Inklingo

How to Say "to phone" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “to phone” is “llamar” — use 'llamar' when you want to say 'to call' someone, regardless of the specific method of communication (phone, app, in person). It is the most common and general term.

English → Spanish

llamar

ya-marʝaˈmaɾ

VerbA1General
Use 'llamar' when you want to say 'to call' someone, regardless of the specific method of communication (phone, app, in person). It is the most common and general term.
A person smiling while holding a mobile phone to their ear, depicting a phone call.

Examples

Te llamo en cinco minutos.

I'll call you in five minutes.

Mi mamá me llama todos los domingos.

My mom calls me every Sunday.

¿Puedes llamar a la pizzería para pedir la cena?

Can you call the pizzeria to order dinner?

Calling a Person

When you say who you are calling, you usually need to add the little word 'a' before their name or title. For example, 'Llamo a mi hermana' (I'm calling my sister).

Forgetting 'a'

Mistake: “Voy a llamar mi amigo.”

Correction: Voy a llamar a mi amigo. When the person you're calling is the direct 'receiver' of the action, Spanish uses what's called the 'personal a'.

telefonear

te-leh-fo-neh-AHRtelefonesˈaɾ

VerbA2General
Use 'telefonear' specifically when you are referring to the act of making a call using a telephone device.
A friendly person holding a smartphone to their ear, talking and smiling.

Examples

Yo telefoneo a mi madre todos los domingos.

I phone my mother every Sunday.

¿Puedes telefonear al hotel para confirmar nuestra reserva?

Can you phone the hotel to confirm our reservation?

Le telefoneé varias veces pero no me contestó.

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

The 'Personal A'

When you are calling a specific person, you must use the word 'a' before their name or the noun. For example: 'Telefoneo a Carmen'.

Double 'E' in Spelling

Because the base of the word ends in 'e', when you add endings that start with 'e' (like in the past tense 'yo' form), you get a double 'e': 'telefoneé'.

Missing the 'a'

Mistake: “Telefoneo mi padre.”

Correction: Telefoneo a mi padre. (In Spanish, we always add 'a' when the action is done to a specific person.)

Llamar vs. Telefonear

Learners often mistakenly think 'telefonear' is always the correct translation for 'to phone.' However, 'llamar' is far more frequent and widely used for 'to call,' even when a phone is involved. Reserve 'telefonear' for when you want to emphasize the use of the telephone itself.

Related Translations

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