"What does one call..." ("¿Como se llama...?")
How do you say "What does one call...[something]?" Is the following correct "¿Como se llama...?"
The full example question is "What do you call the man who works behind the bar in a pub?"
My version is "¿Como se llama el hombre que trabaja detras de la barro en un bar?"
Also, I modified my translate query to "What does one call a person who works behind the bar in a pub?" and got "¿Cómo se llama a una persona que trabaja detrás de la barra en un bar?" Am I correct in thinking there shouldn't be an " a " since I'm not referring to a specific person?
4 Answers
My version is "¿Como se llama el hombre que trabaja detras de la barro en un bar?"
I agree with your answer but it should be barra (feminine).
"¿Cómo se llama a una persona que trabaja detrás de la barra en un bar?" Am I correct in thinking there shouldn't be an " a " since I'm not referring to a specific person?
You´re right, there should not be an "a" here because this is not a personalization but just a question about any person who does this job, although it sounds more natural to say: ¿Cómo se llama la persona ......... ?
With these structures the calling part could be considered either reflexive or passive voice if we didn´t have the phrase "en un bar". In this case if you want to know the name of the person and without confusion, you can say: ¿Qué es el nombre de la persona ........... ?
If you want to know the name of the job that the guy does behind the bar and without confusion, you can say: ¿Cómo se dice la persona ............. ?
If you asked: ¿Cómo se llama el hombre que trabaja detrás de la barra en un bar?
I could understand: Do you know what that man's name is?
Naturally speaking, I would probably not say something like that. I would go for:
¿Cómo se le llama a una // a la persona que trabaja detrás de la barra en un bar? ¿Cómo se le dice a una // a la persona que trabaja detrás de la barra en un bar?
Literally :
How do you call to a person/ to the person who works behind the bar in a pub?
How do you say to a person/ to the person who works behind the bar in a pub?
Even though, the last two sentences are wrong in English. That's how we speak in Spanish.
Hope it helps :D
This sounds like a good question and NOT homework we don't do homework, but we will gladly correct any efforts you will make. You HAVE submitted a good effort so I can answer the question. All that remains for you to do is to fill out your profile, so that we can know your levels of Spanish and English. If you want to see how, just click on my name and you'll see mine.
What you are literally saying in Spanish is: What does the person -------call himself.?
Similarly: ¿Cómo te llamas? (How you call yourself?)
This is one of those "darned" reflexive verbs. And this could also mean, "What does he call himself (What's his name)
But change one little word "el" to "un" , add a "personal a" and you'll clarify what you mean. e.g, "Cómo se llama a un hombre que trabaja detrás de la barra en un bar."
Now the subject is not the "hombre" it's more like "What does one call a man that works behind the bar, etc."
I guess his name will turn out to be Manolo, Antonio or Juan. If not, lay your money on Paco.
