Polite Way to Ask Someone Name

Today, we’re going to learn how to ask someone’s name in a polite way, also how if we forgot their name after we met them once.

“What’s your name?” was probably one of the first question you learned when you started studying English.

I’ve to tell you, though. That most native speaker of English would never say this. In English, just like in other languages, it is often more polite to be a little indirect. Of course the easiest way to avoid asking the question directly is TO NOT ASK AT ALL. Just introduce yourself and most people will respond by doing the same.

When introducing yourself, simple is nearly always best. Just say,

“Hi, I’m Snehal Quest”

To show that you want to know the other person’s name just add,

“…and you” at the end, so

“Hi, I’m Snehal Quest, and you?”

After you say this, the other person will tell you his or her name.

Okay, now let’s talk about an embarrassing situation that’s happen to everybody. You’ve already met this person once before, but you forgot their name. The most polite thing to do in this situation is to apologize and ask again.

There’s a simple way to do this. That’s also polite.

“I’m sorry, what was your name again?”

This sentence is very similar to “what’s your name?” but it has three important differences,

·         First, we say “I’m sorry” a small apology can go a long way

·         After that, we say “what was your name?”, this is just like “What is your name?”. But instead of “is” we use the past tense “was”. This is really important, as it tells the other person that you remember meeting them. You haven’t forgotten him or her, you have just forgotten their name. this little word makes all the different!

·         Finally, we add “again” to the end. This is another hint that tells the other person that you remember learning his or her name before, but you just can’t recall it right now.

“I’m sorry, what was your name, again?”

That phrase is appropriate for both formal and informal situations.

ADVICE

In the United States, it’s normal to address people by name in conversation more than once, in both formal and informal situations. It’s a way to show respect or interest in other person and can help you make friends. It is also a great way to practice someone’s name, so you don’t forget it.

If you’re talking to someone named Ann, for example, instead of just

“What do you do for fun?”

You could say,

“Ann, what do you do for fun?”

You can also put the name at the end of the sentence

“What do you do for fun, Ann?”

You don’t want to say the person’s name too often, or it will sound a little strange. But if you practice someone’s name like this, you won’t forget it. And people love to hear their own name!

I hope this will be useful for you. Don’t forget to share and leave comments.

See You Next Time