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QUICK ANSWER
"What is your surname?" is a phrase which is often translated as "¿Cuál es tu apellido?", and "last name" is a noun which is often translated as "el apellido". Learn more about the difference between "What is your surname?" and "last name" below.
What is your surname?(
wuht
ihz
yor
suhr
-
neym
)A phrase is a group of words commonly used together (e.g., once upon a time).
a. ¿Cuál es tu apellido? (informal) (singular)
A word or phrase used to refer to the second person informal “tú” by their conjugation or implied context (e.g., How are you?).
What is your surname? - It's Roberts.¿Cuál es tu apellido? - Es Roberts.
b. ¿Cómo te apellidas? (informal) (singular)
A word or phrase used to refer to the second person informal “tú” by their conjugation or implied context (e.g., How are you?).
My name is Juan. - Nice to meet you, Juan. What is your surname?Mi nombre es Juan. - Mucho gusto, Juan. ¿Cómo te apellidas?
c. ¿Cuál es su apellido? (formal) (singular)
A word or phrase used to refer to the second person formal “usted” by their conjugation or implied context (e.g., usted).
What is your surname name, sir? - It's Donovan.¿Cuál es su apellido, señor? - Es Donovan.
d. ¿Cómo se apellida? (formal) (singular)
A word or phrase used to refer to the second person formal “usted” by their conjugation or implied context (e.g., usted).
What is your surname? - It's Castillo-Garcia.¿Cómo se apellida? - Castillo-Garcia.
2. (used to address multiple people of the same family) (United Kingdom)
Regionalism used in the United Kingdom
a. ¿Cuál es su apellido? (plural)
My name is Alex, and this is my sister, Kim. - What is your surname?Mi nombre es Álex, y esta es mi hermana, Kim. - ¿Cuál es su apellido?
b. ¿Cómo se apellidan? (plural)
I'm Roger, and I'm here with my mother, Alice. - What is your surname?Soy Roger, y estoy aquí con mi madre, Alice. - ¿Cómo se apellidan?
last name(
lahst
neym
)A noun is a word referring to a person, animal, place, thing, feeling, or idea (e.g., man, dog, house).
1. (surname)
a. el apellido (M)
(m) means that a noun is masculine. Spanish nouns have a gender, which is either feminine (like la mujer or la luna) or masculine (like el hombre or el sol).
Her last name is a very common one in that country.Su apellido es uno muy popular en ese país.
