Knowing how to talk on the phone is an important skill to have nowadays. Everyone uses them! Learning key phrases that you can use while on the phone will help you make appointments, ask questions, or just have normal conversations with friends or family.
Below, you'll find important formal and informal phrases that will be helpful whenever you need to make a phone call. Take a look at the tables below and start mastering this important skill!
Relax with Meditative Music
Relax with the Sounds of Nature: River
Relax with the Sounds of Nature: Wind
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Below, you'll find important formal and informal phrases that will be helpful whenever you need to make a phone call. Take a look at the tables below and start mastering this important skill!
Formal German on the Phone
Politeness goes a long way - even on the phone! Below, you'll learn formal phrases that you can use when talking on the phone. Use them whenever you call a business, someone that you don't know very well, or try to make an appointment for something.German | English |
---|---|
Could I speak with Mr. Hartmann? | |
I would like to speak to Mr. Demir. | |
May I ask who's calling? | |
Can I get your name? | |
This is Finn Hartmann. | |
Fiedler speaking. | |
Would you mind holding for a minute? | |
I'm sorry, Mr. Fiedler is not available right now. | |
Would you like to leave a message? | |
May I take a message? | |
Could you call back later? | |
Could you repeat that, please? | |
Could you speak a bit slower, please? | |
Thank you for your call. |
Informal German on the Phone
Talking with friends and family on the phone is almost exactly like talking to them face-to-face. It's very relaxed and informal. The following phrases will be useful to you whenever you want to speak informally with someone on the phone.German | English |
---|---|
This is Finn. | |
Is Lisa there? | |
Is Finn free? | |
Who is this? | |
It's Leon. | |
Hang on a second. | |
Just a moment. | |
Sorry, she's not here right now. | |
When will Philipp be in again? | |
Could I leave a message? | |
Sorry, I think I dialed the wrong number. | |
Sorry, I didn't catch that. | |
Can you say that again? | |
I'll call back a little later. | |
I can't hear you very well. | |
Bye! |
Kannst du das nochmal sagen?
This is a very useful sentence to know when talking on the phone. Use it whenever you can't understand someone and want them to repeat themselves. The person would most likely respond by repeating what they just said. Here is an example response Ja, weißt du, wann sich die Mannschaft heute Abend trifft?.
Relax while Listening to the Phrases
Keep calm and learn German! Listen to the phrases again with relaxing background music. This will help you improve your listening skills and remember the phrases. Choose your favorite style, then kick back and relax!
Relax with Meditative Music
Relax with the Sounds of Nature: River
Relax with the Sounds of Nature: Wind
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Practice & Record a Dialogue
Take the next step and use what you’ve learned! Check out this topic’s dialogue unit and practice the phrases in a variety of exercises. Test your knowledge and get ready for real life conversations!
Guten Morgen. Sie sprechen mit Andreas Horn.en
Guten Morgen. Hier spricht Lea Schmidt. Ich würde gerne mit Herrn Brandt sprechen.en
Einen Moment bitte, ich werde nachsehen, ob er schon da ist.en