電話をかける
denwa o kakeru
Make a call
Phrase in 30 Seconds
Use {電話|でんわ}をかける to express the action of initiating a phone call to someone.
- Means: To dial a number or initiate a phone conversation.
- Used in: Daily life, business settings, and casual social planning.
- Don't confuse: Do not use '電話をする' as the only option; 'かける' is the standard verb for the action.
Explanation at your level:
Signification
To initiate a phone conversation.
Signification
To initiate a phone conversation.
Où l'utiliser
Calling a friend
A: 今から電話をかけるね。
B: わかった!
Business inquiry
A: 担当者に電話をかけます。
B: お願いします。
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Think of 'Kakeru' as 'Kicking' a call to someone else.
Visual Association
Imagine a phone receiver being hung on a hook, then flying through the air to your friend's ear.
Story
Tanaka-san wanted to talk. He picked up his phone. He dialed the number. He called his friend.
Word Web
Défi
Call a friend and say 'Moshi moshi' and use the phrase in a sentence.
In Other Languages
Hacer una llamada
The verb choice is based on different physical metaphors.
Passer un coup de fil
French focuses on the transmission, Japanese on the initiation.
Einen Anruf tätigen
German has a higher register gap.
電話をかける
None.
أجرى مكالمة
Arabic is more formal in its verb choice.
Easily Confused
Learners think it's the same as 'kakeru'.
'Kakeru' is more specific to the act of calling.
FAQ (1)
Yes, but 'kakeru' is more natural.