¿Puedes llamar?
The English phrase "can you call?" is translated into Spanish as ¿Puedes llamar?
This phrase is used to ask if someone is able or has the possibility to make a telephone call. Note that ¿Puedes llamar? is a general request to make a call. If you specifically want the person to call you, you should use ¿Me puedes llamar? instead.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase consists of Puedes, which is the second-person singular present indicative of the verb poder (to be able to) and llamar, which is the infinitive form of the verb meaning "to call".
Which one should you use?
¿Puedes llamar? asks about the general ability or possibility to make a call, whereas ¿Me puedes llamar? specifically means "Can you call me?"
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, if you are addressing a group of people informally, you use the plural form ¿Podéis llamar?
How does it change in a sentence?
When addressing someone with the formal usted instead of the informal tú, the phrase changes from ¿Puedes llamar? to ¿Puede llamar?
Did you know?
- While ¿Puedes llamar? asks if someone can call, using the verb dar un toque literally means 'to give a touch' and is a common way to say 'give me a ring'.
- In Spanish, you can use llamar to describe a person's name, as in Me llamo, which literally means 'I call myself'.
- The verb llamar used in this phrase shares the same root as the English word 'claim' and 'clamor'.
Examples in context
- ¡Disculpe! ¿Podría llamar usted a la oficina de reservas para confirmar mi vuelo, por favor?Excuse me! Could you call the reservation office to confirm my flight, please?
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries llamar, CC BY-SA 4.0.
