Inklingo

telefonear

te-leh-fo-neh-AHR/telefonesˈaɾ/

telefonear means to phone in Spanish (to make a call).

to phone

Also: to telephone, to call
VerbA2regular ar
Spain
A friendly person holding a smartphone to their ear, talking and smiling.
gerundtelefoneando
past Participletelefoneado
infinitivetelefonear

📝 In Action

Yo telefoneo a mi madre todos los domingos.

A1

I phone my mother every Sunday.

¿Puedes telefonear al hotel para confirmar nuestra reserva?

A2

Can you phone the hotel to confirm our reservation?

Le telefoneé varias veces pero no me contestó.

B1

I phoned him several times but he didn't answer me.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • telefonear al extranjeroto call abroad
  • telefonear sin cesarto call non-stop
  • telefonear de vueltato call back

Idioms & Expressions

  • quedarse al teléfonoto stay on the line

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedestelefonearan
yotelefoneara
telefonearas
vosotrostelefonearais
nosotrostelefonéáramos
él/ella/ustedtelefoneara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedestelefoneen
yotelefonee
telefonees
vosotrostelefoneéis
nosotrostelefoneemos
él/ella/ustedtelefonee

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedestelefonearon
yotelefoneé
telefoneaste
vosotrostelefoneasteis
nosotrostelefoneamos
él/ella/ustedtelefoneó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedestelefoneaban
yotelefoneaba
telefoneabas
vosotrostelefoneabais
nosotrostelefoneábamos
él/ella/ustedtelefoneaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedestelefonean
yotelefoneo
telefoneas
vosotrostelefoneáis
nosotrostelefoneamos
él/ella/ustedtelefonea

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "telefonear" in Spanish:

to telephone

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: telefonear

Question 1 of 3

How do you say 'I phoned my sister'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family
teléfono(telephone)Noun
telefónico(telephonic / relating to phones)Adjective
telefonista(operator)Noun
🎵 Rhymes
📚 Etymology

Created in Spanish by turning the noun 'teléfono' (telephone) into a verb. The root comes from Greek 'tele' (far) and 'phono' (voice or sound).

First recorded: 19th century

Cognates (Related words)

French: téléphonerItalian: telefonare

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Frequently Asked Questions

Is 'telefonear' used for cell phones too?

Yes, it covers any telephone device, though 'llamar' remains the most natural choice for mobiles.

Is it a regular verb?

Yes, it follows the standard pattern for all verbs ending in -ar.

Does it mean 'to call' a person's name?

No. To call someone's name or shout for them, you should use 'llamar'. 'Telefonear' is strictly for using a phone.