thelernen logothelernen
Start

Translation of German word "anrufen" to English

anrufen

/anˈʁuːfən/

Meaning

Verb

To reach out with one's voice. To request, summon, or beckon.

Reviewed by the TheLernen language teamDefinition sourced from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0)

How to use

The strong separable verb anrufen ('to call on the phone') conjugates: ruft an, rief an, hat angerufen. Grammatically, it requires a direct object in the accusative case (Ich rufe dich an — I call you). This is a common error for learners whose native languages govern a dative or preposition (e.g. Russian 'звонить кому-то', Polish 'dzwonić do kogoś').

🇬🇧 English

to call

Example

Ich werde dich anrufen, wenn ich zu Hause bin.

I will call you when I am home.

Ich rufe meine Mutter an, um zu fragen, ob sie zu Hause ist.

I will call my mother to ask if she is home.

Your personal vocabulary

🦊 Use this word in a live AI conversation

Synonyms

to talk on the phone with (requires preposition 'mit' + dative)

Common phrases

  • anrufen bei— to call at / call a place (requires preposition 'bei' + dative, e.g. 'beim Arzt anrufen')
  • später anrufen— to call later
  • zurückrufen— to call back / return a call (separable)

More Core Verbs words

🦊 Conjugation of the verb "anrufen"Full conjugation →

Present Tense (Präsens)

ich (I)rufe an
du (you)rufst an
er/sie/es (he/she/it)ruft an
wir (we)rufen an
ihr (you pl.)ruft an
sie/Sie (they/you formal)rufen an

Simple Past (Präteritum)

ich (I)rief an
er/sie/es (he/she/it)rief an

Perfect (Perfekt)

ich bin/angerufen

Imperative (Imperativ)

durufe an!
ihrrufen an!
Sierufen an!

Frequency rank: #252 in German

🦊

Learn them all! 🚀

Master the 1000 most common German words with smart explanations, audio pronunciation, and spaced repetition.

Start Learning For Free →

No sign-up required

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the definition of the German word "anrufen"?▼

The German word "anrufen" is defined as: "To reach out with one's voice. To request, summon, or beckon."

What does the German word "anrufen" mean?▼

The German word "anrufen" means "to call" in English.

How do you pronounce the German word "anrufen"?▼

You can hear the correct audio pronunciation of the word "anrufen" by clicking the play button next to the word at the top of this page.

Can I see an example sentence with "anrufen"?▼

Yes, here is a practical example: "Ich werde dich anrufen, wenn ich zu Hause bin." (which translates as "I will call you when I am home.").

Related reading