¿Cómo te llamas ? VS ¿Cuál es tu nombre?

Question

Is there any difference of usage?

Answer 1

I've always thought that ¿Cómo te llamas? was more polite than ¿Cuál es tu nombre?, but that might just be me. The latter sounds like a government official, who will then ask what your social security number is.

I agree with you! - Pajaro44, Jun 9, 2010

Answer 2

I agree with Kevin.

¿Cómo te llamas? is the informal way to ask.

¿Cuál es tu nombre? is the more official way.

Answer 3

Native speakers almost never use nombre, they like to use se llama for everything, including inanimate object, animals, streets. places.... etc

Answer 4

They basically mean the same thing, but in my opinion, "¿Cómo te llamas? " is more for what you prefer (like a nickname) to be called, such as being called "Val" instead of "Valerie". To me, "¿Cuál es tu nombre?" means "What is your real/legal name?", meaning "Valerie" instead of "Val".

That's the way I viewed it, but I am just beginning to learn. - territurtle, Oct 13, 2011

Answer 5

In my own opinion, when you say ¿Cómo te llamas? it literally means "How do you call yourself?". So when you answer this question you would say "Me llamo ______" which means "I call myself ______"

and ¿Cuál es tu nombre? is a direct translation of "What is you name?" But I'm not sure about this

Llamarse could mean that, but usually it means "to have as a name." You don't go up to someone and say, "Hi, how do you call yourself?," right? - Deanski, Jun 1, 2011

Answer 6

Cual es tu nombre is Formal, is actually more formal Cual es su nombre if you add the "tu" is a bid more informal but if you are meeting someone or something like that I would say, Como te llamas? if I'm a personal banker and setting up an account with a client but I want to be friendly but polite I would say Cual es tu nombre? and if I want to be super formal I would say Cual es "su" nombre?

Answer 7

Okey, you all are wrong about one thing;

"Which one is more formal than the other" well the answer is neither. They are both informal in that form.

"¿Cuál es tu nombre?" comes from the expression "Dime tu nombre" which is a direct expression meaning "Tell me your name". Now, the question "¿Cuál es tu nombre?" in its very formal way it would be "¿Cuál es ->suse

Answer 8

i think ¿Cómo te llamas? is a little formal than ¿Cuál es tu nombre?

Answer 9

They mean about the same. If you want to be polite, you could also try using the "usted" form. "¿Cómo se llama usted?"

Answer 10

The answer is simple. Nombre means first name and therefore ¿Cual es tu nombre? means what is your first name. ¿Como te llamas? simply means what is your name.