Is the Spanish spoken in the commercial grammatically correct? In the ad, Sofia Vergara is teaching Owen Wilson how to say his name. They both say “Mi nombre es Owen.” My high school Spanish teacher taught us that the proper way to introduce yourself is with “Me llamo Owen.” which translates to “I am called Owen.” Saying “mi nombre,” as in “my name” is improper and/or rude.
So what is the correct, polite way to introduce yourself to a fellow futbol fan?
Non Spanish speaker here (other than high school and college). However, I found this on Quora (and similar statements on other sites)
Me llamoliterally translates toI call myself, whereasMi nombre esisMy name is, but the two mean essentially the same.
Also, found this, from here
Note that while these more literal structures are grammatically correct, it is not the general custom to use them when asking someone’s name or saying what your name is:
¿Cuál es tu nombre?
What is your name?¿Cuál es su nombre?
What is your name? (formal)Mi nombre es…
My name is…:
This formation is found in many languages. In Luxembourgish, “mäin Numm ass…” = my name is, versus “ech heeschen…” = I’m called. Both are used and understood but the latter is more casually common. However — and this might explain why a commercial pitched at a white audience — the “my name is” version feels more transparently accessible to non-speakers.
Same in German. (which is somewhat close to Luxembourgish apparently)
As far as I know, both “Me llamo” and “Mi nombre es” are equally correct and polite.
Both are equally correct grammatically and neither are rude or unsophisticated. Spanish teachers prefer “Me llamo” because it is an easier introduction to conjugating verbs. The difference between “ser” and “estar” is a bit nuanced, so they prefer to save that for later when there is a fundamental vocabulary. “Yo soy Owen” (I am Owen) would also be correct, but “Yo estoy Owen” is not.
Has anyone else noticed that learning Spanish in tiny bites here on the Dope is way more comfortable and enjoyable than trying to cram the barrage of new knowledge into your brain was back in high school?
Same with math. Someone should fold this observation back into the curriculum.
Fat chance!
Is there a link to this commercial? Why yes, yes there is (I think this is it, anyway).
Maybe this version is better.