Practical Notes
First Sentences · Beginner
How to Ask Someone’s Name in Chinese
Learn one clear question-and-answer pattern for exchanging names.
Quick answer
Ask 你叫什么名字
？and answer with 我叫
+ your name.
你叫什么名字？
What is your name?
Hear the phrase, then repeat it aloud.
When to use it
Use this when meeting someone in a casual beginner conversation.
Common mistake
Keep 什么名字
together. Do not copy English word order and move 什么
to the beginning.
Practise aloud
Read each conversation from top to bottom.
你叫什么名字？ What’s your name?
我叫 Louis。 My name is Louis.
你好，Louis！ Hello, Louis!
Practise the question and answer as one exchange. Then repeat it with different names so the pattern becomes automatic.
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