How do you say "to make (a phone call)" in Japanese?

かける

denwa o kakeru

Verb Hiragana

In Japanese, "to make (a phone call)" is かける (denwa o kakeru).

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Pronunciation

かける is written using hiragana. Romanised as denwa o kakeru, it sounds roughly like "deh-n-wah-oh-kah-keh-roo" to an English ear.

Writing and usage

Written in hiragana かける, this common verb is a native word without standard kanji. It has multiple meanings and is used frequently in conversation.

Example sentence

週末にかけますつもりです。

Shuumatsu ni denwa o kakemasu tsumori desu.

I plan to to make (a phone call) this weekend.

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How to remember かける

Sound it out: 'kake-ru'. Think of the action of reaching toward something or making contact by phone.

Related words

Browse all Japanese words in the glossary.

See more Japanese verbs.

Questions about かける

How do you pronounce かける?

かける is romanised as denwa o kakeru. Say it roughly like "deh-n-wah-oh-kah-keh-roo" in English. Each Japanese syllable has even weight, so keep the rhythm steady.

Is かける formal or casual?

かける is a neutral, everyday word that works in both casual and polite speech. The level of formality comes from the sentence structure around it, not from the word itself.

How is かける written in Japanese?

かける is written using hiragana. Written in hiragana かける, this common verb is a native word without standard kanji.

Where can I practice Japanese words for free?

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"To make (a phone call)" in other languages

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