llamarlo
/yah-MAHR-loh/
to call him
Visualizing the act of contacting a male person by phone: 'to call him'.
llamarlo(Verb Phrase)
to call him
?by phone or summoning a male person
,to call it
?referring to a masculine object or concept
to summon him
?to ask someone to come
📝 In Action
Necesito llamarlo ahora mismo.
A1I need to call him right now.
Debemos llamarlo para confirmar la reserva.
A2We must call it (the restaurant/hotel) to confirm the reservation.
Prefiero no llamarlo si está ocupado.
A2I prefer not to call him if he is busy.
💡 Grammar Points
Structure: Infinitive + Pronoun
This word is the base verb 'llamar' (to call) with the direct object pronoun 'lo' (him/it) attached to the end. This happens when the verb is in its non-conjugated form (the infinitive).
Placement Flexibility
When using 'llamarlo' after another conjugated verb (like 'debo' or 'quiero'), you can separate the parts: 'Debo llamarlo' OR 'Lo debo llamar'. Both mean 'I must call him'.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Using the wrong pronoun
Mistake: "Quiero llamarle. (If referring to a specific male person as the direct object)"
Correction: Quiero llamarlo. ('Lo' is the correct direct object pronoun for 'him' in most regions, especially Latin America. 'Le' is used for indirect objects or in 'leísmo' regions of Spain.)
⭐ Usage Tips
Matching Gender
Remember that 'lo' is masculine. If you want to call a female person, you must use 'llamarla' (llamar + la). If you want to call multiple people (them), use 'llamarlos' or 'llamarlas'.
Depicting the action of assigning a name or term to an object or situation: 'to call it'.
llamarlo(Verb Phrase)
to call it
?to refer to a thing or situation as something
,to name him
?to give a name to a person or thing
📝 In Action
No sé cómo llamarlo, es un problema complicado.
B1I don't know what to call it (or how to describe it), it's a complicated problem.
Decidieron llamarlo Juan, como su abuelo.
B1They decided to name him Juan, like his grandfather.
💡 Grammar Points
Naming vs. Calling
When 'llamar' means 'to name' or 'to describe', it often takes a second object (the name itself): 'Queremos llamarlo [el proyecto] un éxito' (We want to call it a success).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: llamarlo
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence correctly uses the pronoun 'lo' attached to the infinitive?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the pronoun 'lo' attached to the end of the verb?
In Spanish, when you use a verb in its base form (the infinitive, like 'llamar'), you must attach the object pronouns directly to the end of that verb. This creates one single word, like 'llamarlo,' which means 'to call him' or 'to call it.'
If I want to call a female friend, what should I say instead of 'llamarlo'?
You would use the feminine direct object pronoun 'la' and say 'llamarla.' For example: 'Debo llamarla a mi amiga' (I should call my friend).