contactar
/kon-tak-TAR/
to contact
To contact: The person is reaching out to the company.
contactar(verb)
to contact
?to get in touch with a person or company
,to get hold of
?to successfully reach someone
to reach out to
?initiate communication
📝 In Action
Necesito contactar al proveedor antes del mediodía.
B1I need to contact the supplier before noon.
¿Con quién debo contactar para resolver este problema?
B1Who should I contact to solve this problem?
El presidente contactó con la prensa para dar un anuncio.
B2The president contacted the press to make an announcement.
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'a' or 'con'
In Spanish, you can either 'contactar a alguien' (using 'a' before a person who receives the action) or 'contactar con alguien' (using the preposition 'con'). Both are correct and common.
Regular -AR Verb
This verb is very easy to conjugate! It follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar, like 'hablar' or 'tomar'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Mixing up the preposition
Mistake: "Voy a contactar por mi jefe."
Correction: Voy a contactar a mi jefe. (You contact the person directly, not 'through' them unless using 'a través de'.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Formal vs. Informal
'Contactar' is often used when sending an email or making a business inquiry. For very casual chats, 'llamar' (to call) or 'escribir' (to write) might feel more natural.
To get in touch with each other: The two people are making reciprocal contact.
contactar(verb)
to get in touch with each other
?reciprocal communication
,to connect (with)
?to establish a link
to make contact
?usually followed by 'con'
📝 In Action
Los dos equipos se contactaron para coordinar la reunión.
B2The two teams contacted each other to coordinate the meeting.
Si tienen dudas, pueden contactarse directamente con el departamento.
C1If you have doubts, you can contact the department directly (get in touch with it).
💡 Grammar Points
The Reflexive Form
When using 'contactarse,' the action usually bounces back or involves two sides doing the action to each other (reciprocal). You must use the reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se).
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: contactar
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses the standard, non-reflexive form of 'contactar'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I use 'contactar' or 'llamar'?
'Llamar' specifically means to call (by phone) or to knock. 'Contactar' is broader; it means reaching out through any medium (phone, email, message, etc.) and is generally more formal.
Is 'contactar' commonly used in Latin America?
Yes, 'contactar' is widely understood and used across the Spanish-speaking world, especially in business or formal settings. In some regions, 'ponerse en contacto' (to put oneself in contact) is a common alternative.