Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The default form 電話できる？ is informal and should be used with friends or family. For a polite way to ask if someone is available to talk on the phone, you can use 電話できますか？ If you are making a request for someone to perform a phone call, there are more formal options: 電話をしていただけますか is a polite way to ask someone if they can make a phone call, while 電話をおかけいただけませんか is an even more polite way to request that someone makes a phone call for you. In informal settings, you can also use 電話をしてもらえる？ as a friendly way to ask someone to make a phone call for you or 電話をかけてくれる？ to informally ask someone to call.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can make the phrase a polite way to ask if someone can talk on the phone by adding できますか to the end, resulting in 電話できますか？
How do you pronounce it?
denwa dekiru?
Did you know?
- In Japanese business culture, it is common to send a text asking 電話できる？ or its polite version before calling, as an unexpected phone call can be seen as an intrusive interruption.
- The word 電話 ('denwa') literally translates to 'electric talk', combining the characters for 'electricity' and 'talk'.
- The verb used in 電話できる？ is the potential form of する, which means 'to do'. In Japanese, instead of saying 'can you talk on the phone', you are literally asking 'can you do the telephone'.
Examples in context
- 今、電話できる？Ima, denwa dekiru?Can you talk on the phone now?
- 夜、電話できる？Yoru, denwa dekiru?Can you call me tonight?
- 後で電話できる？Ato de denwa dekiru?Can you call me later?
Example conversation
Misaki calls Kenta to check if he is free to talk.
- 美咲 Misaki健太、今、電話できる？Kenta, ima, denwa dekiru?Kenta, can you talk on the phone now?
- 健太 Kentaうん、大丈夫だよ。Un, daijoubu da yo.Yeah, I'm free.
- 美咲 Misakiちょっと相談したいことがあるんだ。Chotto soudan shitai koto ga aru nda.There's something I want to consult you about.
- 健太 Kentaいいよ、どうしたの？Ii yo, doushita no?Sure, what's up?
