Inklingo

How to Say "they called" in Spanish

The Spanish word forthey calledis llamaronA1 level. This is a very common word in everyday Spanish.

English → SpanishA1
verbA1
summoning or naming
A simple storybook illustration showing two children waving enthusiastically to summon a third child who is walking toward them.

Examples

Ellos llamaron a la policía cuando vieron el accidente.

They called the police when they saw the accident.

Mis padres me llamaron 'Sofía' por mi abuela.

My parents named me 'Sofía' after my grandmother.

Ustedes llamaron a la puerta muy fuerte.

You all knocked on the door very loudly.

The Simple Past Tense

This verb form describes an action that started and finished completely in the past, often at a specific moment.

Who is 'They'?

'Llamaron' means 'they' (ellos/ellas) or 'you all' (ustedes) did the calling. You usually don't need to say 'ellos' unless you want to emphasize who did it.

Past Tense Confusion

Mistake:Usando 'llamaban' en lugar de 'llamaron' para una acción única.

Correction: Use 'llamaron' (preterite) for a single, completed action ('They called once'). Use 'llamaban' (imperfect) for habits or descriptions ('They used to call often').

Related Translations

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