'what do you call it?', ¿Que lo llamas?

Question

To ask someone 'what do you call it?', I know you wouldn't use the reflexive pronoun. I'm pretty sure it would be ¿Que lo llamas? but I'm not POSITIVE that it wouldn't be ¿Que le llamas? Can someone please clarify? ¡Gracias!

In which context? some example? Thanks - RobertoSpain, Dec 18, 2010

Answer 1

¿CÓMO SE LLAMA?.

This could mean: What is your name/his name/it's name?

However, if you want to say: How do you call it?

¿Cómo lo llamas tú?

This is what is your name/word for it? The subject pronoun would be necessary.

Answer 2

I do not wish to cause further confusion, but there is also the example of

'A ese no se le puede llamar hombre.' - roughly, you can't call him a man.

-Charlius-

hmmmm, pues no te creas charlie, esto me confunde hasta a mí! lol, qué tiene que ver con el hilo? jeje, vaya chistoso, oye, qué tal te va? - 00494d19, Dec 18, 2010

I was thinking that it might be what the original poster was thinking..juggling between direct and indirect obj. usage (lo, le) to be able to get to the english translation of calling someone, or something. Ahh, whatever, I saw the conection at least,lol - Charlius, Dec 18, 2010

Answer 3

Just to clarify--I'm not asking someone's name. I'm asking a friend what she calls an inanimate object, I know she has a different word for it than I do.

oh great, than it is my answer, thanks, soemtimes the wrong answer gets accepted, it is always good to give context, thanks:) - 00494d19, Dec 18, 2010

Answer 4

Hi, "¿Qué lo llamas?" doesn't seem correct to me, it should be "¿Cómo lo llamas?" , the word qué doesn't fit here. You could also say : "¿Cómo se llama?"^which is reflexive. When you say "¿Cómo le llamas?" I get it like you are asking for a person's name.

There is nothing reflexive about "llamarse". When you say "Esta planta se llama tomillo", the plant is not calling itself anything. - lazarus1907, Dec 18, 2010

Answer 5

Hello.

1.The answer to the question "what do you call it?', is: ¿CÓMO SE LLAMA?.
You are not using the 'reflexive Se' but 'Passive Se'.

2.The following links further explain the Passive as well as the impersonal Se

Passive Se: http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/100024/passive-se

Impersonal Se: http://www.spanishdict.com/answers/100022/impersonal-se

3.Other ways to use ¿Como se llama?.
1. ¿Como se llama usted? - Formal or talking to a señor/señora (someone you are speaking to)

2.¿Como se llama él or ella? - to ask the name of a person (someone you are NOT speaking to)

Hope it helps! N