te llamo luego
/te ʝamo lweɡo/from spelling rules
The English phrase "call you later" is translated into Spanish as te llamo luego.
This phrase is used to tell someone that you intend to telephone them at a later time. While the phrase uses the present tense to express a near-future intention, you may also use the explicit future tense form te llamaré luego interchangeably.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, te llamo luego translates to "I call you later".
Which one should you use?
You might use te llamo más tarde as a common alternative when you want to specifically emphasize that the call will happen at a later point in the same day. While te llamo luego is the standard way to express this, te llamaré luego uses the future tense to achieve the same meaning.
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing a group of people, the phrase changes depending on the region. In Spain, use os llamo luego to say "I'll call you guys later". In Latin America, use los llamo luego to say the same thing. If you are using the formal usted, replace te with lo or la.
How do you pronounce it?
/te ʝamo lweɡo/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, te llamo luego can function as a polite social lubricant to end a conversation rather than a concrete promise to phone. It often carries the same social weight as 'we should do lunch' in English.
- In some slangy contexts, you might hear someone say te echo un pitido. This literally translates to 'I will give you a beep', used instead of a formal 'call'.
- The word luego is a cognate of the English word 'lieu' as in 'in lieu of', as both derive from the Latin word locus meaning 'place'.
Examples in context
- Te llamo luego.I'll call you later.This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase te llamo luego.Tatoeba #445691 by Shishir, translation #71680 by CK
- Ahora no puedo hablar, te llamo luego.I can't talk right now, I'll call you later.
- Estoy en el supermercado, te llamo luego.I am at the supermarket, I'll call you later.
Example conversation
Lucía and Alejandro are talking briefly on the phone.
- Lucía¿Tienes un minuto para hablar, Alejandro?Do you have a minute to talk, Alejandro?
- AlejandroLo siento, Lucía, estoy ocupado ahora.I'm sorry, Lucía, I am busy right now.
- LucíaNo hay problema, te llamo luego.No problem, I'll call you later.
- AlejandroEstá bien, hablamos después.Okay, we'll talk later.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries luego, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
