Inklingo

How to Say "i knock" in Spanish

English → Spanish

llamo

/YA-mo//'ʝa.mo/

verbA2
Use 'llamo' when you are specifically referring to the act of knocking on a door to get someone's attention.
A close-up view of a hand with a closed fist knocking on a wooden door.

Examples

Disculpe, llamo a la puerta pero nadie abre.

Excuse me, I'm knocking on the door but nobody is opening.

Llamo al camarero para pedir la cuenta, por favor.

I'm calling the waiter to ask for the check, please.

toco

/TO-ko//ˈtoko/

verbA2
Use 'toco' when referring to the action of striking a surface, such as ringing a doorbell or tapping on a window.
A fist raised, making contact with a simple brown wooden door.

Examples

Toco el timbre, pero nadie sale a abrir.

I ring the doorbell, but no one comes out to open it.

Si toco muy fuerte, despierto a mi vecino.

If I knock too hard, I'll wake up my neighbor.

Knocking vs. Ringing

The most common mistake is using 'llamo' when you actually mean to ring a doorbell. Remember, 'llamo' is for knocking on a door, while 'toco' is for striking a surface like a doorbell or a window.

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