Breakdown of Como se chama a senhora?
a senhora
the lady / you (formal, f)
como
how
chamar
to call (summon)
se
himself / herself / themselves
Questions & Answers about Como se chama a senhora?
Why does the sentence use a senhora instead of a word for "you"?
In Portugal, it is considered much more polite to use o senhor (for a man) or a senhora (for a woman) instead of você when addressing someone formally. The sentence literally translates to "How does the lady call herself?" but it means "What is your name, madam?".
Is se one of the direct object pronouns we are learning?
It is closely related! The word se here is a reflexive pronoun. We use it with the verb chamar-se (to call oneself). Just like direct object pronouns replace a noun receiving an action, reflexive pronouns are used when the doer and the receiver of the action are the same person (in this case, "herself").
Why is the pronoun se before the verb instead of attached to the end (chama-se)?
In European Portuguese, pronouns usually attach to the end of the verb with a hyphen. However, question words like Como act as "magnets." They force the pronoun to jump in front of the verb, which is why we say Como se chama instead of Como chama-se.
Why is there an a before senhora?
When you use titles like senhora or senhor as a polite way to say "you," Portuguese requires you to include the definite article (a for feminine, o for masculine) right before the title. You are literally saying "the lady."
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