chiamare
/kjaˈma.re/
The Italian verb for to call (to contact by telephone) is chiamare.
chiamare is used both for calling someone on the phone and for calling out to someone to get their attention. Related nouns include richiamo, chiamata and convocazione for the act of beckoning or summoning, as well as canto and richiamo when referring to the characteristic cry of an animal.
Meaning: to contact by telephone (verb)
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
chiamare is a regular -are verb. Its past participle is chiamato.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /kjaˈma.re/. It has 3 syllables and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers often mistakenly use the preposition 'a' after chiamare (for example, 'chiamare a Maria'), but in Italian, the person being called is the direct object (for example, 'chiamare Maria').
Did you know?
- In Italy, it is common to use the reflexive form chiamarsi to say what your name is. Literally, this means 'to call oneself'.
- The word chiamare shares an ancient root with the English word 'claim', as both stem from a Proto-Indo-European word meaning 'to shout'.
- The word richiamo refers to both a phone callback and a product recall. This dual meaning reflects the idea of 'calling back' a person or an object.
Examples in context
- Mi può chiamare Bob.You can call me Bob.This sentence shows how to use chiamare to state a name.Tatoeba #4466362 by Guybrush88, translation #262396 by CN
- Io li devo chiamare.I have to call them.This sentence demonstrates using chiamare to express necessity regarding a group of people.Tatoeba #5057760 by Guybrush88, translation #3918971 by CH
- Io le devo chiamare.I've got to call them.Tatoeba #5057762 by Guybrush88, translation #3918977 by CH
- Devo telefonare al mio capoI need to call my boss
- Sto chiamando il ristorante al telefonoI am calling the restaurant on the phone
- Mi ha squillato il telefonoMy phone rang
- Dov'è il citofono? Devo citofonare a MariaWhere is the intercom? I need to buzz Maria
- Mi hanno chiamato sul telefoninoThey called me on my cellphone
- Non vedo l'ora di telefonare ai miei genitori e raccontare loro le novità!I can't wait to call my parents and tell them the news!
- Ho citofonato il nuovo vicino per fargli sapere che il portone era aperto.I buzzed the new neighbor to let him know the front door was open.
- 580 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Chiara and Alessandro are at home planning their afternoon.
- ChiaraDevo chiamare il medico subito.I must call the doctor immediately.
- AlessandroVuoi che lo chiami io?Do you want me to call him?
- ChiaraNo, grazie, lo chiamo io dopo.No, thanks, I will call him myself later.
- AlessandroVa bene, allora ti chiamo più tardi.Alright, then I will call you later.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “call” translations and entries chiamare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chiamare, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
