Spanish grammar · Beginner
Llamar Conjugation: Every Tense with Examples
Llamar means to call (by phone or by name). Fully regular -ar verb. Reflexive llamarse = to be named: Me llamo María = My name is María (lit: I call myself María).
Te llamo mañana.
I'll call you tomorrow.
What it is
Llamar means to call, by phone, by name, or to summon. Fully regular -ar verb across every tense. The reflexive llamarse (Me llamo, te llamas) is the standard way to introduce yourself by name in Spanish.
In Te llamo mañana (I'll call you tomorrow), llamo is the regular yo present with te as the direct object. Me llamo María (My name is María) literally means I call myself María.
How to spot it
Fully regular in every tense. The reflexive llamarse is the high-frequency naming construction.
- ¿Cómo te llamas? — What's your name?
- Me llamó ayer. — He called me yesterday.
- Te llamaré pronto. — I'll call you soon.
Llamarse is one of the first verbs every Spanish learner uses. ¿Cómo te llamas? = What's your name?
Llamar Conjugation Quick Reference
Llamar at a glance, the most-used forms across tenses
| Person | Present | Preterite | Imperfect | Future | Subjunctive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| yo | llamo | llamé | llamaba | llamaré | llame |
| tú | llamas | llamaste | llamabas | llamarás | llames |
| él/ella/Ud. | llama | llamó | llamaba | llamará | llame |
| nosotros | llamamos | llamamos | llamábamos | llamaremos | llamemos |
| vosotros | llamáis | llamasteis | llamabais | llamaréis | llaméis |
| ellos/Uds. | llaman | llamaron | llamaban | llamarán | llamen |
Common Llamar Conjugation Examples in Spanish
Llamar covers phone calls, calling by name, summoning, and (reflexively) being named:
Phone Calls
- Te llamo más tarde.
- I'll call you later.
- Me llamó tres veces.
- He called me three times.
- Llámame cuando llegues.
- Call me when you arrive.
Default verb for phone calls. Take indirect / direct object for who you're calling.
Calling by Name / Summoning
- Te llaman a la puerta.
- They're calling you / Someone's at the door for you.
- La maestra llamó a Juan.
- The teacher called on Juan.
- Llamaron a un médico.
- They called a doctor.
Llamar a + person = call for / summon that person.
Llamarse, Introducing Yourself
- Me llamo Carlos.
- My name is Carlos.
- ¿Cómo te llamas?
- What's your name?
- Mi perro se llama Max.
- My dog's name is Max.
Reflexive llamarse is the most common way to ask / give names in Spanish.
Idioms, Llamar La Atención
- Le llama la atención el rojo.
- Red catches her eye.
- Me llamó mucho la atención.
- It really caught my attention.
- La maestra le llamó la atención.
- The teacher reprimanded him.
Llamar la atención has two meanings: catch attention (positive) or reprimand someone (when subject is the disciplinarian).
How to Conjugate Llamar Across Tenses
Present, Fully Regular -ar
All forms regular: llamo, llamas, llama, llamamos, llamáis, llaman.
Yo llamo, tú llamas, él llama, nosotros llamamos, vosotros llamáis, ellos llaman.
I call, you call, he calls, we call, you all call, they call.
No stem changes, textbook regular -ar.
Preterite / Imperfect / Future, Regular
Preterite: llamé, llamaste, llamó. Imperfect: llamaba, llamabas, llamaba. Future: llamaré, llamarás. All fully regular.
Llamé ayer. Antes llamaba más. Llamaré pronto.
I called yesterday. Before, I used to call more. I'll call soon.
Llamar is one of the easiest verbs, no irregularities anywhere.
Reflexive Llamarse, Naming
Add reflexive pronouns: me llamo, te llamas, se llama, nos llamamos, os llamáis, se llaman. Standard for introducing yourself by name.
Me llamo Ana. ¿Cómo te llamas? Se llaman Pedro y Lucía.
My name is Ana. What's your name? Their names are Pedro and Lucía.
Literal translation is I call myself, but English just says my name is. This is the everyday Spanish naming pattern.
Subjunctive, Regular
Present subjunctive: llame, llames, llame, llamemos, llaméis, llamen.
Espero que me llames.
I hope you call me.
All subjunctive forms regular, llam- stem throughout.
Common Mistakes with Llamar Conjugation
Incorrect: Mi nombre es Carlos. — My name is Carlos. (the first is correct English but less idiomatic in Spanish)
Correct: Me llamo Carlos. / Mi nombre es Carlos. — My name is Carlos.
Both work, but Me llamo X is by far the more common / natural Spanish way. Mi nombre es X sounds slightly formal or stilted.
Incorrect: Yo llamo Carlos. — My name is Carlos. (wrong, needs reflexive me)
Correct: Me llamo Carlos. — My name is Carlos.
Naming requires the reflexive llamarse. Without me, you're just saying I call Carlos (you're calling someone named Carlos).
Incorrect: Llamo a tu casa. — I'll call you / I'm calling your house. (subtle, context matters)
Correct: Te llamo. / Llamo a tu teléfono. — I'll call you.
Llamar a + person = call that person. Te llamo (I'll call you) is more direct than Llamo a tu casa.
Llamar Across Every Tense
Fully regular -ar verb. The reflexive llamarse is the high-frequency naming construction.
Present (Regular)
Fully regular -ar.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Reflexive: me llamo, te llamas, se llama.
Preterite (Regular)
Fully regular -ar preterite.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Me llamó ayer = He called me yesterday.
Imperfect (Regular)
Regular -ar imperfect.
| yo |
| tú |
| él/ella/usted |
| nosotros |
| vosotros |
| ellos/ellas/ustedes |
Antes me llamaba todos los días = He used to call me every day.
Future, Conditional, Subjunctive
All regular.
| yo (future) |
| yo (conditional) |
| yo (present subjunctive) |
| yo (present perfect) |
Past participle llamado is regular.
Llamarse, Names and Introductions
Asking and Giving Names
Llamarse is the everyday Spanish construction for asking and giving names. Literally calling oneself X, but English just uses my name is.
- Me llamo Pedro.
- My name is Pedro.
- ¿Cómo te llamas?
- What's your name?
- ¿Cómo se llama tu hermano?
- What's your brother's name?
More casual / common than mi nombre es. Use llamarse for introductions in 99% of situations.
Naming Pets, Things, Places
Same llamarse for pets, things, even places.
- Mi perro se llama Max.
- My dog's name is Max.
- El restaurante se llama La Esquina.
- The restaurant is called La Esquina.
Works for anything that has a name, pets, businesses, songs, places.
Llamar Conjugation FAQs
- What does llamar mean and when do you use it in Spanish?
- Llamar means to call, by phone, by name, or to summon. The reflexive llamarse (me llamo, te llamas) is the standard way to ask / give names: ¿Cómo te llamas? = What's your name? Me llamo Ana = My name is Ana.
- How does llamar conjugate in the present tense?
- Llamo, llamas, llama, llamamos, llamáis, llaman. Fully regular -ar, no irregularities anywhere.
- How do you say my name is in Spanish?
- Me llamo + name. Me llamo Carlos = My name is Carlos. Literally I call myself Carlos. More common and natural than the literal Mi nombre es Carlos, though both are correct.
- Is llamar a regular verb?
- Yes, fully regular -ar in every tense. No stem changes or spelling shifts.
- How can I get better at conjugating llamar?
- Llamar is everyday vocabulary, phone calls, introductions, summoning. Exposure to me llamo / te llamo / llamé in real contexts is the fastest path. Parrot's daily videos feature llamar constantly.