German · Everyday Verbs
"to call (phone)" in German: anrufen
anrufen
Note: to call out: rufen
To call someone on the phone is anrufen. Say Ich rufe dich an or Rufst du Mama an?. When the verb splits, keep an in the sentence.
Evening plans
Ich rufe dich nach der Arbeit an.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce anrufen
Say it
AHN-roo-fen
/ˈanˌʁuːfn̩/
AHN-roo-fen. Stress on Ahn. Soft final -en.
"to call (phone)" in German: quick reference
| German | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| anrufen | to call (phone) Main verb. | Main verb. |
| ich rufe an / du rufst an | I call / you call Split present forms. | Split present forms. |
| angerufen | called (past participle) Perfect tense. | Perfect tense. |
| rufen | to call out / shout Different verb without an. | Different verb without an. |
How to use anrufen in real life
- 1Evening plans
Ich rufe dich nach der Arbeit an.
I'll call you after work.
Rufe … an.
- 2Checking in
Rufst du die Hotline bitte an?
Will you please call the hotline?
Rufst … an.
- 3Missed call
Er hat mich gestern dreimal angerufen.
He called me three times yesterday.
Angerufen.
Mistakes English speakers make with anrufen
Incorrect: Ich rufe dich. (phone)
Correct: Ich rufe dich an.
Phone calls need anrufen — keep an.
Incorrect: Ich anrufe dich.
Correct: Ich rufe dich an.
In present main clauses, an moves to the end.
Good to know
Many people prefer a short WhatsApp voice note, but anrufen is still normal for urgent or older-family contact. Kann ich dich anrufen? is polite before calling.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Coordinating a pickup
ChatPal
Rufst du mich an, wenn du fertig bist?
Will you call me when you're done?
You
Ja, ich rufe dich vom Bahnhof an.
Yes, I'll call you from the station.
ChatPal
Wenn ich nicht rangehe, ruf nochmal an.
If I don't pick up, call again.
You
Alles klar. Ich habe dich eben angerufen, testweise.
Got it. I just called you as a test.
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 German
How do you say to call (phone)?
Anrufen.
I call you?
Ich rufe dich an.
Past participle?
Angerufen.
Rufen vs anrufen?
Rufen is call out; anrufen is phone.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
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- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
