Telephone conversation dialogue in English with translation. Official business communication by phone

Telephone conversation in English is the topic of this article, in which we will look at: how to introduce yourself correctly, how to call someone to the phone, ask again if something is not clear, report a connection interruption, we will give examples of expressions and common phrases with translation for business phone call.

Normal telephone conversation in English

Presentation options during a call:

A telephone conversation in English begins with introducing yourself:

Hello, this is Linnet(Hi, this is Linnet)
Tom speaking(Tom speaks)

Avoid saying "I'm Luke" - this is only acceptable for an agent who is about to give a phone presentation about something.

If you want to know who you are talking to, ask one of the following questions:

Hello, Is that Mr Morrison?(Hello, is this Mr. Morrison?)
Is that Peter speaking?(Is this Peter?)
Is that Mr Morrison speaking?(Mr Morrison speaking?)

Are you Peter? Are you Mr Morrison? - unacceptable options, they are considered rude

You can invite another person to the phone as follows:

I'd like to speak to Jane please(please, I'd like to talk to Jane)
May/Could/Can I speak to the managing director?(Can I speak to the Managing Director?)
Good Morning, could you please put me through to Mr Smith?(Good morning, could you connect me to Mr. Smith?)

If you are asked to connect with another person:

Leave a message or ask to call back:

Could you take a message?(Could you leave a message?)
Can/could I leave a message?(Could I leave a message?)
Could you ask him/her to call me back?(Could you ask her/him to call me back?)

Receive a message from a caller:

Can I take a message?(Can I take a message?)
Would you like to leave a message?(Would you like to leave a message?)

If you don't understand something while talking to someone on the phone, ask again:

Can you repeat that, please?(Can you repeat that please)

Under no circumstances should a pronoun be omitted. that, otherwise it will mean that you are asking the person to vomit. Be careful with this!

If you need to write something down during a conversation:

Just a minute. I'll make a note of that(Just a minute. I'll write it down)

If someone rang the doorbell and you need to interrupt, you ask:

Just a minute. I'll be right back(just a minute please, I'll be right back)
You are back and want to continue the conversation:
Sorry to keep you waiting(sorry for the wait)

Suddenly, you stopped hearing the caller:

Sorry, we were cut off!(sorry, we were separated)

Line problems:

You're breaking up I'll call you back(You're missing, I'll call you back)
Can you call me back?(can you call me back?)

Business telephone conversation in English

Use the phrases from the table, they will help you make a good impression on your interlocutor during the call. There is a download link below the table.

Today we will study the basic vocabulary associated with the main means of communication, remember expressions and phrases typical for communicating on the telephone, and also look at examples of formal telephone conversations.

Regardless of what phone you are talking on - mobile ( cell phone, mobile phone), stationary ( telephone) or pay phone ( pay-phone), - there are both norms of telephone etiquette and specific standards for conducting a conversation.

When someone calls, your phone makes a sound, and then we say that the phone is ringing - the phone is ringing. If you are available, you pick up the phone or answer the call ( pick up the telephone/ answer the telephone) in order to talk to a person. If no one answers the call, you can leave a message on the answering machine ( answering machine) or to voicemail ( voicemail). You can call back later ( call back/return the call).

When you want to make a phone call, you start by dialing the number ( dial the number). Let's assume that you are calling your friend, but she is already talking to someone. You will hear busy signal and realize that the number is busy.

Sometimes when you call a company, they put you on hold or put you on hold. on hold), and you, listening to nasty music, expect an answer. Finally, when you're done talking, you hang up ( hang up).

Now you have basic telephone vocabulary, you are ready to move on to examples of telephone conversations in various situations that will help you learn some English phrases for communicating on the telephone.

Official business communication by phone

Helen: Midtown Computer Solutions, Helen speaking. How can I help you? (Computer Solutions Center, Helen speaking. How can I help you?)

Ryan: Hello, this is Ryan Bardos. May I speak with Natalie Jones, please? (Hello, this is Ryan Bardos. Can I speak to Natalie Jones please?)

Helen: One moment please – I"ll put you through. (One minute. I’ll connect you)

Helen: Mr. Bardos? I"m sorry, Natalie"s in a meeting at the moment. Would you like to leave a message? (Mr. Bardos? Sorry, Natalie is in a meeting right now. Would you like to leave her a message?)

Ryan: Yes, could you ask her to call me back as soon as possible? It's pretty urgent. (Yes, could you tell her to call back as soon as possible? It's pretty urgent.)

Helen: Of course. Does she have your number? (Of course. Does she have your number?)

Ryan: She has my office number, but let me also give you my cell – it’s 472-555-8901. (She has my office number, but let me leave my mobile just in case – 472-555-8901)

Helen: Let me read that back to you – 472-555-8901. (Let's check which number to call back. 472-555-8901)

Ryan: That's right. (That's right.)

Helen: And could you spell your last name for me? (Could you spell out your last name?)

Ryan: B as in Boston – A – R – D as in dog – O – S as in September (B as in Boston – A-R -D as in the word dog – O – C as in the word September).

Helen: Okay, Mr. Bardos. I"ll give her the message. (Okay, Mr. Bardos. I'll give her your message.)

Ryan: Thanks a lot. Bye. (Thank you very much. Goodbye)

Ryan: Hello? (Hello?)

Natalie: Hi, Ryan, this is Natalie returning your call. (Hello Ryan, this is Natalie, calling you back.)

Ryan: Hi Natalie, thanks for getting back to me. I was calling about the shipment of keyboards for our office – we haven’t gotten them yet. (Hello, Natalie, thanks for calling back. I called about the shipment of keyboards for our office, we haven’t received them yet.)

Natalie: Oh, that "s not good – they were supposed to be delivered three days ago. (This is not very good news, they were supposed to be delivered 3 days ago.)

Ryan: Exactly, and we have a new group of employees starting on Monday, so we really need those keyboards as soon as possible. (That's right, our new group of employees start work on Monday, so we need keyboards ASAP.)

Natalie: Okay, I'll look into it right away – if necessary, we can send you an emergency overnight shipment.

Ryan: Thanks, Natalie, I appreciate it. (Thanks Natalie, I'm grateful for that.)

Natalie: No problem, Ryan. I"ll call you back a little later, as soon as I have more information. (You're welcome, Ryan. I'll call you a little later, as soon as I have more information.)

Ryan: Sounds good – talk to you soon. (I was glad to hear, we’ll call you soon.)

Natalie: Bye. (Goodbye.)

Phrases for an official business telephone conversation

From these conversations, we can extract phrases to start a phone conversation, leave a voice message, check and get information, and end a conversation.

• Starting a conversation

When Helen answers the phone, she says: “Midtown Computer Solutions, Helen speaking. How can I help you?" This is a standard phrase from a secretary in response to a telephone call received by a company or organization. There are also several other ways to answer:

“Thank you for calling Midtown Computer Solutions. How may I direct your call?”(Thank you for calling Computer Solutions Center. Who can I forward your call to?)

“Midtown Computer Solutions – good afternoon.”(Computer Solutions Center. Good afternoon)

To introduce yourself, you can say: "Hello, this is...", and if you want, you can add your company name.

"Hello, this is Ryan Bardos."

"Hello, this is Ryan Bardos from Paramount Publishing."

Then, to ask to be connected with the person you need, the following phrases are used:

"May I speak with...?"(Can I talk to...?)

"Could I speak with...?"(Could I talk to...?)

You can also use the phrases “I’m calling about...” or “I”m calling to...”:

"I"m calling about the job opening I saw in the newspaper."(I'm calling about a job opening at a newspaper)

"I'm calling to register for the upcoming conference."(I'm calling about registering for an upcoming conference).

To connect or forward a call, the secretary says: “One moment please – I”ll put you through” (One minute, please – now I will forward your call). A few other phrases for call forwarding:

“Please hold.”(Please wait)

“I"ll transfer you.”(I'll forward your call now)

“May I ask who's calling?” / “Who’s calling, please?”(Can I ask who is talking to me?)

If you forget to introduce yourself at the beginning of a conversation, the secretary will sometimes use this phrase to get your name.

• How to leave a message

Unfortunately, in the conversation offered as an example, Ryan was unable to talk to the person he wanted to talk to, since this person was absent, and the secretary responded this way: “I’m sorry, Natalie’s in a meeting at the moment.” There are also other phrases when a person cannot answer your call:

“I"m sorry, she"s on another call.”(Sorry, but she's on the phone right now)

“I"m sorry, Natalie has left for the day.”(Sorry, Natalie left today)

“I"m sorry, Natalie"s not in her office right now.”(Sorry, Natalie is not in the office right now)

“I"m sorry, she"s out of town at the moment.”(Sorry, she's out of town right now)

“I"m sorry, she"s not available at the moment.”(Sorry, she can't answer your call right now)

Then, there are the following phrases used to leave a message:

“Would you like to leave a message?”(Would you like to leave a message?)

“Can I take a message?”(Could I leave a message?)

If you don't want to leave a message, you can say:

“No thanks, I’ll call back later.”(No thanks, I'll call you back later).

There are two ways to politely leave a message. You can start your message with the word “Please”, and if you need to ask a question, then with the words “Can I..”:

“Could you ask her to call me back?”(Could you ask her to call me back?)

“Please ask him to call me back.”(Please tell him to call me back)

“Please tell him/her that the documents are ready.”(Please tell him/her that the documents are ready)

“Please remind him/her that he/she has a dentist appointment tomorrow.”(Please remind him/her that he/she has a dentist appointment tomorrow)

• Receiving and checking information

When you leave a message, the secretary uses two standard phrases to verify and clarify information:

“Let me read that back to you.”(Let's check if everything is correct)

“Could you spell your last name for me?”(Could you spell out your last name?)

The verb "to spell" means to spell out a word. Ryan said:

“B as in Boston – A – R – D as in dog – O – C as in September”.

• How to end a conversation

When you want to end a conversation, you use so-called “signal phrases” that indicate that the conversation is coming to an end:

“Well, it was nice talking with you.”(It was nice talking to you)

“Thanks for calling.”(Thank you for calling)

“Anyway... I should let you go / I should get going.”(Anyway, I can't keep you/I have to go)

If you want to continue communication in the future, you can use phrases to continue communication:

“I"ll get in touch in a couple of days.”(I'll call you in a couple of days)

"I"ll call you back a little later"(I'll call you a little later)

“Talk to you soon.”(Let's call you)

Finally, to end the conversation, here are some final phrases:

“Bye.”(Bye)

“Take care.”(Take care of yourself)

“Have a nice day.”(Have a good day)

In response, say: “You too.” Bye.”(And the same to you. Goodbye)

Many people have to work telephone conversations in English. For some business conversation on the phone in English- a simple matter, but still for many talking on the phone in English- this is stressful, especially until it becomes a habit and becomes a routine activity.

Today we’ll talk about how to properly structure a dialogue on the phone, pay attention to special vocabulary, and arm ourselves with useful phrases for talking on the phone in English.

Let's start, perhaps, with the vocabulary that you need to know in order to feel more confident during a conversation.

Vocabulary for telephone conversations.

Types of phone calls:

Useful nouns:

Useful verbs and expressions

Let's move on to talking on the phone in English.

We answer the call.

When answering a call in English, you need to tell the subscriber where he has reached and say hello. Example phrases:

• XCompany,goodmorning.– Company X, good morning.
• Green's office, can I help you?- Mr. Green's office, how can I help?
• Sales Department speaking.– Sales department is in touch.
• John Green speaking. / This is John Smith. – John Green is on the phone.
• JohnGreenhere.– John Green is on the phone. (informal option)

If you are calling someone, you should greet them by introducing yourself and clarifying the purpose of your call. You can do this as follows.

• Good morning, Greg Smith speaking. I"d like to speak to Mr. Brown, please. — Good morning, Greg Smith speaking. I'd like to talk to Mr. Brown.
• CouldyouputmethroughtoMr.Brownplease? — Could you put me through to Mr. Brown, please?
• I'dliketospeaktoMr.Brownaboutdeliveries,please. – I would like to talk to Mr. Brown about supplies, please.
• I am (just) calling to inform you…— I’m (just) calling to let you know...

Let's imagine this situation: you pick up the phone, but the person the caller needs is temporarily absent. In this case, you can use the following phrases:

• Green has stepped away from his desk for a moment. I expect him back very shortly.- Mr. Smith just came out for a minute. He'll be back soon.
• He is not in at the moment.- He’s not there at the moment.
• He is not in just now.- He’s not there at the moment.
• He is out of the office at the moment. — He left the office at the moment.
• He has left for the day.“He left town for a day.
• I"m afraid he is out / away / off at the moment. Can I take a message?“I’m afraid he’s not here at the moment.” What shall I tell to him?
• May I take a message?- Can I take a message?
• Would you like to leave a message?— Would you like to leave information for him?
• MayIhavehimcallyou?– Should I tell him to call you back?
• I'lltellhimyoucalled.- I'll tell him that you called.
• I'll have him to phone you.- I'll tell him to call you back.
• I'll give him your message as soon as he gets back.– I will give him your message as soon as he returns back.
• I'll ask him to give you a call.– I’ll ask him to call you back.

If during the conversation you did not understand something, do not hesitate to ask again. You can do this using the following phrases.

• I'm sorry. Ididn'ttgetthename(number).— Sorry, I didn’t hear the name (phone number).
• Wouldyourepeatthatnumber,please?– Could you repeat the phone number?
• Wouldyouspellthatforme,please?– Could you spell it?
• Did you say...?- You said...?
• Let me repeat to make sure I understand what you said. – Let me repeat to make sure that I understood you correctly.
• I want to be sure that I have this right.– I want to make sure that I understand you correctly.
• I"dliketobesurethatIunderstand.– I would like to make sure that I understand you.
• That’s ... (repeat number or spelling the name), isn’t it? – This is... (repetition of number or surname), isn’t it?

If during a conversation you need to be distracted for a while, use the following phrases:

• Hold on just a moment, please.- Wait by the phone for a minute.
• Ihaveanothercall;willyouholdon,please?— They’re calling me on another phone, could you wait a minute?
• Holdon;I'llbewithyouinamoment.– Wait by the phone, please, I’ll be back on the phone soon.
• Please hold on while I get that information. Thank you for waiting. – Please wait while I receive the information. Thanks for waiting.

If you need to make an appointment by phone, you can say the following.

• I"m phoning to arrange a meeting.— I'm calling to arrange a meeting.
• I'd like to see Mr. Jones. IshefreeonMonday? — I would like to meet Mr. Jones. Is he free on Monday?
• How about 2 o'clock?– How about 2 hours?
• Is he coming there soon?– Will he be back soon?
• Are you meeting the clients tomorrow? – Are you meeting with clients tomorrow?
• CouldyoumanageMonday?– Will you be able to do it on Monday?
• What about Tuesday?- How about Tuesday?
• Shall we say two o'clock?– Say, at 2 o’clock in the afternoon?
• I’m sorry, I"m out all day.- Sorry, I won't be there all day.
• Tuesday would be fine.— Tuesday suits me

How to end a phone conversation in English? It's simple!

• Thank you for calling, Mr. Green. I’m glad I was able to help.— Thank you for the call, Mr. Green. I was glad to help you.
• You"rewelcome,sir.Goodbye.- Please, sir. Goodbye.
• I look forward to seeing you.- Looking forward to our meeting.

Telephone conversation in English. Examples of dialogues.

Dialogue on the phone 1.

Receptionist 1: Cassat Company. Can I help you?

Patrick: Yes, I would like to speak to Mr. Green please.

Receptionist 1: Do you have an extension for him?

Patrick: No, I don't, but I know he is in the delivery department.

Receptionist 1: Hold on, please. I"ll ring that department.

Patrick: Thank you.

Receptionist 2: Delivery department, Miss Elliot.

Patrick: Mr. Green, please.

Receptionist 2: Mr. Green is on the other line at the moment. May I tell him who's calling?

Patrick: This is Patrick Brown. Mrs. Priesley suggested that I call him.

Receptionist 2: Will you hold on or would you like to leave a message?

Patrick: I"ll hold on, thank you.

Mr. Green: Mr. Green speaking; can I help you?

Patrick: Yes, my name is Patrick Brown. A mutual friend of ours, Susan Priesley, referred me to you. I am interested in changing careers, and she thought you would be a valuable source of information for me.

Mr. Green: Mrs. Priesley, of course. How can I help you?

Patrick: I would like very much to come up and speak with you. Would you be willing to give me a few minutes of your time?

Mr. Green: Well, my schedule is a little tight. When were you thinking of meeting?

Patrick: Whenever it is convenient for you.

Mr. Green: Well, can you make it after five o’clock some day next week?

Patrick: Yes, I can.

Mr. Green: Fine, then how is 5:15, Wednesday, at my office?

Patrick: Next Wednesday at 5:15 is fine. Thank you very much, Mr. Green.

Mr. Green: You're welcome. Hold on — my secretary will give you directions.

Patrick: Thank you. See you Wednesday.

Dialogue on the phone 2.

Switchboard: Company X. Can I help you?

Phillip: Could I speak to Mr. Brown, please?

Secretary: Just a moment, please. . . . I"m afraid his line"s engaged.

Phillip: I"ll hold, (music)

Switchboard: Sorry to keep you waiting, (music)

Secretary: Mr. Brown's office.

Phillip: Can I speak to Mr. Brown, please? This is Phillip Morris from Haxter Computers.

Secretary: I"m afraid he"s in a meeting. Can I take a message?

Phillip: Yes. Could you ask him to call me back. My name is Phil Morris - M-O-R-R-I-S. My number is 308 2017 and my extension is 462.

Secretary: Phil Morris. 308-2170 extension 462

Phillip: No, 2017, not 2170. .

Secretary: Sorry, 308-2017 extension 462.

Phillip: That's right. I'll be in all the day.

Secretary: Right, thank you, Mr. Morris. Goodbye. Goodbye.

I hope these phrases for talking on the phone in English, as well as examples of dialogue, helped you. Good luck with international telephone conversations!

If you confidently talk to your interlocutor in person, but at the thought of making a phone call you break out in a cold sweat - this article is for you.

Today we’ll talk about how to conduct a dialogue in English on the phone, what phrases to use for conversation, and also look at examples of telephone conversations in English with translation.

Communication over the telephone (a conversation over the telephone or telephone conversation) is always more difficult to conduct than the usual face-to-face dialogue. This is due to the fact that the interlocutor on the other end of the line does not see your facial expressions and gestures. He evaluates what is said based on the rate of speech, intonation and pronunciation - in this case, it is your knowledge of the English language that is “at gunpoint”.

Of course, for the most part we are talking about business calls: if you need to call someone at work, take a call from the HR service (recruitment), report to the director about a project, or interest potential partners in a product. But the skill of telephone conversations in English will be useful to you in life: to reserve a table in a restaurant, book a hotel room, call government services, an insurance hotline, a medical facility, and much more.

The first impression is usually formed in the first 30 seconds of a telephone conversation. Therefore, you need to be confident and calm. Check out our helpful tips on how to prepare for and successfully conduct a telephone conversation:

1. Write a conversation plan.

Especially if you are planning to call your work partner abroad. Write down on a piece of paper a few main topics that you would like to discuss. You can do this schematically, or you can do it right away - in whole sentences, so as not to get confused and forget the idea during a conversation. This will help you not to be nervous, because you will know exactly what to say to your interlocutor.

1. Rehearse the dialogue.

Before making an important call, we recommend replaying it several times not only in your head, but also speaking out loud. You can do this in front of a mirror, or you can ask a friend or family member to help you. This way you will not only remember the phrases you wanted to say faster, but you will also feel more confident.

1. Use an electronic dictionary.

During a conversation, your interlocutor may use words that are not yet known to you. In this case, keep an electronic dictionary on hand. Ask the person to spell the word and check its meaning online.

1. Don't be afraid to ask to repeat what you don't understand.

Maybe the quality of the connection is not very good, and your conversation is interrupted by interference and silence, or maybe you just didn’t understand the meaning of the phrase the first time. One way or another, ask your interlocutor to repeat what was said. There's nothing wrong with that. Plus, while he repeats, you can consult your plan or electronic dictionary.

1. Maintain a formal communication style and be polite.

It’s the same as with official letters: don’t shorten words or use slang unnecessarily.

And of course, do not forget to use polite turns of phrase like “could you, please” and “thank you”, otherwise you may be considered a rude interlocutor.

1. Practice listening.

Those who will have to talk a lot on the phone in English should develop their listening skills. This is necessary to make it easier to understand foreign speech by ear, regardless of the accent, intonation and speed of speech of the interlocutor.

1. Work on your pronunciation.

In addition to simple listening, you need to work on your speaking. Practice dialogues more often, pronounce complex words and constructions out loud.

1. Learn phrases for communication.

By memorizing a few of these universal phrases, you can supportalmost any conversation, including telephone. Check them out.

1. Use professional language.

In addition to common phrases for communication, you simply need to know highly specialized vocabulary related to your work topic. This will allow you not only to understand what exactly your interlocutor is talking about, but will also increase the level of trust on his part when you skillfully use terms in a conversation.

Well, now let’s move on directly to the phrases themselves, which are useful for talking on the phone in English.

Greeting and starting a conversation

There are different ways to introduce yourself over the phone. The simplest and most understandable -“Hello, this is...”(Hello, this is...). Next, we state your name and occupation or position, if necessary. Let's imagine that a guy named John is calling someone. He can introduce himself simply"This is John".

Other phrases to start a dialogue:“John is speaking” and “It’s John here” (This is John).

If you are calling on behalf of a company, then say so right away:

Good morning. This is John Brighton from “IST Solutions” - Good morning. This is John Brayton from IST Solutions.

If you are calling a specific person and know his name, then you can ask him to answer the phone using the following phrases:

• Could/Can/May I speak to..., please? – Can I talk to... please?
• May I speak to...? - Please....!
• Is...in? -... on the spot?
• This is John calling for ... - This is John, I’m calling ...

If, on the contrary, you receive a call and the interlocutor has not introduced himself, then you can clarify his name:

• Could I ask who is calling? - May I know who is calling?
• May I ask who is calling? - May I ask who is calling?
• Can I take your name, please? - May I know your name, please?

You can immediately ask about the purpose of the call:

• Where are you calling from? -Where are you calling from?
• Could you tell me what it is about? - Could you tell me the purpose of the call?
• Who are you calling? - Who are you calling?
• Who do you want to speak to? -Who would you like to talk to?
• The name of the person you are calling, please? - Please tell me the name of the person you are calling.
• What company are you calling from? - Which company are you calling from?

It would be a good idea to ask the interlocutor if it is convenient for him to talk on the phone now:

Is it convenient for you to talk at the moment? - Is it comfortable for you to talk now?

By the way, if you are calling to book a hotel room or a table in a restaurant, then get straight to the point:

I’m calling to make a reservation - I’m calling to reserve (room, table).

It also happens that the person you are calling is busy right now. Or, you are busy and cannot answer. Standard phrases come to the rescue:

• Can I call you back? - Can I call you back?
• Could you call me back, please? – Could you call me back, please?
• I’ll call back later - I’ll call back later.
• Could you call again a little later, please? - Could you call back a little later?
• Try calling again later - Try calling back later.
• Could you tell me when the best time to call is? - Tell me, please, when is the best time to call you back?

It happens that a person is busy or moved away and cannot answer the call. How to answer that a person is not there and ask when he will return:

• He is not here - He is not there.
• Mr Brown is out at the moment - Mr Brown is out now.
• I’m afraid he"s out at the moment - I’m afraid he’s not here now.
• John is not here right now - John is not here now.
• I am afraid he is in a meeting now - I'm afraid he's at a meeting now.
• He is talking on another phone now - He is now talking on another phone.
• She is not in the office at the moment - She is not in the office now.

• When will he be in? - When will he come?
• In about 2 hours. - In 2 hours.
• Won't be back in 15 minutes - He will return in 15 minutes.
• She will be back in an hour - She will be back in an hour.

In this case, we leave our phone number (or ask the interlocutor for it) or leave a message for the addressee. By the way, the number we leave is called “call back number”.

• What is your telephone number? - What is your phone number?
• Could you leave your phone number, please? - Could you leave your number? Could I get your phone number, please? - May I know your number?
• My telephone number is... - My phone number...
• You can reach me at... - You can contact me at...
• Call me at... - Call me at number...
• Could you please tell me... - Tell me, please...
• Can I get your name? - May I know your name?

• Could/Can/May I take a message? - Can I give you something?
• Would you like to leave a message? - Would you like to leave a message?
• Is there any message? - Anything to pass on?
• What message would you like to leave? - What would you like to convey?
• Tell him I will call in the evening, please - Tell him that I will call in the evening, please.
• Tell him John telephoned and I’ll call again at half past four - Tell him John called and I’ll call you back at 16:30.

Write down the caller's number: “Hold on, let me grab a pen and a piece of paper. What's your number again? (Wait, I'll take a pen and paper. What number did you give?). Assure the person that you will convey the message:

• Great! I’ll let him know you called - Excellent. I'll let him know you called.
• I will pass on the message - I will pass on the message.

But the caller may say that he will not transfer anything and will simply call back: No, that’s okay. I’ll try again later (No, everything is fine. I’ll try to call back later). You can take this phrase into service for yourself.

What should you do if you dialed the wrong number and ended up in the wrong place? Specify the number and, politely apologizing, end the conversation:

• Is this 555-5555? - Is this number 555-5555?
• I must have got the wrong number - I must have dialed the wrong number.
• I’m sorry, I must have dialed the wrong number - Sorry, I must have dialed the wrong number.
• Sorry to have troubled you - Sorry I had to bother you.

If, on the contrary, they called you and made a mistake, then you should check with the person on the other end of the line where he called and also politely say that he was mistaken:

• What number are you calling? - What number are you calling?
• What number did you dial? - What number did you dial?
• I’m sorry, but we don’t have … here - Unfortunately, we don’t have an employee with that last name.
• Sorry, you must have got the wrong number - Sorry, you must have got the wrong number.
• Sorry, you’ve got the wrong number - Sorry, you got the wrong number.
• You must have misdialed - You must have dialed the wrong number.

If the number dialed is correct and the person you are calling is on the spot, you will be connected to him:

• I"ll put him on - I will connect you with him.
• I’ll put you through - I’ll connect you.
• Please hold, I’ll transfer you - Please wait, I’ll transfer you.
• Please hold and I"ll put you through to his office - Please wait and I will connect you to his office.

You can also use the following phrases to take a time out and call someone to the phone if you are receiving a call:

• One moment, please - Just a minute, please.
• Just a moment, please - Just a minute, please.
• Please hold - Please wait.
• Hold the line, please - Please stay on the line.

Let's continue the conversation on the phone

Let's say you got to where you need to go and the person you want to talk to is there. Let's move on to phrases that will be useful during the conversation itself.

It happens that the connection is bad and you need to tell your interlocutor about it:

• Can you hear me? - You hear me?
• I can't hear you - I can't hear you.
• It's a bad line - The connection is bad.
• This line is so poor - The connection is very poor.
• This is such a terrible line (It "s a really bad line). I can’t hear a thing - I don’t hear anything, the connection is terrible.
• Sorry, it’s too noisy here today - Sorry, it’s very noisy here today.
• The line just went dead - The connection has disconnected.

So it's okay if you ask to repeat something or speak more clearly:Could you please speak up a little? - Could you speak a little louder, please?

• Sorry, can you speak up? - Excuse me, could you speak louder?
• Could you please speak a little slower? My English is not very strong - Could you speak a little slower please. I don't speak English very well. Could you speak a little louder, please? - Could you speak a little louder, please?
• Sorry, I didn’t quite understand that - Sorry, I didn’t quite understand what you told me.
• Sorry, I did not catch you - Sorry, I didn’t understand you.
• Sorry, I did not catch that - Sorry, I didn’t understand.
• Could you please repeat that? - Could you repeat that?
• I’m sorry, I didn’t get that. Could you say it again, please? - Sorry, I didn’t understand what you said. Could you repeat it please?
• Could you repeat your last phrase, please? - Could you repeat your last phrase, please?
• I’m sorry, I don’t understand. Could you repeat that, please? - Sorry, I can’t understand. Could you repeat this again please?
• Could you, please, repeat what you said? - Could you repeat what you said?

If everything is very bad, just tell meCould you call me back, please? I think we have a bad connection (Could you call me back? I think we have communication problems).

Most likely, you will need to ask the other person to spell something in order to understand the name or title. This is fine:

• Would you mind spelling that for me? - Please spell it (Would you mind spelling it?)
• How do you spell that? - Please spell it.

Just as in Russian we are used to dictating by letter based on names (Ruslan, Olga), so in English there is a universal alphabet for this:

A - Alpha
B - Bravo
C-Charlie
D - Delta
E-Echo
F - Foxtrot
G - Golf
H-Hotel
I - India
J-Juliet
K-Kilo
L - Lima
M-Mike
N - November
O-Oscar
P-Papa
Q - Quebec
R - Romeo
S-Sierra
T-Tango
U-Uniform
V - Victor
W - Whiskey
X - X-ray
Y-Yankee
Z-Zulu

By the way, the line you are calling on may be busy:

• The line is busy - Busy.
• I’m sorry, but the line is engaged at the moment - I’m sorry, but the line is busy now.
• I can't get through at the moment - I can't get through.

It happens that during a conversation the essence is a little lost or you want to say something else. The following phrases will help you politely interrupt someone:

• Wait a minute! What about?.. - Wait a minute! And what's about?..
• Would you mind if I just say something here? - Would you mind if I say something now?
• I’m sorry for interruption, but... - Sorry to interrupt you, but...
• May I add something here, please? - Can I add something please?

If the conversation has gone completely off track, politely return to the topic:

• So, let me continue... - So, let me continue...
• Anyway, let’s get back to the topic... - In any case, let’s get back to the subject of conversation...
• To return to what I was talking about... - Returning to what I said...

If you have a long conversation on your mobile phone, the device may run out of power. You can inform your interlocutor about this as follows:

• I’m sorry, I need to recharge my mobile. The battery is very low - I need to charge my phone, the battery is almost empty.
• My battery"s about to run out - My battery is almost empty.
• I need to charge up my phone - I need to charge my phone.

By the way, you can express your intention to call or use someone else’s phone in a public place by contacting the person:

• I have to make a phone call - I need to call.
• Could I use your phone? It's urgent! - Can I use your phone? It's urgent!

Before you say goodbye, do not forget to summarize the main results of the telephone conversation. If you have booked a room or a table in a restaurant, ask to clarify all the details again; if you have made an appointment (arrange an appointment), then check the place and time again. Don't forget to leave your contact information with the person if this is your first conversation.

Parting

Everything is quite simple here: be polite, say goodbye to the person you are talking to by name and say that you were glad to talk to him on the phone.

• Bye, ... - Goodbye, ...
• Goodbye, ... - Goodbye, ...
• Thank you. Goodbye - Thank you, goodbye.
• Take care, goodbye - Take care of yourself, goodbye.
• Have a nice day - All the best.
• It"s been nice to talk to you - It was nice to talk to you
• I look forward to hearing from you soon - I look forward to your next call.
• I hope to have been of help to you - I hope I could help you.
• Thanks for calling. Goodbye - Thanks for calling. Goodbye.

By the way, do you remember that there is such a thing as an answering machine? Although they are becoming less common these days, they are still used in some companies and homes.

Option for personal answering machine:Hello, this is John. I"m sorry I"m not available to take your call at this time. Please, leave me a message and I"ll get back to you as soon as I can. (Hi, this is John. I'm sorry, but I can't answer the call right now. Please leave your message and I'll call you back right away, as soon as I can).

Option for a working answering machine:Thank you for calling “ABC” office. Our hours are 9 a.m. - 6 p.m., Monday-Friday. Please, call back during these hours, or leave a message after the tone. (Thank you for calling the ABC office. We are open from 9am to 6pm Monday through Friday. Please call back during business hours or leave a message after the beep sounds.)

We hope our detailed guide to talking on the phone will help you overcome your anxiety and make that important call!

Hello? Is that Gloria?

Yes! Hello? Who's speaking?

It's Nick. Nick Edmonds.

Oh, hi, Nick! I didn't recognize your voice. How are you?

I'm OK, thanks, Gloria. Is Cathy in?

Yes, she must be in her room. Could you hang on, please? I'll just get her.

Good afternoon. Tower Investment Bank. May I help you?

Hi. I would like to talk to Mr. Clinton from the accounting department, please.

May I ask you who is calling?

My name is Bruno Ponti. I’m calling from an advertising agency.

Thank you, Mr. Ponti. Just a moment, please. Let me check if Mr. Clinton is in his office.

Thank you for waiting. I'm sorry but Mr. Clinton isn't available at the moment. Would you like to leave a message or shall I ask him to call you back? Does he have your number?

I believe he does. But I can give it to you, just in case.

All right. Go ahead, please.

My number is 046 78345.

OK. And would you mind repeating your name?

Sure. Bruno Ponti. I can spell it: B-R-U-N-O P-O-N-T-I.

Thank you, Mr. Ponti. I'll ask Mr. Clinton to call you back as soon as possible today.

Thanks a lot. Bye.

- “Jordan Furniture”. Mandy is speaking. Can I help you?

Good morning. I'm calling on behalf of Mr. Franks from London Design Studio. Could I speak to someone who deals with reconstruction works?

Sorry, I didn't catch that. Could you speak up, please?

I’d like to talk to your chief engineer, please.

Certainly, sir. Hold on a moment. I'll put you through.

Hello. Can I speak to Estella, please?

Speaking. Who's calling?

Oh hi, Estella. This is Sally. I couldn’t get you through yesterday. The line was engaged. Is everything OK with you?

Hello Sally. I was just thinking about you. Yes, we're fine. Don't worry.

Hi. Is Edward home?

No. He has just popped out to the bank.

OK. When will he be back?

He shouldn’t be long, I hope.

Could you ask him to ring me back, please?

Sure. Who should I say phoned?

It’s Sam, from the golf club.

Has Edward got your number?

Can I speak to Helen?

Mmmm. Who is this?

It's Anna speaking. Are you her brother?

No, Anna. I am afraid you've dialed the wrong number.

Oh, I'm sorry!

Translation

Hello? Is this Gloria?

Yes! Hello! Who's speaking?

This is Nick. Nick Edmonds.

Okay, thanks, Gloria. Is Katie at home?

Yes, she should be in her room. Wait a minute please. I'll call her.

Okay. Thanks.

Good afternoon. Tower Investment Bank. Can I help you with something?

Hello. I'd like to speak to Mr. Clinton in the accounting department, please.

May I know who is calling?

Thank you Mr Ponti. Just a moment please. I'll check to see if Mr. Clinton is there.

Certainly.

Thank you for waiting. I'm sorry, but Mr. Clinton is unable to answer the phone at this time. Will you leave a message for him, or ask him to call you back? Does he have your phone number?

I think yes. But I can leave you one more time, just in case.

Fine. Speak.

My number is 046 78345.

OK. And please repeat your name.

Certainly. Bruno Ponti. I'll spell it: B-R-U-N-O P-O-N-T-I.

Thank you Mr Ponti. I will ask Mr. Clinton to call you back as soon as possible today.

Thank you very much. Goodbye.

- Jordan Furniture. Mandy is on the phone. Can I help you?

Good morning. I'm calling on behalf of Mr Franks from London Design Studio. Can I speak to the person doing the renovation work?

Sorry, I didn't hear. Would you speak louder, please?

I'd like to speak with the chief engineer.

Of course, sir. Just a moment please. I'll connect you.

Thank you.

Hello. Can I talk to Estella?

I'm listening. Who is calling?

Oh, hi, Estella. This is Sally. I couldn't reach you yesterday. The line was busy. Are you okay?

Hello Sally. I was just thinking about you. Everything is fine with us. Don't worry.

Hello? Is Edward home?

No. He just went to the bank.

Fine. When will he return?