Eu chamei a polícia.

I called the police.

Breakdown of Eu chamei a polícia.

• eu: I
• chamar: to call
• a polícia: the police

Questions & Answers about Eu chamei a polícia.

Why is eu there? Can I leave it out?

Yes. In Brazilian Portuguese, subject pronouns are often omitted when the verb already makes the subject clear.

• Eu chamei a polícia. = correct
• Chamei a polícia. = also correct and very natural

Including eu can add emphasis, contrast, or clarity, for example:

• Eu chamei a polícia, não ele.
  I called the police, not him.

What tense is chamei?

Chamei is the first person singular form of chamar in the pretérito perfeito (simple past / preterite).

So:

• chamar = to call
• eu chamei = I called

This tense is used for a completed action in the past.

Examples:

• Eu chamei um táxi. = I called a taxi.
• Eu chamei minha irmã. = I called my sister.

Why does chamei end in -ei?