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telefonare

phone

verb teh-leh-foh-NAH-reh Less Common

Origin: from telefono

Also means

call

Usage Note

Telefonare crucially takes an indirect object: you say telefonare a qualcuno ('to phone someone'), never telefonare qualcuno. So 'I'll call you' is ti telefono, with the dative pronoun. It is a regular -are verb.

Examples

"Devo telefonare a mia madre."

Natural Translation

I have to phone my mother.

Literal Translation

I-must phone to my mother.

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