Portuguese Phrase
Decide quem liga para quem.
Meaning
The sentence is a command that asks the listener to choose which person should make a phone call to which other person. It is often used when delegating communication tasks or clarifying responsibilities.
When to use
Use this phrase in informal or semi‑formal settings when you need to settle who will call whom – for example, in a group project, a family gathering, or a workplace where several people need to contact each other.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Decidequemligaparaquem
Imperative of decidir
‘Decide’ is the affirmative imperative form of the verb ‘decidir’, used to give a direct command or suggestion.
Interrogative pronoun quem
‘Quem’ functions as a pronoun meaning ‘who’; it can appear as subject or object without changing form.
Present indicative liga
‘Liga’ is the third‑person singular present indicative of ‘ligar’, meaning ‘to call (on the phone)’.
Preposition para + pronoun
In Portuguese the verb ‘ligar’ that refers to a phone call requires the preposition ‘para’ before the person being called.
🗨In Conversation
Precisamos organizar as ligações para o cliente.
We need to organize the calls to the client.
Decide quem liga para quem.
Decide who calls whom.
✕Common Mistakes
Decide quem liga a quem.
‘Ligar a’ is used for turning something on, not for making a phone call.
Decida quem liga para quem.
‘Decida’ is the formal imperative; using it in a casual conversation sounds overly stiff.
Para quem liga quem.
Word order matters; the correct order is ‘quem liga para quem’. Reversing it changes the meaning and sounds ungrammatical.
↔Alternatives
Determine quem deve ligar para quem.
Determine who should call whom.
Escolha quem vai ligar para quem.
Choose who will call whom.
Defina quem liga a quem.
Define who calls whom.
Cultural Tip
In Brazilian Portuguese the verb ‘ligar’ is almost always followed by ‘para’ when referring to a phone call (e.g., ‘ligar para o João’). Using ‘ligar a’ is common only when the meaning is ‘to turn on’ (e.g., ‘ligar a luz’). Also, the imperative ‘Decide’ is informal; in a more formal context you could say ‘Decida’ or ‘Por favor, decida…’.