電話をかける

§ What does it mean and when do people use it?

The Japanese phrase 電話をかける (denwa o kakeru) literally means "to make a phone call." It's a fundamental phrase you'll use frequently in Japan when talking about contacting someone by phone. Think of it as the go-to expression for initiating a phone conversation, whether you're calling a friend, a business, or a family member.

DEFINITION

To make a phone call; to call someone on the phone.

You'll use 電話をかける in a variety of situations. For example, if you want to tell someone you'll call them later, you'd use this phrase. If you're asking someone if they called their parents, again, this is the phrase. It's very versatile and covers pretty much any scenario where a phone call is being made.

Hint: I will call my friend.

Hint: I'll call you later, okay?

The verb かける (kakeru) in this context specifically means "to hang" or "to place," which in the old days referred to placing the receiver on the hook of a landline phone to initiate a call. While phones have changed, the expression has stuck. It's a set phrase, so you don't need to overthink the individual parts; just learn it as a whole.

You might also hear the phrase 電話する (denwa suru). This is a slightly more casual and often interchangeable way to say "to make a phone call." Both are correct, but 電話をかける can sometimes feel a touch more formal or complete. However, in everyday conversation, people use both freely. If you're unsure, 電話をかける is always a safe bet.

Here are some common scenarios where you'd use 電話をかける:

• When you tell someone you are going to call them: 「今から彼に電話をかけます。」 (I'm going to call him now.)
• When you ask someone if they made a call: 「お母さんに電話をかけましたか？」 (Did you call your mother?)
• When you mention making a call in the past: 「昨日、会社に電話をかけました。」 (Yesterday, I called the company.)

Understanding 電話をかける is key to basic communication in Japanese. Make sure to practice using it in different sentence structures to get comfortable with it.

§ Basic Sentence Structure

The basic way to use 電話をかける (denwa o kakeru) is to simply state that you are making a phone call. It's a transitive verb, meaning it takes a direct object, which in this case is 電話 (denwa – phone call/phone).

Grammar Point

The particle を (o) marks the direct object of the verb. So, 電話をかける literally means 'to hang up a phone call' or 'to make a phone call.'

I will make a phone call.

§ Calling Someone Specific

If you want to specify who you are calling, you'll use the particle に (ni) after the person or place you are calling. This particle indicates the recipient or destination of the action.

Grammar Point

The structure is [person/place] に 電話をかける. The に here functions similar to 'to' in English when referring to calling someone.

I will call my friend.

I will call the company.

§ When to make the call

You can also add a time or circumstance to your sentence to indicate when the call will be made. Use time-specific nouns or phrases followed by particles like に (ni) for specific times, or if you want to be less specific, simply place the time word before the action.

I will call him tomorrow.

I will make a phone call at night.

§ Using in polite forms

Like most Japanese verbs, 電話をかける can be conjugated into various forms to express politeness or different tenses.

• Masu form: 電話をかけます (denwa o kakemasu) - polite present/future
• Te form: 電話をかけて (denwa o kakete) - used for requests, connecting clauses
• Ta form: 電話をかけた (denwa o kaketa) - plain past
• Nakatta form: 電話をかけなかった (denwa o kakenakatta) - plain negative past

I will call later (polite).

Please call him.

I called her yesterday (plain past).

§ Asking if someone will call

You can easily turn a statement into a question by adding the question particle か (ka) at the end of a polite sentence, or by simply raising your intonation in casual speech.

Will you call later?

§ What 電話をかける Means

The Japanese phrase 電話をかける (denwa o kakeru) literally means "to hang a phone" or "to put a phone on." In modern usage, it means "to make a phone call." This is a very common and essential phrase for anyone learning Japanese. You'll use it in all sorts of situations, from arranging plans with friends to contacting customer service.

Japanese Word

電話をかける (denwa o kakeru)

Type

Verb

CEFR Level

A2

Definition

to make a phone call

§ Examples of 電話をかける

Let's look at some examples of how to use 電話をかける in sentences.

Hint

I will call my friend.

Hint

I will call again later.

Hint

May I call him?

§ Grammar Notes for 電話をかける

The particle を (o) indicates the direct object of the verb. In this case, 電話 (denwa) is the object that you are "making" or "hanging." The verb かける (kakeru) means "to hang" or "to place." So, you are literally "hanging a phone call."

§ Similar Words and When to Use Them

While 電話をかける is the most common way to say "to make a phone call," there are a few other related phrases you might encounter. Understanding the nuances will help you sound more natural.

• 電話する (denwa suru): This is a slightly more casual way to say "to make a phone call." It uses the verb する (suru), which means "to do." So, it literally means "to do a phone." You can use 電話する in most situations where you would use 電話をかける, especially in informal contexts.

Hint

I will call him. (More casual than 電話をかけます)

• 電話が来る (denwa ga kuru): This means "to receive a phone call" or "a phone call comes." The verb 来る (kuru) means "to come."

Hint

A call came from my friend. / My friend called me.

• 電話に出る (denwa ni deru): This means "to answer the phone." The verb 出る (deru) means "to exit" or "to appear." In this context, it means to "come out" and answer the call.

Hint

She didn't answer the phone.

In summary, while there are several ways to talk about phone calls in Japanese, 電話をかける is your go-to phrase for explicitly stating that you are initiating a phone call. It's clear, polite, and universally understood. As you get more comfortable, you can start incorporating 電話する for more casual conversations.

§ Key Takeaways

• Use 電話をかける to say "to make a phone call."
• 電話する is a more casual alternative.
• 電話が来る means "a call comes/is received."
• 電話に出る means "to answer the phone."