How to make calls in Spanish: Spanish Phone Call Vocabulary and Phrases

Phone calls can be unnerving to some. But you know what makes it even more difficult? Calling someone while speaking Spanish! No worries to you though. Here in this article, we’ll learn how to make phone calls in Spanish and go through some Spanish phone call vocabulary.

We've listed down some words and phrases used when making calls in Spanish.

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How to say hello on the phone in Spanish

Dígame OR Diga - hello

This is the most common way to say “hello?” when you pick up the phone.

¿Sí? - yes? OR hello?

This is considered a less formal way of answering the phone than diga.

¿Bueno? (Mexico) --  Hello?

Bueno usually means “good.” However, in Mexico, it can also be used as a telephone greeting that means the equivalent of “yes?” or “hello?”.

Actions on the phone in Spanish

For this part, let’s take a look at the different Spanish verbs used in relation to phone calls.

Discar / marcar – to dial

When you want to dial a number, the Spanish verb to use is either discar or marcar. Let’s take a look at an example.

atender / coger el teléfono – to answer the phone

To answer your phone, the correct Spanish verbs to use are either atender or coger.

llamar de vuelta / devolver la llamada – to call back

When you plan to call back someone, you say, llamar de vuelta or devolver la llamada.

colgar / cortar – to hang up

“You hang up first.”

“No, you hang up first.”

Ever been stuck on this loop? In Spanish it’s called colgar or cortar.

colgarle el teléfono en la cara a alguien – to hang up on someone

Spanish Vocabulary and Phrases for Making Calls (With Examples)

Now let’s go through some words and phrases and their respective examples.

contestador automático – answering machine

When you need to leave a message, the answering machine is your friend. Here’s how to say it in Spanish.

se cortó la llamada – the call got cut off

Don’t you just hate when this happens?

interno (Argentina) / extensión (España) – extension

Calling an office or a company’s trunkline? You might need to key in the extension number! In Argentina it is called interno.

teléfono celular / móvil – cell phone

A cell phone is pretty much an extension of your arm these days. It’s called a teléfono celular / móvil in Spanish.

Llamada de larga distancia – long distance call

With mobile phones and the internet, there’s not as much long distance calls happening nowadays. But here’s what you call it in Spanish.

altavoces – speakerphone

Don’t you just hate it when you thought your call was private but you’ve been placed on speakerphone? Argh!

See also: The Sweetest Spanish Terms of Endearment to Call Your Loved Ones

Spanish Phone Vocabulary

See more vocabulary related to phone calls here.

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Spanish Phrases for Making Phone Calls

Now for some ready phrases that you can use.

So there you have it---Spanish phone call vocabulary and phrases. We hope this article will help you make your way around phone calls in Spanish. 

Want more Spanish phrases? Check out Spanish Phrasebook below! It’s got all the phrases you need to travel Spain and Latin America with confidence.