Телефонні та відеодзвінки

When you need it

Calls are harder than face-to-face conversations because you cannot see the other person's face or hands, the sound is often worse, and there is no time to look words up. At the same time, calls follow fixed patterns. If you know the standard phrases for the beginning, the middle and the end, most of the call becomes predictable, and you can save your attention for the part that is new.

You need this language to book an appointment, to ask a question at a shop or an office, to reach a colleague, to join an online class or a job interview on video, and to leave a clear message when nobody answers.

Structure

1. Greeting and who you are. Hello, this is Anna. At work, people answer with the name of the company or department, then their own name: Good morning, reception, Tom speaking.
2. Reason for the call. I'm calling about my order. British English also says I'm ringing about…
3. The main part. Ask, answer, check. Spell names and repeat numbers back so there are no misunderstandings: Could you spell that, please?
4. Confirm. Before you finish, sum up what you agreed: So, just to confirm: Thursday at ten.
5. End. Thanks for your help. Bye. English calls usually end with a few short lines on both sides rather than one sudden bye.

Numbers. Say telephone numbers digit by digit, in small groups, with a short pause between groups: oh seven nine, four five two… In British English 0 is usually oh and a repeated digit is often double: double seven. Americans also say each digit, often zero, and rarely use double.

Video calls add their own problems: checking that sound and picture work, people talking at the same time, and sharing a screen. The phrases below cover them.

Useful phrases

Purpose	Phrase
Starting	Hello, this is Anna. / Hi, it's Tom. / Could I speak to the manager, please? / Who's calling, please?
Waiting	Hold on a moment, please. / Just a second. / I'll put you through.
When the person is out	I'm afraid she's not available at the moment. / Can I take a message? / Could you ask him to call me back?
Problems with sound	Sorry, you're breaking up. / The connection is bad. / Could you say that again? / Could you speak up a little?
Video	Can you hear me? / You're on mute. / Can you see my screen? / Sorry, you go first. / I think we lost you for a moment. / My camera isn't working.
Ending	Thanks for your help. / Thanks for calling. / Speak to you soon. / Bye for now.

On a phone call, this is introduces yourself and is that…? asks about the other person: Hello, is that Tom? Both refer to the voice you hear, not to a person standing in front of you.

Model text

Anna calls a medical centre to move an appointment.

Tom: Good morning, reception, Tom speaking. How can I help?
Anna: Hello, this is Anna. I'm calling about my appointment on Thursday. I'm afraid I can't come at ten.
Tom: No problem. Could I have your surname and date of birth, please?
Anna: Sorry, you're breaking up a little. Could you say that again?
Tom: Your surname and date of birth, please.
Anna: Ah, OK. I'll spell the surname for you.
Tom: Thank you. Right, I can see the appointment. Would Friday at half past two suit you?
Anna: Yes, that's perfect.
Tom: Great. Can I check your phone number? Is it still oh seven nine, double four, six one two?
Anna: Yes, that's right.
Tom: So, just to confirm: Friday at two thirty. We'll send you a text the day before.
Anna: Thanks very much for your help.
Tom: You're welcome. Bye.
Anna: Bye.

Common mistakes

• ✗ Who are you? / Who is it?
  ✓ Who's calling, please? / Can I ask who's calling?
  A direct translation of Хто це? / Кто это? sounds rude in English on the phone, especially at work.
• ✗ Wait. / Wait a minute.
  ✓ Hold on a moment, please. / Just a second.
  Зачекайте and Подождите are neutral in Ukrainian and Russian, but a bare English imperative sounds impatient, so use one of the fixed phone phrases.
• ✗ Can you repeat?
  ✓ Could you repeat that, please? / Sorry, could you say that again?
  Повторіть? / Повторите? works without an object, but English repeat needs one, and could is more polite than can.
• ✗ I call about my order.
  ✓ I'm calling about my order.
  Ukrainian дзвоню and Russian звоню are simple present forms, but the call happening now needs the present continuous in English.
• ✗ My number is oh seven nine, forty-four, six hundred and twelve.
  ✓ My number is oh seven nine, double four, six one two.
  Ukrainian and Russian speakers often group phone numbers into tens and hundreds, but in English each digit is said separately, which is much easier to write down.

Try it