Learn Spanish (Spain): ¿Dígame? Hola, ¿está Carmen?

In Spain, ¿Dígame? (or simply ¿Diga?) is the standard way to answer a phone call. While you might know other ways to say hello, Spanish people use this specific phrase to answer the phone, which literally translates to 'tell me'.

How is the word dígame built grammatically?

It comes from the verb decir (to say or tell). It combines diga (the formal 'you' command for 'tell') with me (to me). It is customary to use this formal, polite command when answering an unknown call, asking the caller to state their business.

The English translation says 'is Carmen there?', but I don't see a Spanish word for 'there'. Why?

In English, we naturally add 'there' when asking for someone on the phone. In Spanish, just asking ¿está Carmen? (literally 'is Carmen?') is a perfectly complete sentence. The verb estar already implies you are asking if she is present or available to talk.

Why do we use está rather than es to ask for Carmen?

When talking about a person's physical presence or location, you always use estar. Even though Carmen is a person, asking if she is currently in the building or at the phone requires the verb we use for locations and temporary states.