"请问，你叫什么？"

Translation: Excuse me, what is your name?

[renee.jing.h]

Technically, 叫 is a word for call. So if you asked "你叫什么?," the translation would be "What are you called" instead of "What is your name." If you wanted to ask "What is your name," you would use the word for name "名字." So, all together you could ask "请问，你叫什么名字?" or "请问, 你的名字是什么?"

[CorgiCerberus]

You could argue that 你叫什么 is an abbreviation of 你叫什么名字, so the meaning it implied.

[BenjaminBr245428]

The native Chinese speakers I know day that the "abbreviation" is brusk and rude. They recommended me not to use it every. I would prefer fewer words, but not if it makes me seem rude.

[PeaceJoyPancakes]

Not to mention that "what are you called" is virtually unheard in English.

[paulogsampaio]

Thanks

[William358939]

"Excuse Me" as a translation for 请问 is a bit iffy and really fails to capture the literal meaning of the characters. "Please may I ask" is a much better translation for all the other situations where 请问 might be used.

[Rabea733910]

Makes sense. With the Duo translation, it looks like you're asking a rando in the street their name to try to find a criminal or something like that.

[IanD.Morris]

“What are you called?” should be an acceptable answer.

[ChristianG680402]

but in English specifically we don't really say that to people.

[Tsen107548]

I get this irresistible urge to translate this to:

Excuse me, who are you?

[LauraKarran]

So does this translate as: "may I ask, you are called what?"

[terroristpeanut]

Am I the only one that the audio for 问 sounds like the sound you make when you get hurt lol

[Eva445993]

Shouldn't it like "who are you?"

[PeaceJoyPancakes]

No, that would be "你是谁", literally, "you are who".

[carla.lazzari]

Can I use 请问 for "sorry", like in " excuse me for being so direct"?

[kmhowitt]

It is only used directly before a question.

[Eoghan32]

I thought it literally said "Please ask"

[CorgiCerberus]

Word for word, yes, but it it carries more the connotation of 《请（让我给你）问》 or "please (allow me to) ask (you)".

[CorgiCerberus]

No, only when asking questions. In your situation, 对不起 would be acceptable.

[NasrAlhadi]

Although I am writing the correct answer but still tell me wrong !!!!

[adytiawong]

I wrote 请问 你叫什么 and the app said I'm wrong

[PeaceJoyPancakes]

Sure. It's because you used a space. Careful Chinese writing doesn't use spaces, and Duolingo doesn't seem to allow them.

[Tiff382466]

In another part of this same lesson, the phrase " excuse me, what is your name?" Is translated very differently into Chinese.

[ZuikoHaM]

Hmm when I translated this from english to chinese identically, it was mistake. And Duolingo translate is ok? Why I can't choose from two version?

[sandgroper12]

I do no find it helpful if the error is not highlighted, and why fade out the submission so that it cannot be compared to the correct form?

[47aC7jLE]

In the comments I see that Please is a better translation!!!
Why is the computer correcting me?