What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te devolveré la llamada is composed of te (to you), devolveré (I will return) and la llamada (the call).
Which one should you use?
While te devolveré la llamada is the standard form, you might use Te vuelvo a llamar to mean "I'll call you back" in certain parts of Mexico. For a slightly different meaning of "I'll call you later," you can use Te llamo luego, or Te contacto más tarde for "I'll contact you later". If you want to say "I will get back in touch with you", use Me pondré en contacto con usted de nuevo.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In certain parts of Mexico, it is common to use Te vuelvo a llamar to say "I'll call you back".
How does it change in a sentence?
To adjust for formality, use le instead of te (as in Le devolveré la llamada) when speaking to someone in a formal or professional context.
How do you pronounce it?
/te debolbeɾe la ʝamada/
Did you know?
- In some Spanish-speaking cultures, saying te llamo luego or te devuelvo la llamada can be a polite way to end a conversation without a firm commitment to actually call back.
- While the phrase translates to 'returning the call', the verb devolver is used for any physical object being returned, making a phone call conceptually like a borrowed item that must be handed back.
- The word llamada comes from the verb llamar, which originally meant 'to call' or 'to shout' to get someone's attention before telephones existed.
Examples in context
- Señor García, no puedo hablar ahora. Le devolveré la llamada más tarde.Mr. García, I can't talk now. I will call you back later.
- Disculpe, pero estoy ocupado en este momento. Me pondré en contacto con usted de nuevo lo antes posible.Excuse me, but I'm busy at the moment. I will get back in touch with you as soon as possible.
- Oye, no puedo hablar ahora, pero te llamo luego.Hey, I can't talk now, but I'll call you later.
- Te devolveré la llamada en un momento.I will call you back in a moment.
- Ahora no puedo hablar, te devolveré la llamada.I can't talk right now, I will call you back.
- Espera un poco y te devolveré la llamada.Wait a bit and I will call you back.
Example conversation
Lucía is driving and Alejandro calls her phone.
- LucíaHola Alejandro, estoy conduciendo.Hello Alejandro, I am driving.
- AlejandroNo te preocupes, solo quería saludarte.Don't worry, I just wanted to say hello.
- LucíaTe devolveré la llamada cuando llegue a casa.I will call you back when I get home.
- AlejandroEstá bien, te espero.Alright, I'll wait for you.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
