Chiamare vs. telefonare
In Italian, both 'chiamare' and 'telefonare' are used to express the action of making a phone call, but they have subtle differences in usage and connotation.
Chiamare
'Chiamare' is a more general term that means 'to call' or 'to summon' in various contexts, including making a phone call.
Ti chiamo stasera per discutere i dettagli.
(I'll call you tonight to discuss the details.)
Chiama un'ambulanza, presto!
(Call an ambulance, quickly!)
Il professore ha chiamato il mio nome durante l'appello.
(The professor called my name during roll call.)
Telefonare
'Telefonare' is more specific and exclusively means 'to call on the telephone' or 'to phone'.
Devo telefonare a mia madre per darle la buona notizia.
(I need to call my mother to give her the good news.)
Mi telefoni quando arrivi all'aeroporto?
(Will you call me when you arrive at the airport?)
Non posso telefonare adesso, sono in una riunione.
(I can't make a phone call now, I'm in a meeting.)
Summary
While 'chiamare' can be used for phone calls and other situations where someone or something is called or summoned, 'telefonare' is used exclusively for making phone calls. 'Chiamare' is more versatile and common in everyday speech, while 'telefonare' is more formal and specific to telephone conversations.