How to Say ‘To call (someone)’ in Japanese
〜に電話する
ni denwa suru
[nee den-wah soo-roo]
💬 Usage Tip: Pattern: [相手に電話する]. The [に] marks the target of the call.
🇯🇵 In Japan: This [に] pattern shows up everywhere in Japanese (to someone / to a place), so it’s a high-value grammar point.
Phrase Breakdown
に
ni
[nee]
to; toward; for (target particle)
に marks the target of the call: ～に電話する = “call ~.” Example: 管理会社に電話する.
大家さんに電話してもいいですか。
May I call the landlord?
電話
denwa
[den-wah]
telephone; phone call
電話 is “phone call.” Combined with に and する, it forms “call (someone).”
水道屋さんに電話して予約します。
I’ll call the plumber and make an appointment.
する
suru
[soo-roo]
to do; to call
する turns 電話 into a verb. ～に電話する is the standard pattern for “call ~.”
管理会社に電話する前に状況をメモします。
Before calling the management company, I’ll note down the situation.
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