der Anruf
call
The act of establishing a connection with someone by telephone in order to speak with them.
EXAMPLE
Ich erwarte einen wichtigen Anruf aus dem Büro.
I'm expecting an important call from the office.
der Anruf
call
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word family
The noun 'der Anruf' (call) is derived directly from the separable verb 'anrufen' (to call). It describes the act of calling as a noun.
EXAMPLE
Ich muss später noch einen Anruf erledigen.
I still have to make a call later.
Typical verbs
'Anruf' (call) is often combined with certain verbs. You can 'bekommen' (get), 'erhalten' (receive), or 'entgegennehmen' (take) a call, or 'tätigen' (place) and 'machen' (make) one yourself.
EXAMPLE
Der Chef hat heute Morgen schon drei Anrufe für Sie entgegengenommen.
The boss has already taken three calls for you this morning.
Typical adjectives
Common adjectives that describe a call are 'wichtig' (important), 'dringend' (urgent), 'kurz' (short/brief), 'persönlich' (personal), or also 'verpasst' (missed), if you couldn't answer it.
EXAMPLE
Ich habe einen verpassten Anruf von einer unbekannten Nummer.
I have a missed call from an unknown number.
Compare with
Anruf vs Gespräch
conversation
Gespräch and Anruf can refer to the same event on the phone, but they emphasize different aspects. Gespräch emphasizes the exchange of content, whereas Anruf refers to making telephone contact. Choose Gespräch when the content is important and Anruf when the connection or contact is the focus.
Anruf
Der Anruf wegen des neuen Vertrags kam am frühen Nachmittag.
The call about the new contract came in the early afternoon.
Gespräch
Unser Gespräch über den neuen Vertrag dauerte fast eine Stunde.
Our conversation about the new contract lasted almost an hour.
In real life
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