Me liga
/mi ˈli.ɡɐ/word by word
The phrase "call me" in Portuguese is Me liga.
Me liga is used specifically to request a telephone call. This is the standard way to ask someone to call you on the phone in an informal or neutral context, particularly in Brazil. You can also use the verbs ligar or telefonar to mean "to call."
Which one should you use?
While Me liga refers specifically to telephone calls, the phrase Me chama is used when you want someone to call your name or summon you.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazilian Portuguese, you may hear the colloquial expression Me liga aí! In European Portuguese, a popular informal variation is Telefona-me, tá?
How does it change in a sentence?
While Me liga is common in spoken language, the grammatically correct form for formal writing or highly formal settings is Ligue-me, which places the pronoun after the verb.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of Me liga is /mi ˈli.ɡɐ/. It has three syllables, and the stress is on the second syllable.
Did you know?
- Because ligar comes from the Latin ligare, it shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'ligament', which refers to tissues that bind parts of the body together.
- In many Portuguese-speaking regions, the word ligar can also be used colloquially to mean that something 'matters' or 'is important' to someone.
- The word liga can also mean a sports league or a chemical alloy, because both concepts involve a 'binding' or 'union' of elements.
Examples in context
- Me liga hoje à noite.Call me this evening.This example is useful for practicing the phrase Me liga when requesting a call this evening.Tatoeba #1563638 by alexmarcelo, translation #243271 by CK
- Pode me ligar amanhã?Can you call me tomorrow?This example shows how to use Me liga to ask for a call tomorrow.Tatoeba #9370400 by bill, translation #9365823 by CK
- Me liga no escritório.Call me at the office.This example uses Me liga to specify a location for the call.Tatoeba #1331763 by alexmarcelo, translation #22364 by CK
- 44 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas is leaving the house and talking to Juliana.
- LucasMe liga quando chegar em casa.Call me when you get home.
- JulianaEu ligo sim, Lucas.I will call you, Lucas.
- LucasTudo bem, até logo.Alright, see you later.
- JulianaTchau, até mais.Bye, see you later.
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (me, liga) and can differ in connected speech.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
