"Subj + 打電話 + Obj" vs "Subj + 給 + Obj + 打電話" The dictionary entry of 打電話 that is given here says:


  Verb
  
  
  to make a telephone call
  


Therefore, I would expect to be able to use it like this:

    我 晚上 要 打電話 媽媽


However, I found the following example here:

    我 晚上 要 給 媽媽 打電話


Q: are both versions valid? are they both the same?



Should 打電話 be read as a single unit or broken down into 打 電話 ? Is this a relevant issue?

The dictionary entry of 打 that is given here lists:


  to send or call
  
  打電報 / 打电报  ―  dǎ diànbào  ―  to send a telegraph
  
  打電話 / 打电话  ―  dǎ diànhuà  ―  to call on the telephone
  
  打手機 / 打手机  ―  dǎ shǒujī  ―  to call on the cellphone
我 晚上 要 打电话 媽媽 : This is invalid.

In the phrase "打电话", "打" is the verb and "电话" is the object. And the "打" here is not a verb that can take two objects. So you must use: 我 晚上 要 給 媽媽 打電話