Telefonanruf

/ˈteːləfoːnˌʔanʁʊf/
nounIntermediate
general

An incoming or outgoing call made using a telephone.

Der Telefonanruf kam mitten in der Nacht.

The phone call came in the middle of the night.

Sie nahm den Telefonanruf entgegen.

She answered the phone call.

💡

The term is gender-neutral and can refer to calls on both landlines and mobile phones.

Collocations

einen Telefonanruf erhaltento receive a phone calleinen Telefonanruf tätigento make a phone calleinen Telefonanruf annehmento answer a phone call

Synonyms

Related Phrases

einen Telefonanruf verpassenphrase
to miss a phone call
einen Telefonanruf zurückrufenphrase
to call back

💡Pro Tip

Formal vs. Informal

Use 'Telefonanruf' in formal writing or professional settings, while 'Anruf' is more common in casual speech.

📖Word Origin

From 'Telefon' (telephone) + 'Anruf' (call). The compound reflects the German tendency to form specific nouns through combination.

📝Usage Notes

In formal contexts, 'Telefonanruf' is preferred over the more casual 'Anruf'. The term is commonly used in both professional and everyday communication.

Word Breakdown

Telefon
telephone
root
+
Anruf
call
root
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