What Does “Call sb up” Mean?
“Call sb up” means to phone someone or to contact someone by telephone. It can also mean to summon someone, especially for military service.
Introduction
The phrase “call sb up” is a common English phrasal verb used in everyday conversation. The “sb” stands for “somebody,” meaning a person. When you call somebody up, you are usually making a phone call to that person. This phrasal verb is informal and widely used in spoken English. Besides phone calls, “call sb up” can also mean to officially ask someone to join a group, such as the army or a team. Understanding the “call sb up meaning” helps learners use it correctly in different contexts, making conversations sound more natural and fluent.
Quick Info Box
- Phrasal verb: call somebody up
- Type: transitive
- Level: A2–B2
- Short meaning: to phone someone or to summon someone
Structure (Grammar Rules)
“Call sb up” is a separable phrasal verb, meaning you can place the object (sb) between “call” and “up” or after “up.”
- call somebody up
- call up somebody
Example patterns:
- Subject + call + somebody + up
- Subject + call + up + somebody
How to Use “Call sb up”?
Use “call sb up” when you want to say you are making a phone call to someone. It’s informal and common in spoken English. You can also use it when talking about official requests to join an organization or group, such as the military. For example, “He was called up for army training.” In daily life, it’s often used to show a quick action of contacting someone by phone.
Examples
- I will call you up later to discuss the plans.
- She called me up to invite me to the party.
- He was called up to join the national football team.
- Don’t forget to call your parents up this weekend.
- They called up several experts to help with the project.
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: I will call up you tomorrow.
Correct: I will call you up tomorrow. - Incorrect: She called up for me.
Correct: She called me up. - Incorrect: They called to me up.
Correct: They called me up.
Differences / Synonyms
Similar phrasal verbs include:
- Ring sb up: Also means to phone someone, often used in British English. Example: “I’ll ring you up later.”
- Get in touch with sb: Means to contact someone, by phone, email, or other means. Less informal. Example: “I’ll get in touch with her tomorrow.”
- Call sb back: Means to return a phone call. Example: “I missed your call, I’ll call you back.”
While “call sb up” emphasizes making the initial phone call or summoning, “call sb back” is specifically for returning a call.
Common Collocations
- call somebody up immediately
- call somebody up later
- call somebody up for help
- call somebody up to invite
- call somebody up on the phone
Related Phrasal Verbs
Here are related phrasal verbs of call sb up:
Real-life Dialogue
Anna: Did you call Tom up about the meeting?
Ben: Yes, I called him up this morning. He said he will be there.
Anna: Great! I was worried he forgot.
Ben: No worries, I made sure to call him up early.
Practice
Fill in the blanks with the correct form of “call sb up”:
- She _______ (call / call up) her friend to ask about the party.
- They _______ (called up / call) several players for the championship.
- I will _______ (call up / call) you after work.
- He was _______ (call up / called up) for military service last year.
FAQs
- Q: Can “call sb up” be used for texting?
No. “Call sb up” specifically means to phone someone by voice call, not text.
- Q: Is “call sb up” formal or informal?
It’s mostly informal and used in casual conversations.
- Q: Can I use “call sb up” for video calls?
Traditionally, it means phone calls, but many people use it for video calls too.
- Q: What does “call up” mean in the military?
It means to officially summon someone to join or serve in the military.
- Q: Can the object come between “call” and “up”?
Yes, “call somebody up” and “call up somebody” are both correct.
