How to ask about returning a phone call

Question

How do you ask a friend why they did not return your call'

Answer 1

Gus said:

just a note of interest In Californa I heard more than one time, llamame para atrasam not suggesting this. It is interesting to me how langauge changes. It is neither bad nor good

M said:

Erika Barrera-Whitney said:

Por que no regresaste mi llamada?

For some reason I was thinking: por que tu no vuelves mi llamada'Is this completely off base?

There was a previous discussion about "llamar para atras," I believe started by Guillermo. The conclusion was that this is an Anglicization which would probably not be understood in most Spanish-speaking countries.

Answer 2

thank you for your remarks. Si you are correct. How about, cuanto escuche esa frase mi espirito se sacudio como un perro acabado de haver sido mojado.

Angela said:

Gus, when you write " i was shocked" in above message, I was trying to find the exact translation of this setence, I think it should not " estuve sorpresada", because "estuve sorpresada" only mean I was surprised. it should be " estuve sacudida"?

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Answer 3

This is a question. 'mi llamada, no la has regresado, por que no? o muy sincillo, "porque no me has regresado (la) mi llamada? Spanish is not like English. In English, at times you can omit words, and it' s understood. Spanish is a romantic language, and there are more ways to be descriptive, not less. formality is very important.

You're all thinking in English.

Answer 4

por que no me llamaste pa'tras? (para+atras)
por que no me devolviste la llamada'

Answer 5

Gus, when you write " i was shocked" in above message, I was trying to find the exact translation of this setence, I think it should not " estuve sorpresada", because "estuve sorpresada" only mean I was surprised. it should be " estuve sacudida"'

Answer 6

the frst time,I heard "regresa para atras" I was shocked, I thought about it.
figured the guy could't speak Espanish, and gave him credit credit for trying,is not a good idea to correct your clients, at least when it comes to languages

Answer 7

"Devolver la llamada" is what most people use, I believe.
"Llamar para atrás" is a crude attempt to translate word by word "call back" into a language which doesn't even have the concept of a phrasal verbs in it, so the result is a construction which doesn't sound like Spanish for anyone who hasn't heard it before, because it would mean "to call", and then move backwards ("para atrás"). This is the equivalent of translating the periphrasis "Echó a correr" as "He threw to run" instead of "He broke into a run".

Answer 8

I was just about to post to ask if "por que no me devolviste la llamada'" was the correct way. After a little bit of research, and all of your help of course, devolver seems like the correct verb.

Sally said:

Hello M, Yes, devolver would be the more appropriate use. Translates: Porque no me devolviste la llamada?

You can also use the verb "corresponder" in this instance. Porque no me correspondiste la llamada?

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Answer 9

As for "llamame para atrás", you will hear this used by immigrants to the U.S. who have created this phrase from the English way of saying "call me back". This is not correct. It is understood but not correct in Spanish.

Answer 10

in Spain we don`t use " regresar la llamada" , i don`t know in other countries, (perhaps in Mexico'')

Answer 11

Hello M,
Yes, devolver would be the more appropriate use. Translates: Porque no me devolviste la llamada?
You can also use the verb "corresponder" in this instance: Porque no me correspondiste la llamada'

Answer 12

Is the verb devolver more appropriate than regresar in this situation'

Answer 13

In Spain i would say:

Why they did not return your call?
¿Por qué no te devolvieron la llamada'

Answer 14

just a note of interest In Californa I heard more than one time, llamame para atras
am not suggesting this. It is interesting to me how langauge changes. It is neither bad nor good

M said:

Erika Barrera-Whitney said:

Por que no regresaste mi llamada?

For some reason I was thinking: por que tu no vuelves mi llamada'Is this completely off base?

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Answer 15

Erika Barrera-Whitney said:

Por que no regresaste mi llamada?

For some reason I was thinking: por que tu no vuelves mi llamada?

Is this completely off base'