Calling

Jose   Saturday, October 16, 2004, 20:39 GMT
#1
I was looking up on the dictionary another translation for "visitar" besides "to visit" and i found "to call" . I didn't know that " to call had this meaning" and i think . They give me the next examples:

Thanks for calling,
He called while i was out,
Please call again.

I'd like to know if native use "to call" this way frequently , 'cause it seems kind of confusing for me.

#2
What phrasal verb do you use when call your job to say that you will be absent for the day. I know " to call in sick" but that one is used specifycally when you're sick, i've heard call out or call off but i'm not sure
which one i ahve to use.

E.G.
John is not coming to work. He called ___.
David Winters   Saturday, October 16, 2004, 22:17 GMT
Well, the examples you gave are all commonly used phrases. But they're used in the context of contacting someone via telephone. They're never used in the context of *visiting* someone in person.

As for your second question, there are only a few phrases available to you. For example, it's common to just "call in", to "take a personal day" (only valid if your employer grants you a certain number of days a month that you can be abscent), or like you mentioned, to "call in sick".

Most people I know say that they're going to "call into work" when they want to take a day off.
Peter   Sunday, October 17, 2004, 07:55 GMT
On the first. In my dictionary (Collins Cobuild for AL) there's "call on" - which means "to visit someone for a short time".

We could call on my parents if we have time.

I'm sorry I can't call on you tomorrow night but I caught a cold last Monday and I'm still lying in bed.
Mxsmanic   Sunday, October 17, 2004, 18:34 GMT
In the olden days it was common in English, especially British English, to "pay calls," that is, to visit people in person at their homes, sometimes by invitation, sometimes not. The upper classes were particularly occupied by this activity. I don't know to what extent this is still done, or to what extent the expression itself is still used.
Belle   Sunday, October 17, 2004, 19:01 GMT
"In the olden days it was common in English, especially British English, to "pay calls," that is, to visit people in person at their homes, sometimes by invitation, sometimes not. The upper classes were particularly occupied by this activity."

Hence the quaint old Southern phrase, "gentleman caller".
D   Sunday, October 17, 2004, 21:31 GMT
>Most people I know say that they're going to "call into work" when they >want to take a day off.

I would call in to work, not "call into work". You can call in sick if you will
go back, or you can call in dead if you're never going back.
Jim   Monday, October 18, 2004, 02:01 GMT
My adivice to ESL students:

If you mean "visit", use the word "visit". The word "call" is sometimes used to mean "visit" but not that frequently. Keep an ear out for this use of the word but don't use it in this way unless you really know what you're doing.
Damian   Monday, October 18, 2004, 07:30 GMT
"Pay calls" more or less went out with Jane Austen's Bennett girls. I've never heard anyone say "I'm going to pay a call" except when they tell us they're off to the loo. It's ok to ay "I'm going to make a call" meaning the telephone of course.

"Gentlemen callers" - aren't these the guys who call on ladies who leave their calling cards inside telephone booths/kiosks or whatever? Call up the call girls....why are so many of them called Susie? Just observation you understand...not my department.
Damian   Monday, October 18, 2004, 07:33 GMT
It's ok to ay = say.

Susie...maybe it's the same busy lady.... ;-)

Isn't Antimoon a great wake-up remedy!...an antidote to previous excesses.
Belle   Monday, October 18, 2004, 22:29 GMT
>"Gentlemen callers" - aren't these the guys who call on ladies who leave their calling cards inside telephone booths/kiosks or whatever? Call up the call girls....

Tennessee Williams must be rolling in his grave right now ;-) "Gentlemen callers" are upstanding men who come 'round a young lady's house to come a-courtin'. They are initially invited over by the young lady's parents with the hopes of making a love match.
David Winters   Tuesday, October 19, 2004, 00:43 GMT
I'd make a dashing gentleman caller. Women just can't resist my charms.