Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| téléphoner | /te.le.fɔ.ne/ |
| appeler | /a.p(ə).le/ |
| phoner | /fɔ.ne/ |
Which one should you use?
While both téléphoner and appeler mean 'to phone', appeler is much more common in everyday spoken French. téléphoner is used when a speaker wants to be slightly more formal or precise.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Quebec, Canada, the word cellulaire is commonly used to refer to a cell phone.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The two verbs follow different grammatical structures. When using téléphoner, you must use the preposition à before the person being called (téléphoner à quelqu'un). In contrast, appeler is a direct transitive verb and does not use a preposition before the person being called (appeler quelqu'un).
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of téléphoner is /te.le.fɔ.ne/ and it has 4 syllables.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying téléphoner quelqu'un. English speakers often mistakenly omit the preposition à. The correct way to say it is téléphoner à quelqu'un.
Did you know?
- In many French-speaking regions, if you say you are 'calling' someone with appeler, it could mean you are shouting their name across a room rather than using a telephone.
- The word téléphone is a compound of the Greek words for 'far' and 'sound', a structure mirrored in other French words like télégraphe.
- The verb phoner is a direct loan from English and is primarily used in Switzerland and Belgium, rather than in France.
Examples in context
- J'ai oublié de l'appeler.I forgot to phone him.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of appeler.Tatoeba #12645788 by lbdx, translation #8074984 by CH
- Je téléphonerai plus tard.I'll phone later.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of téléphoner.Tatoeba #763340 by sacredceltic, translation #12476345 by sundown
- Je ne veux plus l'appeler.I don't want to phone her any more.Tatoeba #8662309 by Julien_PDC, translation #11514000 by sundown
- J'ai besoin d'utiliser le téléphoneI need to use the phone
- Veuillez vous servir de l'appareil téléphoniquePlease make use of the telephone device
- Je préfère utiliser un téléphone fixe plutôt qu'un portableI prefer using a landline phone rather than a mobile
- Où est mon portable ? Je ne le retrouve pasWhere is my phone? I can't find it
- J'ai besoin d'un nouveau smartphoneI need a new smartphone
- Où est mon cellulaire ?Where is my cell phone?
- 48 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Gabriel are planning a meeting.
- LéaTu vas lui téléphoner pour confirmer ?Are you going to call him to confirm?
- GabrielOui, je vais le faire tout de suite.Yes, I am going to do it right now.
- LéaD'accord, préviens-moi quand c'est fait.Okay, let me know when it's done.
- GabrielPas de problème, Léa.No problem, Léa.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “phone” translations and entries téléphoner, appeler, phoner, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
