zyun.

[deft crane]

Please be patient

Our volunteers look into many questions every day; sometimes it takes them a little while to answer.

Pro tip: you can rename the thread title with `.tr <thread name>`

Make it descriptive, including relevant context, but also to the point. This way you improve your chances of getting a more relevant and specific answer.

[obtuse lily]

thats why you don't translate everything word for word

s'appeler is also a verb you don't use that way in english

[wanton hornet]

I am confused

[upbeat moss]

When you call someone, you use their name in order for them to react to it. There's the manner, hence comment.
So when we go from appeler quelqu'un to s'appeler, the manner remains. You want them to use your name.

[wanton hornet]

I'm still confused

[obtuse lily]

comment tu t'appelles basically means how are you called

but don't overthink it

learn that it's how you ask someone's name

[upbeat moss]

Assigning a name to a thing or a person is how you call them.

[stable laurel]

Tu t'appelles? = Are you calling yourself?
Tu t'appelles quel ≈ You're calling yourself which? (Unfinished/nonsensical in french)
Tu t'appelles comment? = How are you called?/what's your name?

[wanton hornet]

I think I'm somewhat getting it, comment is used a lot in questions. Like you previously stated the problem with translating word for word is that it doesn't make sense. Rather try to understand that there are different ways of saying the same thing. Comment is still how.

[obtuse lily]

yes

[wanton hornet]

Ahhh see I was under the impression that quelle or quel was what

[stable laurel]

Only before être

[wanton hornet]

what's etre

[stable laurel]

The verb to be

[wanton hornet]

ohh only in this scenario is quel/quelle a what

[stable laurel]

Yeah

Could be "which" as well but often english uses "what", yeah

[wanton hornet]

so "quel/quelle etre?" Is this correct?

[stable laurel]

Quel(e) est
Quel(le)s sont

You wouldn't write "what to be your favourite flower" you'd write "what is your favourite flower"

"What are your favourite flavours of pizza"

Gotta conjugate the verb

[wanton hornet]

Okay wait I'm a bit of a moron, but as I understand it is. The reason you can't use "Tu t'appelle quel/quelle?" is because it isn't conjugated meaning if this were to be translate it would be: "What your name?" rather than what is your name. So,"Quel est ton nom" would be a correct way of using quel/quelle?

[stable laurel]

No

[obtuse lily]

why du

[wanton hornet]

sorry sorry my bad

[stable laurel]

"quel est ton nom" is ok but sounds like you're going through a form and asking them to fill out each thing one by one

[wanton hornet]

Oh no I know this isn't the "proper" way of asking someone's name, even my prof said that saying this is weird. I just wanted to know if I understood how it is used

[stable laurel]

"tu t'appelles quel" has a conjugate verb which is fine. Nothing is unconjugated, quel is just used incorrectly

[stable laurel]

I was clarifying how it was used

[wanton hornet]

I am so confused.

[stable laurel]

"t'appeler" is unconjugated

"t'appelles" is conjugated "t'appeler", for the subject "tu"

You said the issue was that it was unconjugated, it is not

[wanton hornet]

Ah I think I understand the reason quel wasn't unconjugated. I also did a bit of reading, the reason quel/quelle can't be used is because it isn't connected to a noun?

[obtuse lily]

oh yeah quel is a determiner

[neon rivet]

"how do you call yourself"

simple as that

[jade hazel]

yes. different languages express themselves in different ways. you cant always translate something word for word and french doesnt have the same grammar as english. you will find more of these phrases in french. Par example «S'il vous plaît», Word for word it is "if it pleases you" or "if it please" but it is just "please".

[wanton hornet]

I see thank you!