Llamar

Llamar is a Spanish verb meaning to call. It covers several related actions: to call someone by name or to summon, to telephone or ring someone, and to designate or name something or someone. For example, “Llamo a mi madre cada domingo” means I call my mother on Sundays; “¿Cómo se llama?” asks for a person’s name; “La película se llama La aventura” indicates the film is named La Aventura.

With direct object pronouns, it becomes “llamar a alguien” to contact someone, and the sense of calling by name is often expressed as “llamar a alguien por su nombre” or in idioms such as “llamar la atención” (to attract attention). Other common phrases include “llamar al orden” (to call to order). The reflexive form “llamarse” is used to state one’s name: “Me llamo Ana.” The question “¿Cómo te llamas?” asks for someone’s name.

It is a regular -ar verb. Its principal conjugation patterns include: Present: llamo, llamas, llama, llamamos, llamáis, llaman. Preterite: llamé, llamaste, llamó, llamamos, llamasteis, llamaron. Imperfect: llamaba, llamabas, llamaba, llamábamos, llamabais, llamaban. Future: llamaré, llamarás, llamará, llamaremos, llamaréis, llamarán. Subjunctive present: llame, llames, llame, llamemos, llaméis, llamen. Imperative: llama (tú), llame (usted), llamemos, llamad, llamen. Participle: llamado; gerund: llamando.

Etymology traces llam ar to Latin clamare, meaning “to shout.” In many dialects the pronunciation of ll is variable (yeísmo), but the verb’s forms remain standard across Spanish varieties.