llamo
/ʝamo/from spelling rules
llamo is the Spanish word for "I call".
While llamo literally means "I call", it is most commonly encountered as part of the reflexive construction me llamo to say "My name is".
How does it change in a sentence?
llamo is the first-person singular present indicative form of the verb llamar.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʝamo/
Did you know?
- The verb llamar comes from the Latin clamare, which means 'to shout', making it a distant relative of the English word 'exclaim'.
- The double ll in llamo is a signature of Spanish orthography, and in some dialects like those in Argentina, it is pronounced with a 'sh' sound rather than a 'y' sound.
- While llamo means 'I call', the noun llama is a homonym that refers to both the South American animal and a flame.
Examples in context
- Yo llamo a mi madre por teléfono.I call my mother on the phone.
- Siempre llamo a mis amigos los viernes.I always call my friends on Fridays.
- Llamo a la oficina para pedir información.I am calling the office to ask for information.
Example conversation
Mateo and Lucía are meeting at a cafe for the first time.
- MateoHola, soy Mateo.Hello, I am Mateo.
- LucíaMucho gusto, Mateo. Yo soy Lucía.Nice to meet you, Mateo. I am Lucía.
- MateoSi quieres, te llamo mañana.If you want, I will call you tomorrow.
- LucíaPerfecto, te espero.Perfect, I'll wait for your call.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
