llamaban
“llamaban” means “they used to call” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
they used to call, they were calling
Also: you (plural, formal) used to call
📝 In Action
Mis padres me llamaban todos los días cuando estaba en la universidad.
A1My parents used to call me every day when I was in college.
No sé quiénes eran, pero llamaban sin parar.
A2I don't know who they were, but they were calling non-stop.
they used to name, they were called
📝 In Action
A los niños de antes los llamaban por el nombre de los abuelos.
A2They used to name children after their grandparents back then.
En la escuela, a ese grupo lo llamaban 'Los Inquietos'.
B1In school, they used to call that group 'The Restless Ones'.
they were knocking, they were ringing
📝 In Action
Llamaban a la puerta con insistencia, pero no quise abrir.
B1They were knocking on the door insistently, but I didn't want to open it.
Si llamaban al timbre y no había luz, era un vecino.
B2If they rang the doorbell and there was no light, it was a neighbor.
🔄 Conjugations
subjunctive
imperfect
present
indicative
imperfect
present
preterite
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: llamaban
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'llamaban' to describe a past habit?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin verb *clāmāre*, meaning 'to shout' or 'to cry out.' This original meaning is preserved in the idea of calling out to someone or summoning them.
First recorded: 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between 'llamaban' and 'llamaron'?
'Llamaban' (imperfect) describes actions that were repeated, ongoing, or served as background ('They were calling all night'). 'Llamaron' (preterite) describes a single, completed action ('They called once and hung up').
Can I use 'llamaban' to talk about myself?
No. 'Llamaban' means 'they' or 'you all' were doing the calling. To talk about yourself, you need 'yo llamaba' (I was calling).