llaman
“llaman” means “they call” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
they call, you all call
Also: they summon, they are calling
📝 In Action
Ellos llaman a la puerta, ¿puedes abrir?
A1They are knocking on the door, can you open it?
Mis vecinos llaman a la policía si hay mucho ruido.
A2My neighbors call the police if there is a lot of noise.
Ustedes llaman a su jefe una vez por semana.
B1You all (formal) call your boss once a week.
they name
Also: it is called
📝 In Action
En México, llaman 'coche' al carro.
A2In Mexico, they call a car a 'coche'. (Meaning: A car is called a 'coche'.)
Los científicos llaman a esa criatura 'el fantasma de mar'.
B2The scientists name that creature 'the sea ghost'.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
imperfect
preterite
subjunctive
present
imperfect
Translate to Spanish
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: llaman
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses 'llaman' in the sense of 'referring to something'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From the Latin verb *clamare*, meaning 'to cry out' or 'to shout.' Over time, the initial 'cl' sound transformed into the distinct Spanish 'll' sound.
First recorded: Around the 10th century in early Spanish texts.
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
How is 'llaman' different from 'llaman a'?
The conjugation 'llaman' is simply the verb form ('they call'). The structure 'llaman a' is required when the 'call' is directed at a person or named object, because Spanish requires the personal 'a' when referring to a specific person: *Ellos llaman a Juan* (They call Juan).
Can 'llaman' be used in passive voice?
Yes, but often Spanish prefers the impersonal construction using 'Se llama' (It is called) or the simple 'Llaman' (They call it) rather than the standard passive voice (Es llamado).