📱 Calls & Messages - Llamadas y mensajes

Aa ⏱ ≈ 16 minutes

Beginner Spanish · Phone calls and texting

Phone Calls and Texting in Spanish

Phone Spanish becomes practical when you can ask to speak with someone, share a phone number, say that you cannot talk right now, call someone back, and switch to a text message when needed.

Your next small win: start a simple phone call, ask for someone's number, request a call back, send a message, and explain a basic signal or voicemail situation.

Start with everyday phone words

Core Phone Vocabulary

These words cover the basic information and actions that come up in everyday phone conversations.

teléfono
Phone
llamada
Call
mensaje de texto
Text message
número de teléfono
Phone number
contacto
Contact
señal
Signal

Name four phone words

Say “phone, call, text message, and phone number” in Spanish.

More phone vocabulary
buzón de voz
Voicemail
llamada perdida
Missed call
altavoz
Speakerphone
contestar
To answer a call
colgar
To hang up

Start and manage a call

Making a Phone Call

Use llamar a when talking about calling a person. A few fixed questions can carry most simple phone conversations.

Voy a llamar a mi hermano.
I'm going to call my brother.
¿Puedo hablar con Ana?
Can I speak with Ana?
¿Con quién hablo?
Who am I speaking with?
Soy Elena.
This is Elena.
Te llamo para preguntarte algo.
I'm calling to ask you something.
Ahora no puedo hablar por teléfono.
I can't talk on the phone right now.

Useful pattern: llamar a + person: llamar a Ana, llamar a mi hermano. With a pronoun, you can say te llamo for “I call you.”

Calling someone

A
Hola, ¿puedo hablar con Carlos?
Hello, can I speak with Carlos?
B
Sí, soy yo. ¿Quién habla?
Yes, this is Carlos. Who's calling?
A
Soy Elena. Te llamo para preguntarte algo.
This is Elena. I'm calling to ask you something.

Start a call

Ask to speak with Ana, identify yourself, and say that you are calling to ask something.

Stay in touch another way

Phone Numbers, Calling Back, and Texting

These phrases help you exchange contact information and decide whether to call or send a message later.

¿Cuál es tu número de teléfono?
What's your phone number?
Te llamo más tarde.
I'll call you later.
¿Puedes llamarme más tarde?
Can you call me later?
¿Puedes devolverme la llamada?
Can you call me back?
Te devuelvo la llamada en unos minutos.
I'll call you back in a few minutes.
¿Puedes enviarme un mensaje?
Can you send me a message?

Useful phrase: devolver la llamada means “to call back.” You can treat it as one practical chunk when speaking.

Switching to a message

A
Ahora no puedo hablar por teléfono.
I can't talk on the phone right now.
B
No pasa nada. ¿Te envío un mensaje?
No problem. Should I send you a message?
A
Sí, por favor. Te llamo más tarde.
Yes, please. I'll call you later.

Arrange a later conversation

Ask someone to call you later, then ask them to send you a message.

Handle simple phone problems

Signal, Missed Calls, and Voicemail

You do not need complicated technical vocabulary to explain a basic phone problem or leave a message.

¿Tienes señal?
Do you have a signal?
No tengo buena señal aquí.
I don't have a good signal here.
Tengo una llamada perdida.
I have a missed call.
Voy a devolver la llamada.
I'm going to call back.
Quiero dejar un mensaje.
I want to leave a message.
Puede dejar un mensaje en el buzón de voz.
You can leave a message on voicemail.

Simple communication: No tengo buena señal aquí explains the problem without needing to describe how the phone or network works.

Leaving a message

A
¿Puedo hablar con Ana?
Can I speak with Ana?
B
Ahora no puede hablar.
She can't talk right now.
A
Está bien. Quiero dejar un mensaje.
That's fine. I want to leave a message.

Handle two phone situations

Say that you do not have a good signal, then say that you want to leave a message.

Lesson boundary: this lesson focuses on communication by phone. Charging devices, apps, Wi-Fi, files, and technical device problems belong in the Technology lesson.

Your turn · 8 quick questions

Practice: Phone Calls and Texting

Choose the answer that best fits each situation. Focus on calling someone, phone numbers, calling back, texting, signal, and voicemail.

Audio uses your device's Spanish text-to-speech voice. Listen to each phrase, then practice making calls, arranging a call back, sending messages, and handling simple phone situations.