French · Everyday Verbs
"to call (phone)" in French: appeler
appeler
To call (phone) in French is appeler. J'appelle means I call / I'm calling. Tu m'appelles ce soir ? is a common plan. Present doubles the l: j'appelle, tu appelles.
Evening plan
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How to pronounce appeler
Say it
a-puh-LAY
/a.ple/
Appeler: a-puh-LAY. J'appelle: zha-PELL. Stress on the last clear syllable.
"to call (phone)" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| appeler | to call Infinitive. | Infinitive. |
| j'appelle / tu appelles | I call / you call Present with ll. | Present with ll. |
| appeler quelqu'un | to call someone Phone or shout. | Phone or shout. |
| rappeler | to call back Return call. | Return call. |
How to use appeler in real life
- 1Evening plan
Tu m'appelles quand tu arrives ?
Will you call me when you arrive?
Tu appelles.
- 2Busy day
J'appelle le médecin tout de suite.
I'm calling the doctor right away.
J'appelle.
- 3Missed call
Elle appelle trois fois, réponds !
She's calling three times — answer!
Elle appelle.
Mistakes English speakers make with appeler
Incorrect: Je t'appele.
Correct: Je t'appelle.
Double the l in the present: appelle.
Incorrect: Je fais un appel (as the only practice for this verb).
Correct: Je t'appelle.
Un appel is the noun; this headword is the verb appeler.
Good to know
Appelle-moi is casual and common. For shops, people still say je vous appelle or on vous rappelle. Texting first names is separate: je m'appelle…
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Coordinating a pickup
ChatPal
Tu appelles quand tu es en bas ?
Will you call when you're downstairs?
You
Oui, j'appelle dès que le taxi arrive.
Yes, I'll call as soon as the taxi arrives.
ChatPal
Si je ne réponds pas, rappelle.
If I don't answer, call back.
You
OK, promis.
OK, promise.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"to call (phone)" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "to call (phone)" in French
How do you say to call in French?
Appeler.
How do you say I'll call you?
Je t'appelle.
Why double l?
Present forms like j'appelle, tu appelles double the l.
Appeler or un appel?
Appeler is the verb; un appel is the noun (a call).
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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