YakoDime Yako.Call me Yako.
  5. Amanda¿Qué onda, Justin? ¿De dónde eres?What's up, Justin? Where are you from?
  6. JustinSoy de Chicago.I'm from Chicago.
  7. Amanda¿Dónde vives ahora?Where do you live now?
  8. JustinVivo en la colonia El Laurel.I live in Colonia El Laurel.
  9. Amanda¿Cuál es tu apellido?What's your last name?
  10. JustinMi apellido es Miller.My last name is Miller.
  11. YakoTengo años, ¿y qué?I've got years. So what? (He skips the number.)
  12. Yako accepts the short name and sits back on his two chairs.

Practice — names and places

Eleven quick exercises, each one a question at the table. Pick an answer and press Check.

Keep trying until it's right, or use the skip button and come back. After the right answer, you'll see why.

0 of 11 done

  1. What did you hear?

  2. Match the pairs

    Spanish

    Me llamo ___.Drop the English here
    ¿De dónde eres?Drop the English here
    ¿Dónde vives?Drop the English here
    Vivo en ___.Drop the English here
    ¿Cuál es tu apellido?Drop the English here

    English

    Drag an English line onto its Spanish, or tap one and then the other.

  3. What does it mean?

    Soy de

  4. What do you say?

    Someone new asks your family name at the table.

  5. Pick the reply

    Amanda says:

    ¿Dónde vives?

    Where do you live?

    And you reply with:

  6. Fill the gap

    I'm ___

    Tengo ___ ____.

  7. Build the line

    What's your last name?

    ¿ ?

    Tap the words in order.

  8. Which picture fits “Me llamo ___”?

  9. What do you say?

    Yako waves and you answer with a casual what's up.

  10. What does it mean?

    Dime ___.

  11. What does it mean?

    Hola.

Say it — your turn

You play Justin at the table. Amanda speaks first, and you answer out loud.

Tap the microphone and your device checks you. Nothing is uploaded. Tap ▶ to hear the line, or the skip button to move on.

  1. AmandaHola. ¿De dónde eres?Hi. Where are you from?
  2. Justin (you)Say you're from your hometown (add the city).

    Soy de

    I'm from ___

0 of 5 said

Recap — what you can say now

SpanishEnglish
Me llamo ___.My name is ___
¿De dónde eres?Where are you from?
Soy deI'm from ___
¿Dónde vives?Where do you live?
Vivo en ___.I live in ___
Tengo ___ años.I'm ___
Mi apellido es ___.My last name is ___
¿Cuál es tu apellido?What's your last name?
Next: lesson 6My number and my email

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Keep practicing with Yak Cards

Name and place lines from this lesson are in Yak Cards with your doorway check-ins.

Practice Me llamo ___ and Soy de ___ with your real name and city today.

Open Yak Cards