What does it mean word for word?
The phrase te devolveré la llamada literally translates to "I will return the call to you".
Which one should you use?
While te devolveré la llamada is a direct way to promise a return call, you may also encounter Te vuelvo a llamar luego to express the intention of calling someone back later. Additionally, te llamaré de nuevo is a common alternative meaning "I will call you again".
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase Te vuelvo a llamar luego is used to express that you will call someone back later. In some Latin American countries, such as Mexico or Colombia, it is common to add enseguida to the phrase Te devuelvo la llamada enseguida to emphasize promptness.
How does it change in a sentence?
The pronoun used determines the level of formality: using te is informal, while replacing it with le makes the phrase formal. When addressing multiple people informally, you can use os llamo más tarde. For a standard future tense, you can say Le llamaré más tarde (formal) or Te llamo más tarde (informal).
How do you pronounce it?
/te debolbeɾe la ʝamada/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying te devuelvo la llamada can be a polite social filler rather than a literal promise, similar to how English speakers might say 'let's do lunch' without a specific date.
- The pronoun te in te devolveré la llamada shares the same Proto-Indo-European roots as the English word 'two', originating from the same linguistic family that produced 'thou'.
- If you say te llamo más tarde in the present tense, you are still effectively promising a future call. Spanish speakers frequently use the present tense to express an intention that is certain to happen in the near future.
Examples in context
- Hola, Juan. No puedo hablar ahora, pero te devuelvo la llamada enseguida.Hi, Juan. I can't talk right now, but I'll call you back right away.
- Lo siento, pero estoy ocupada. Te vuelvo a llamar luego.I'm sorry, but I'm busy. I'll call you back later.
- Disculpe, en este momento no puedo atenderle. Le llamaré más tarde. ¿Le parece bien?I'm sorry, I can't talk right now. I will call you back later. Is that okay?
- ¡Claro! No puedo ahora mismo, pero te llamo más tarde y lo organizamos.Of course! I can't right now, but I'll call you back later, and we'll organize it.
- No puedo hablar ahora, te devolveré la llamada.I can't talk now, I will call you back.
- Espera un momento, te devolveré la llamada pronto.Wait a moment, I will call you back soon.
- Estoy en una reunión, te devolveré la llamada más tarde.I am in a meeting, I will call you back later.
Example conversation
Alejandro is driving and Sofía calls his phone.
- AlejandroHola Sofía, estoy conduciendo.Hello Sofía, I am driving.
- SofíaEstá bien, ¿podemos hablar después?It's okay, can we talk later?
- AlejandroSí, te devolveré la llamada en cuanto llegue.Yes, I will call you back as soon as I arrive.
- SofíaPerfecto, Alejandro, nos vemos luego.Perfect, Alejandro, see you later.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
