What Are These Called? | Ways To Ask Object Names

You pick up a tool, gesture toward a set of cards, or tap a button on a screen and want to ask for the right word in English. In that moment, the question what are these called? gives you a simple way to ask someone for the name of the things in front of you. Many learners use it every day, especially when pointing at items in real life, photos, or worksheets.

This question sits inside a small family of patterns English speakers use to ask for names. With a few tweaks, you can shift the sentence for one object, many objects, spoken conversation, classroom work, or online chats. Once you know the pattern, you can adapt it quickly in almost any situation.

Common Phrases For Asking Object Names

Here are everyday questions native speakers use when they want to know what something is called. You can keep this list beside you while speaking, teaching, or writing.

Question Phrase	Example In Use	Typical Situation
What are these called?	What are these called in English?	Several items near you, such as tools on a desk
What is this called?	What is this called in your language?	One item you can point to
What do you call this?	What do you call this in British English?	Spoken questions, friendly conversation
What do you call these?	What do you call these little plastic clips?	More relaxed way to ask about several items
What is the name of this?	What is the name of this symbol?	More formal or written English
Could you tell me what this is called?	Could you tell me what this tool is called?	Polite request, talking to a stranger or teacher
How do you say this in English?	How do you say this in English, please?	Language learning, bilingual situations
Do you know what these are called?	Do you know what these are called in math?	Checking if someone else knows the term

What Are These Called? Meaning And Grammar

The sentence what are these called? is a wh-question. It starts with the question word what, then uses the verb are, the pronoun these, and the past participle called. Together, they form a question about the name of several items that are close to the speaker.

Breaking Down The Words

What is a question word that asks for information, not just a yes or no answer. In this pattern, it asks for a word or phrase: the name of the things you are pointing at. Grammar books often group it with other wh-words such as who, where, when, why, and how, sometimes called wh-questions on sites like the Cambridge Grammar wh-questions guide.

Are links the subject and the rest of the sentence. Here, it matches the plural subject these. You cannot say what is these called?; that sounds wrong to a native speaker. You only use is when the subject is singular, as in what is this called?.

These is a demonstrative pronoun. It points to several things close to the speaker. When the items are farther away, speakers often switch to those and ask what are those called? instead.

Called shows that you are asking about the name the objects already have, not about giving them a new one. It matches the passive structure “are called,” which you also hear in sentences such as “These plants are called herbs.”

When To Use What Are These Called?

Use what are these called? when you have at least two items and you can point to them. You might be holding several screws, touching three buttons on a screen, or looking at a group of symbols on a worksheet. The question fits best when the listener can see exactly which items you mean.

This sentence sounds very natural in classroom talk and everyday speech. A student can point at a chart and ask a teacher, “Sorry, what are these called in English?” A teacher can turn the question back and ask students, “So, what are these called in chemistry?” while pointing at diagrams.

In writing, many people choose slightly different forms, such as what is the name of these parts? or what do you call these components? In emails, messages, or chat apps, any of these patterns works. The question what are these called? keeps a friendly tone and feels natural in most settings.

Asking What Something Is Called In English: Core Patterns

The basic pattern for asking a name stays almost the same every time: you combine a wh-word, a verb, and a phrase that stands for the object. Once you see how the pattern works, you can bend it for one item, many items, and names in general.

For One Object Near You

When you point at a single item, most speakers choose one of these two questions:

• What is this called?
• What do you call this?

What is this called? sounds slightly more formal and suits classes, exams, and polite talk. What do you call this? feels more relaxed and appears often in casual chat. Both are clear, and both tell the listener that you need the correct word or term.

For Several Objects Near You

For more than one object, you switch the subject and verb to plural. That is where questions like what are these called? and what do you call these? come in. Here are some quick examples you might hear in real life:

• In art class: “What are these called, the lines that go across the page?”
• In a shop: “What do you call these little round batteries?”
• During a lab: “What are these called in physics, these small blocks?”

Both patterns sound natural. If you already use what are these called? often, you can mix in what do you call these? so your speech feels varied and fluent.

Asking About Names In General

Sometimes you want to talk about a word without pointing at anything. You might ask about spelling, usage, or a term that appeared in a book. In that case, the object phrase can be abstract:

• “What do you call these sounds at the end of words?”
• “What are these called when two words sound the same?”
• “What is this called when a letter is silent?”

In linguistics and grammar books, these questions lead to terms such as homophones, silent letters, and suffixes. Sites such as the British Council question words page give many more patterns that match this style of question.

Sounding Natural When You Ask For Names

Small changes in tone, word choice, and body language help your question feel natural. This matters both for learners of English and for teachers who want clear classroom routines.

Adding Softening Phrases

English speakers often add short phrases before the main question so the request sounds gentle. These phrases do not change the meaning; they simply make the line feel more polite or friendly:

• “Excuse me, what are these called?”
• “Sorry, what is this called in English?”
• “Could you tell me what these are called?”
• “Do you happen to know what these are called?”

Use these lines when speaking to a person you do not know well, when someone seems busy, or when you need to interrupt for a moment.

Pointing And Eye Contact

Because the question what are these called? depends on the word these, your listener needs a clear clue about what you mean. That clue usually comes from pointing, touching, or looking directly at the objects. You might hold up the item, tap the picture, or circle a part of the page with your finger.

In a classroom, teachers can model this by pointing at a group of flashcards and asking, “What are these called?” Then students repeat the question and answer with the word or phrase the teacher wants them to learn.

Using The Question In Text And Online Chats

In digital spaces, you cannot always point at an object in the same room. Many people solve this by sending a photo and then typing the question underneath. A message might look like this:

(Photo of three metal fasteners)
“What are these called in English?”

On help forums and language exchange apps, short questions such as what is this called? or what do you call these? appear under screenshots, drawings, or short clips. For online study, this pattern works well: picture plus short question plus answer in the reply.

Common Mistakes With What Are These Called?

Learners often mix up verb forms, word order, or singular and plural when they try to ask about names. Here are some frequent mistakes and clearer versions.

Common Mistake	Better Question	Why It Works Better
What is these called?	What are these called?	These is plural, so it matches the verb are.
What are this called?	What is this called?	This is singular, so it matches the verb is.
How is this named?	What is this called?	Speakers rarely say “how is this named?” in everyday English.
How do you name this?	What do you call this?	“What do you call this?” sounds smoother in natural speech.
What are these name?	What are these called?	Use the passive form “are called” to ask about established names.
What are these called in?	What are these called in English?	Add the language or subject after the word in.
What called are these?	What are these called?	Keep normal word order in questions: what + verb + subject + called.

Checking Your Question Before You Ask

Before speaking, you can run a quick mental check:

• Count the items: one or many?
• Choose the right pronoun: this, that, these, or those.
• Match the verb: is for one item, are for several items.
• Pick your style: simple (what is this called?) or softer (could you tell me what this is called?).

After a little practice, this check takes less than a second, and the sentence comes out naturally.

Teaching What Are These Called? In Class

For teachers, the question what are these called? can become a handy classroom tool. It helps students notice new words, repeat target vocabulary, and connect real objects with terms in textbooks.

Using Real Objects And Pictures

Bring items from daily life into class: coins, tickets, kitchen tools, or small toys. Place several objects on a table and ask, “What are these called?” Students answer with words such as spoons, tokens, or clips. Then swap the objects and repeat the routine.

Pictures work just as well. You can create slides with photos of road signs, phone icons, or scientific diagrams. Point to groups of items and ask learners to reply with the right terms. This keeps the pattern fresh while you rotate through different topics.

Turning The Question Around

Students remember language better when they ask questions, not only answer them. Once they know the pattern, invite them to use it themselves:

• Give each student a pack of cards with images.
• Ask them to walk around the room.
• They show a card to a partner and ask, “What are these called?” or “What is this called?”
• Partners answer; if no one knows, the whole class checks together.

This simple routine helps students grow comfortable with the structure while learning new vocabulary in a relaxed setting.

Using Digital Tools To Check Names

When teachers and learners need help naming unfamiliar objects, digital tools can help. Photo-based search tools, dictionary apps, and visual search features in phone cameras can suggest possible names. After getting a suggestion, you can confirm the word with a trusted dictionary and then use the question pattern in class:

“We used a picture search to find this word. What are these called?”

This keeps the classroom question at the center while still taking advantage of modern tools.

Quick Reference For Using What Are These Called?

Here is a short reference you can revisit whenever you need to ask about names again.

When To Use Each Pattern

• Use what is this called? for one item nearby.
• Use what are these called? for several items nearby.
• Use what do you call this/these? for a slightly more relaxed sound.
• Add a language or subject after in when needed: “in English,” “in biology,” “in math.”

Tips For Clear, Natural Questions

• Point, hold, or show a picture so the listener knows which items you mean.
• Match the verb and pronoun: this + is, these + are.
• Use softening phrases like “excuse me” or “could you tell me” when you want extra politeness.
• Practice aloud with classmates or friends so the sentences feel easy to say.

The next time you reach for a word and cannot find it, questions such as what are these called? and what is this called? give you a quick bridge to the right term. With steady use, these short sentences become a natural part of your English toolkit.