Quick answer
For calls, ligar is the everyday all-purpose verb; telefonar is explicit and slightly more formal.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
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What each word does
ligar
to call or switch on
Use ligar for making a phone call in everyday speech, as well as turning devices on.
telefonar
to telephone
Use telefonar for making a phone call, with no switch-on meaning.
How to choose
- ligar: Choose ligar if the sentence points to making a phone call in everyday speech, as well as turning devices on.
- telefonar: Choose telefonar if the sentence points to making a phone call, with no switch-on meaning.
Examples
Vou ligar para minha mãe.
I am going to call my mother.
Ela telefonou para o médico.
She phoned the doctor.
Common trap
Use ligar para alguém or telefonar para alguém in standard usage. Without context, ligar may also mean turn on.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with ligar, then once with telefonar. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
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