¿podemos llamar?
The English phrase "can we call" is translated into Spanish as ¿podemos llamar?
This phrase is a request to speak with someone via a telephone call. While llamar is the standard verb for "to call", in many Spanish-speaking regions, speakers may use the phrase llamar por teléfono to explicitly clarify that the contact is being made via telephone.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of the verb poder (to be able to) in the first-person plural form, followed by the infinitive llamar (to call).
How does it change in a sentence?
To ask if you can call a specific person whom you address informally (a friend, for example), you can add the pronoun te to the end of the infinitive, resulting in ¿podemos llamarte? (Can we call you?).
Did you know?
- The word llamar comes from the Latin clāmāre, which means 'to cry out'.
- In several Latin American countries, speakers use the verb marcar instead of llamar to refer specifically to the physical act of dialing a number.
- While llamar means 'to call' on a phone, it is also the primary word used to ask for someone's name, as in ¿cómo se llama?
Examples in context
- ¿Podríamos comunicarnos por teléfono, por favor?Could we communicate over the phone, please?
- ¿Nos dejás hacer una llamada, por favor?Can we make a phone call, please?
- ¿Podemos llamar a Juan para organizar el evento?Can we call Juan to organize the event?
- ¿Podemos llamar más tarde?Can we call later?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries llamar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
