llamó
/ya-MOH/
he/she called
This is the most common meaning: Llamó means 'he/she called' (using a phone).
📝 In Action
Mi hermano me llamó anoche para contarme las noticias.
A1My brother called me last night to tell me the news.
¿Quién llamó mientras estaba en la ducha?
A2Who called while I was in the shower?
💡 Grammar Points
A Finished Past Action
Llamó is used for actions that happened once and are completely finished. Think of it as a snapshot of a past event. For example, 'She called yesterday' is a single, completed action.
Who Did It?
The '-ó' ending tells you the action was done by 'él' (he), 'ella' (she), or 'usted' (you, formal). The context usually makes it clear who you're talking about.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Finished Action vs. Ongoing Action
Mistake: "Using `llamó` for a repeated or ongoing action in the past, like 'She used to call every day'."
Correction: For ongoing or habitual past actions, you'd use a different form: `llamaba`. So, 'Ella llamaba todos los días' means 'She used to call every day', while 'Ella llamó ayer' means 'She called yesterday'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Adding the 'a'
When you say who was called, you need to put the word 'a' before their name or title. For example, 'Él llamó a su mamá' (He called his mom).
Llamó can also mean 'he/she knocked,' often used in the phrase 'llamó a la puerta' (knocked on the door).
llamó(Verb)
he/she knocked
?on a door or window
,he/she called out
?to get attention
he/she summoned
?formal, like a teacher summoning a student
📝 In Action
Alguien llamó a la puerta, pero no había nadie.
A2Someone knocked on the door, but nobody was there.
La profesora lo llamó a la pizarra para resolver el problema.
B1The teacher called him to the board to solve the problem.
⭐ Usage Tips
Fixed Phrases
This meaning is very common in set phrases. 'Llamar a la puerta' almost always means 'to knock on the door,' and 'llamar la atención' means 'to attract attention'.
In the context of names, llamó means 'he/she named' or 'he/she called (something a name).'
llamó(Verb)
he/she named
?giving a name to a person, pet, or thing
,he/she called (something)
?describing or labeling something
📝 In Action
Ella llamó a su gata 'Luna'.
B1She named her cat 'Luna'.
El crítico llamó a la película 'una obra maestra'.
B2The critic called the movie 'a masterpiece'.
💡 Grammar Points
Structure for Naming
The pattern is simple: llamó + a [person/pet] + [name]. Notice the 'a' is often used before the person or pet being named.
🔄 Conjugations
indicative
present
preterite
imperfect
subjunctive
present
imperfect
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: llamó
Question 1 of 2
In the sentence 'El cartero llamó a la puerta,' what does 'llamó' mean?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between `llamó` and `llamaba`?
Think of it like this: `llamó` is for a specific, finished action, like a snapshot. 'Él me llamó anoche' (He called me last night) - it happened once and it's over. `Llamaba` is for a repeated or ongoing action, like a movie. 'Él me llamaba todas las noches' (He used to call me every night) - it was a habit.
Why does `llamó` have an accent mark but `llamo` doesn't?
That little accent mark is super important! It changes both the pronunciation and the meaning. `Llamó` (ya-MOH) is 'he/she called' in the past. `Llamo` (YA-mo) is 'I call' in the present. The accent tells you where to put the stress, which helps you know who is doing the action and when.
Can I just say `Llamó` without 'él' or 'ella'?
Yes, absolutely! In Spanish, the verb ending often tells you who is doing the action. If you and your friend are talking about Maria, you can just say '¿Llamó?' and your friend will know you mean 'Did she call?' because you were already talking about her.