Phone Calls in English Are Nothing to Fear
As inbound tourism grows and workplaces become more international, calls in English arrive more and more often. When an English call comes through to the shop where you work a part-time job, or to your school, knowing just a handful of phrases is enough to keep you calm. You do not need perfect English. What matters is a willingness to understand what the caller needs, and the ability to hand the call to someone who can help.
This article collects the minimum set of phrases you need on an English call, organised by situation. Save them in the notes app on your phone and you can check them the moment a call comes in. Phone etiquette works the same way in any language - if the caller can tell that you are trying to be polite, imperfect English is fine.
Answering the Call
Your first words on an English call take the place of the Japanese greeting "moshi moshi".
- Hello. - the simplest opening
- Hello, this is [name of the shop]. - identify where the caller has reached
- Good morning/afternoon, [name of the shop]. How can I help you? - the most polite version
If you answer the phone at a part-time job, practise saying the shop's name out loud. Even a Japanese shop name gets across if you say it slowly and clearly. The basics of handling calls in Japanese are covered in our introduction to phone etiquette.
Asking Who Is Calling
- May I ask who's calling? - the standard way to ask for a name
- Could I have your name, please? - slightly softer
- Could you spell your name, please? - useful when you cannot catch the name
Names from other countries are often unfamiliar, so asking for the spelling is not rude at all. On the contrary, showing that you want to record the name accurately makes a good impression.
When You Cannot Catch What Was Said
These are the phrases you will use most often on an English call. Missing words is completely normal, so ask the caller to repeat without hesitating.
- Could you say that again, please? - ask for a repeat
- Could you speak more slowly, please? - ask for a slower pace
- Sorry, I didn't catch that. - admit you missed it
- Could you speak a little louder, please? - ask for more volume
Anything that starts with "Could you..." is a polite request, and once you have that pattern you can apply it in all sorts of situations. Even when you are handling calls as an operator, this wording is polite enough.
Handing the Call to an English Speaker
When the call is beyond you, the best move is to pass it to someone who speaks English. This may be the single most important set of phrases here.
- Please hold on a moment. - ask the caller to wait
- Let me transfer you to someone who speaks English. - explain that you are handing over
- One moment, please. - the short version
- I'll find someone who can help you. - buy time while you look for a colleague
"Please hold on a moment." is one of the most frequently used phrases on English calls anywhere. As long as you can say that much, you have bought yourself the time you need to find an English speaker.
When Nobody There Speaks English
Use these phrases when no member of staff can handle English.
- I'm sorry, no one here speaks English right now. - explain the situation honestly
- Could you call back later? - ask for a callback
- Could you call back at [time]? - name the hours when an English speaker is in
- Could you send us an email instead? - move the conversation to email
- Our email address is... - read out the address
If you offer to continue by email, you can take your time and use a translation tool to reply. Email is a much lower hurdle than a live call, so suggest switching to it whenever it helps.
Taking a Reservation
In a restaurant or hotel job you may have to take reservations in English. Learn the basic questions. Our guide to making a reservation call to a restaurant in Japanese is a useful companion.
- For how many people? - ask the size of the party
- What date and time? - ask when they want the table
- Could I have your phone number? - ask for a contact number
- Your reservation is confirmed. - confirm the booking
- I'm sorry, we're fully booked on that day. - explain that the date is full
- Would another date work for you? - offer an alternative
If the call is an international call, you may need the caller's number together with the country code. "Could I have your phone number with the country code?" does the job.
Ending the Call
- Thank you for calling. - thank the caller for phoning
- Have a nice day. - a friendly sign-off
- Goodbye. - the plain close
- Thank you. We look forward to seeing you. - use this after taking a reservation
Saying Numbers Out Loud
Numbers in English are unavoidable when you give a phone number or a date and time.
- Read phone numbers one digit at a time: 03-1234-5678 becomes "zero three, one two three four, five six seven eight"
- 0 is read either "zero" or "oh" - in phone numbers, "oh" is common
- When a digit repeats, 5566 is sometimes read "double five, double six"
- Dates: May 1st, March 15th. Say the month by its English name
- Times: 3 PM, 10:30 AM. The 24-hour clock is not used in conversation
If you are not confident about numbers you heard, ask again with "Could you repeat the number, please?" A misheard digit can cause real trouble, so always read the number back to confirm it.
All-Purpose Phrases for Difficult Moments
These are the last-resort phrases for when you simply cannot handle the call.
- I'm sorry, my English is not very good. - say so honestly
- Could you speak in simple English? - ask for plainer wording
- Let me write that down. - buy time to take notes
- Is there anything else I can help you with? - use this once the business is finished
There is nothing embarrassing about admitting that your English is not strong. In almost every case the caller will respond by slowing down and choosing easier words. If a live call is still too difficult, setting up voicemail lets the caller leave a message instead.
Summary
The most important phrase on an English call is "Please hold on a moment." As long as you can say that, you have bought the time to find someone who speaks English. Your English does not have to be perfect - what carries the call is the effort to be polite. Save the phrases in this article on your phone and pull them up when you need them.