How to read a phone number in English. Dates, phone numbers and prices in English. How to ask for something over the phone

Anna Kovrova

A short conversation on the phone in English is something like a Listening exam. Only here you also need to answer! And if in a face-to-face conversation a smile and body language help you out, then you can’t count on them here. But standard “telephone” phrases are at your service!

To learn how to speak English on the phone, you don’t have to complete English courses: just learn the necessary “help” phrases and practice a little with a friend or colleague. Let's get started!

Start

Of course, you know how to introduce yourself: “Hello, this is Anna.” But further options are possible. If you are calling someone at home, you might say:

Do you need an extension number? Then it is appropriate to say:

When you pick up the phone and the caller has not introduced himself, it makes sense to clarify his name:

Let's continue the conversation!

Having found out that they are calling you, you answer:

The first three options are quite appropriate for a business setting, but the last one is more suitable for friendly communication or if you are talking with someone who is obviously young. Essentially, all of the above expressions mean “Wait!”, but require the word “wait” to be dispensed with.

If you are connected to an extension, they usually say something like “Connecting your call...”, “Please hold, I'll transfer you,” or a terse “Hello, please hold!” (“Hello, please wait”)​

How to leave or receive a message?

In a situation where the right person not in place, you hear (or say yourself): “He’s not here at the moment. Would you like to leave a message?” (“He’s not here right now. Should I tell you something?”)

If you are not offered to leave a message, come up with this idea yourself: “May I leave a message?” (this is a request: “Can I leave a message?”).

Make sure you don’t forget about your phone number (this is called a “call back number”):

If a number is dictated to you, but there is nothing to write with, it is enough to say: “Hold on, let me grab a pen and a piece of paper.” (“Wait, I’ll grab a pen and paper.”) And armed with writing tools, ask them to repeat: “What’s your number again?” (“Okay, what number did you call?”)

Assure the person that you will convey everything he told you:

However, it is possible that the caller will not want to leave a message:

What if it’s not clear?

It is convenient to refer to extraneous noise or connection quality. However, sometimes it’s better to simply admit that you don’t understand the speaker well enough - he will meet you halfway.

Say goodbye!

Okay. Take care. Bye.

Thank you. Goodbye.

Also, before calling, it’s useful to write down everything you were going to say. If the conversation is going to be important, it won’t hurt to even sketch out a tentative scenario.

"I dictate by letter: ..."

Unfortunately, sometimes the quality of telephone communication is not important. In Russian, we usually get out of the situation by dictating an incomprehensible word by letter; in this case we use Russian names (URA: Ulyana, Raisa, Anna, etc.).

In English, it is customary to use the following well-known words:

• Dance names: Foxtrot, Tango
• Names of Shakespearean characters: Romeo & Juliet
• Male names: Charlie, Mike, Oscar, Victor
• City names: Lima, Quebec

Business conversation on the phone English language- one of the most difficult tasks that employees of international companies have to perform. The point here is both the language barrier and the fear of not understanding the interlocutor. Therefore, we will tell you which phrases can be used in a telephone conversation in English in different cases, and give general tips about how to communicate correctly over the phone with native speakers in order to understand everything and be understood.

We have written a simple phrasebook for travelers, in which you will find dialogues, phrases and vocabulary on 25 essential topics. Go on a journey with the main character and improve your English. You can download the book for free at.

Useful phrases for talking on the phone

Greetings

The theater begins with a hanger, and a telephone conversation in English begins with a greeting. In addition to the usual Good morning/afternoon/evening, you need to introduce yourself. According to the rules of etiquette, you need to immediately tell your interlocutor who is bothering him. In this case, it is advisable to give not only your full name, but also the company you represent.

Welcome phrases in English on the phone:

And after the person greets you, be sure to ask a simple but very important question:

If the person is busy, immediately clarify when you can talk to him. Take into account the following phrases:

It may also happen that you dial the wrong number. In this case, you can use the following phrases:

How to respond to a greeting

Now let’s imagine the opposite situation - they called you and introduced themselves. How to answer your interlocutor correctly?

First, be sure to say hello with the usual words Good morning/afternoon/evening, then, depending on your position and the specifics of cooperation with foreign partners and clients, you can use the following phrases when talking on the phone in English:

Are you busy at the moment? Politely ask the person to call you back later.

The person has the wrong number? Let him know about this using one of the following phrases.

There are situations when a person has the wrong number, but his call is unpleasant to you, for example, if he intrusively offers you unnecessary goods or services. How to politely answer an unwanted call?

How to clarify caller information

Let's imagine that they called you, but did not introduce themselves. In this case, you need to avoid pauses in the conversation and immediately clarify who is calling and for what purpose. In this situation, use the following phrases:

How to ask to be connected to the right person

You call the company, but end up with a secretary or the general telephone number of a large department. In this case, you need to ask the employee to call the person you need on the phone. You can also ask to be connected to the internal telephone number of a specific employee. Use these phrases:

How to ask to wait to connect with the right person

And again the opposite situation - they call your company, and you understand that the interlocutor needs another employee. In this case, you need to ask the person not to hang up and wait for the connection. When speaking on the phone in English, depending on the specifics of your activity, the following phrases are used:

What to do if the connection is bad

Interference on the line is the main phobia of any person who needs to conduct a conversation on the phone in English. However, do not be discouraged, a few simple phrases will help you cope with this situation. These phrases will help you out if technical problems arise:

Sometimes it’s not a bad connection, but a call on the other line prevents you from talking. If a call on the second line is more important than a call on the first, you can apologize to the interlocutor and ask him to put himself in your position. Use these phrases:

How to make an appointment

If you are calling a person to set up a meeting with them, use the phrase templates below. They sound polite and will help you quickly reach an agreement with your interlocutor. Use the following phrases to make an appointment:

How to politely interrupt someone

When having a telephone conversation with a foreign partner or client, it is better not to interrupt the interlocutor, but there are times when this is necessary. You can do this politely using the following phrases:

And you will find even more similar phrases in the article “How to skillfully interrupt your interlocutor? Dealing with interruptions."

How to ask someone to tell you that you called

Have you called your foreign partners, but the person you need is not there? Ask to inform him about your call and do not forget to leave your contact information. You can politely ask for a call in the following ways:

If you would rather call the person back yourself, say the following:

How to take a message for someone

You received a call and asked to pass the phone to a colleague, but he was not there or he was busy? In this case, you need to politely inform that the person cannot answer the phone and offer to leave a message. At the same time, do not forget to specify the name of the caller, as well as his contact phone number. Learn these phrases:

You can also ask the other person to call you back later using these phrases for talking on the phone in English:

How to leave a message on an answering machine

If you only get through to the answering machine, do not rush to hang up. Leave a message so that the person can call you back as soon as they are free. You can leave a simple message like this:

What message should you record for your answering machine?

Do not neglect the answering machine function in your own phone, because this option will allow you not to miss a single important call. Take 5 minutes and write down a simple text for the caller. The text might look like this.

Parting

Have you successfully talked on the phone and resolved all your issues? Then the time has come to say goodbye, and this must also be done correctly: without sentimentality and politely. You can say goodbye to your interlocutor like this:

To see and hear what a telephone conversation in English looks like in practice, we recommend watching the following video:

Successful conversation on the phone in English: general tips

1. Write a conversation plan in advance

If you are going to call your partner or client abroad, your task is simplified, because you can think in advance about what you will talk about, what words and phrases to use. Don’t be lazy to write down a brief outline of your conversation on paper, this way you will kill not two, but three birds with one stone: study the phrases while writing them, draw up the most accurate and complete conversation plan and save yourself nerves, because during the conversation you will know what to say and when.

2. Try rehearsing the dialogue

To sound confident, try speaking the dialogue several times in front of a mirror or on the phone with a friend. This will help you remember phrases faster, and you won’t have to refer to your plan during a conversation.

And if you're learning a language online, try studying with your teacher without a camera. This will be a complete simulation of a telephone conversation. Try acting out a dialogue with your teacher using your plan. If you practice this way at least a few times, then when communicating on the phone it will be easier for you to understand the person on the other end of the line.

3. Don't worry

Anxiety affects understanding in the same way as poor communication: if you listen to the interference (or the inner voice that says you won’t understand anything), it will interfere with you, and if you don’t pay attention to it, you will be able to understand the interlocutor . The more relaxed you are about speaking on the phone in English, the easier it will be for both you and the person on the other end of the line.

4. Maintain a formal communication style

The formal style of communication differs from the usual conversational style. We communicate with business partners politely, avoiding slang, word abbreviations, etc. You can read more about the features of the formal style of English.

5. Be as polite as possible.

The concept of “politeness” in our country and abroad is quite different. Pay attention to the phrase templates we have proposed: almost every one of them contains the construction “Could you please”, every sentence contains the word “please”. Moreover, when translated into Russian, the word “please” does not even always logically fit into the phrase. To us this sounds like obsessive politeness. In English sentences, you must use words like “please” and “thank you”, otherwise you may seem rude to your interlocutor.

6. Keep an electronic dictionary handy

Are you unable to understand some word that plays an important role in your partner's speech? Ask your partner to spell the word and look up its meaning in a dictionary. It is impossible to learn all the words in the English dictionary, so your partner will react normally to the request to repeat the word. So before every business conversation on the phone in English, turn on your computer and open one of the electronic dictionaries.

7. Ask to repeat what you didn’t understand

Remember, even when we have a telephone conversation in Russian, sometimes we do not understand the interlocutor or cannot hear some words due to a poor connection. In this case, without a shadow of embarrassment, we ask the interlocutor to repeat what was said. What prevents us from doing the same when talking on the phone in English? Your partner or client understands that you are speaking a foreign language, so they will calmly respond to the request to repeat a phrase.

8. Develop your listening skills

The more often you listen to foreign speech, the faster you will get used to it and begin to understand (if you also study grammar and new words). Therefore, listen to podcasts and audiobooks, watch videos and news in English. You can test your listening comprehension of the language and at the same time listen to samples of telephone dialogues in English on the Simple English website. Select one of the dialogues, turn on the audio recording and try to insert the missing words into the exercise under dictation. And also read our articles “” and “”.

9. Work on your pronunciation and intonation

Take care not only of yourself, but also of your interlocutor. Try to speak clearly, take your time, pronounce words and sounds correctly. Fluent speech is good in normal conversation, but not in dialogue on the phone with business partners. It would be ideal if you try to adapt to the pace of speech of your interlocutor, in which case you will be “on the same wavelength” with him. If you know that your pronunciation is not yet perfect and you may not be understood, speak at an average pace. A measured pace of speech will allow your interlocutor to understand you and give your words a confident sound. Be sure to read the article "". Watch your intonation: speak confidently, but in a calm, friendly tone.

10. Learn useful phrases for communication

The phrases that we presented in the article are excellent “blanks” for your speech. It is best to learn them by heart, so that when you call you do not have to choose words, but speak in patterns that are already familiar to you.

11. Read examples of dialogues in English on the phone

To see how the phrases you've learned work in natural conversation, study examples of telephone conversations, for example, on the official BBC website. On the pages of the resource you will see several examples of telephone dialogues on various topics and take a test on your knowledge of “telephone” vocabulary.

12. Learn professional vocabulary

To leave a positive impression of yourself after a conversation, study not only the phrases we present, but also the professional vocabulary of your field of activity. Understanding between you and your interlocutor will arise when you speak the same language both literally and figuratively.

Full list of phrases for download

We have compiled a document for you that will make it easier for you to conduct a dialogue over the phone. You can download it from the link below.

(*.pdf, 292 Kb)

Now you know how to successfully conduct a telephone conversation in English. Practice listening, learn the phrases we suggest in English for dialogue on the phone and improve your pronunciation, then the interlocutor will understand you, and you will understand him. We wish you successful telephone conversations!

And if you want to thoroughly study business English with a competent teacher, we suggest studying in. Our teachers will help you master business style in communicating in English, teach you to understand the speech of your interlocutor and speak so that you are understood.

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?

Hello, dear friends! Having understood the use of ordinal and cardinal numerals, fractional numbers, the name of dates. Today we will get acquainted with the nuances of using numbers when calling a phone number in English. We will also get acquainted with the rules of pronunciation of passport details and bank accounts, so that various misunderstandings do not arise when filling out documents, booking a room or table by phone.

Red phone

Most likely, most often we need to dictate our phone number. And here a lot of confusion and confusion arises, since in English The phone number is pronounced completely differently than in Russian.

Remember the famous hit of the late 90s of the 20th century by the Chameleon group “Twelve Eighty Five and Two Zeros”? In approximately this way, we dictate a phone number in Russian. True, at the same time, there is a possibility of confusing “twelve” and “twenty” by ear. Therefore, professional signalmen, for example, instead of “fifty” they call “half a hundred”, “half a hundred and seven”, etc.

As far as English is concerned, here things are even worse: in addition to the “fifty-fifteen” pair, “forty-fourteen”, “thirty-forty” and “thirty-thirteen” are easily confused. Therefore, Anglophones dictate such data differently to avoid mistakes. For example, the phone number “12−85−00” that has sunk into the souls of the musicians of the group “Chameleon” in English would be pronounced like this: “ one two eight five double oh” - one two eight five two zero/zero zero.

As you have already noticed, repeating numbers are also called differently. But first things first. For example, in our native language we read the operator or city code by numbers, but the number itself is most often combined into blocks - tens and hundreds: 0 726 234 567 89 - Zero seven hundred twenty six five hundred sixty seven eighty nine.

dialing a number in English Americans and British pronounce each digit separately, while zero is pronounced not as usual “zero”, but as “oh” [əu]. Moreover, identical numbers next to each other are combined using the word “double”: 66 - double six NOT!!! six six, 00 — double oh, 22 — double two NOT!!! two two.

But here, too, the numbers are combined into blocks of three, thanks to pauses and intonation. After each group, the intonation rises (as when listing something), and a falling tone is used at the end: 0 726 143 557 89 - o h, seven two six, one four three, double five seven, eight nine. However, if a block contains a combination of two trailing zeros, it can be read like this: 100 - one hundred, 800 - eight hundred.

Other numbers

Other numeric sequences are read in a similar way: for example, passport data, credit card numbers, serial strokes of products, product codes, numerical indicators of orders, invoices and receipts, etc. Certain codes follow a certain format and contain special characters:

• / - slash - fraction
• : - colon [koʊlən] - colon
• - — dash - dash
• . - dot - dot
• ; - semicolon ["semɪ‚kəʋlən] - semicolon
• , - comma [ˈkɔmə] - comma
• — space - space

For example, when reading passport data in English, which contains both letters and numbers, the letters are called as in the alphabet, and the numbers are called each separately.

VISA In bank numbers, credit cards and other similar number sequences, the numbers are combined in blocks of four with an ascending rhythm and intonation. In this case, as in telephone numbers, each digit is pronounced separately: 9317 5290 2047 5402 - nine three one seven, five two nine oh, two oh four seven, five four oh two.

I think the information given here will be useful to you and will serve as a good guide for you in various conversational situations with English-speaking interlocutors. Even if, after everything you’ve read, you still have unanswered questions, feel free to ask them in the comments.

Until next time, happy studying!

Hi all! Let's keep talking!

Talking on the phone in English can be very stressful. We often have to resolve various issues over the phone, be it meeting a friend or booking a table at a restaurant. The following sample dialogues will help you prepare.

• From this dialogue you can learn take a call in English.

• In this telephone conversation, a young man asks his colleague for his phone number mutual friend.

• This dialogue provides an example of a more formal telephone call. conversation between secretary and visitor.

• Dialogue between two friends.

• This conversation is taking place between two classmates.

• An example of how reserve a hotel room by phone.

• So it is possible book a table at a restaurant in English.

After studying examples of these dialogues, you will be able to communicate on the phone in English, both in business and informal communication.