llamar la atención
Lemma Details
Translation: to attract attention; to catch someone's eye; to draw attention; to stand out
Part of Speech: phrase
Etymology: This phrase combines 'llamar' (to call) from Latin 'clamare' (to shout, proclaim) and 'atención' (attention) from Latin 'attentio' (attention, attentiveness). The construction literally means 'to call the attention' but functions idiomatically to describe drawing notice or making something remarkable.
Commonality: 90%
Guessability: 70%
Register: neutral
Example Usage
Su vestido rojo llamó la atención de todos en la fiesta.
Her red dress caught everyone's attention at the party.
El nuevo edificio llama la atención por su diseño moderno.
The new building stands out because of its modern design.
El profesor llamó la atención sobre ese punto importante.
The teacher drew attention to that important point.
Mnemonics
- Think of 'llamar' as 'to call' and imagine literally 'calling attention' to something
- Picture a llama (similar to 'llamar') doing something unusual to attract attention
Related Words, Phrases & Idioms
Synonyms
Antonyms
Cultural Context
This phrase is used frequently in Spanish media, everyday conversation, and formal contexts. It can have both positive connotations (when something impressive draws attention) or negative ones (when something inappropriate or unusual stands out).
Easily Confused With
Explanation: While 'llamar la atención' means to attract or draw attention, 'llamar la atención a alguien' means to reprimand or scold someone.
Confused word:
El jefe le llamó la atención por llegar tarde.
The boss reprimanded him for arriving late.
Notes: The preposition 'a' changes the meaning completely from attracting attention to scolding someone.
Mnemonic: Think of 'llamar la atención' as attention going TO something interesting, while 'llamar la atención a alguien' is directing criticism AT someone.