Making and taking telephone calls in your second language can be a daunting task, especially when a call catches you by surprise. We\u2019ve all been there; stammering, searching for words, awkward silences, and even opting to write an email just to avoid all of the above.<\/p>\n
Preparation and practice are key to effectively \u2013 and confidently \u2013 handling a telephone call every time.<\/p>\n
In the Netherlands, it is quite common to pick up the telephone with \u201cMet Pim de Vries\u201d. This would literally translate to \u201cWith Pim de Vries\u201d in English. Using this phrase would be your first Dunglish mistake. Instead, try \u201cThis is Pim de Vries speaking\u201d or simply \u201cPim speaking\u201d. If you recognize the caller\u2019s name and number, you might also choose to greet them by name: \u201cHello Donna. How are you?\u201d<\/p>\n
Dutch speakers are often curious about this question and doubtful about the giving the right response. It is quite common in English to greet one another with this very question to set the tone. Consider it a prerequisite for a pleasant conversation, an integral part of small talk. Answering with \u201cFine, thanks. How are you?\u201d or \u201cI\u2019m well, how about you?\u201d would suffice. In case the caller fails to introduce him or herself, you could ask \u201cMay I ask who\u2019s calling, please?\u201d or \u201cWho am I speaking to?\u201d<\/p>\n
When calling an office number to speak to someone specific, the Dutch commonly begin with \u201cIs Pim in de buurt?\u201d which roughly translates to \u201cIs Pim around?\u201d This might suffice for an informal call however a more professional question would be \u201cMay I speak to Pim de Vries, please?\u201d or \u201cCould you please connect me to Pim de Vries?\u201d<\/p>\n
If Pim is available, the receiver might respond with \u201cYes, just one moment please. I\u2019ll put you through\u201d or if he is not, \u201cI\u2019m afraid Pim is unavailable at the moment. Would you like to leave a message?\u201d Take note of the formality embedded within these sentences; the English are very fond of the use of \u2018please\u2019 and \u2018thank you\u2019. They also prefer to introduce bad news with phrases such as \u201cI\u2019m afraid\u2026\u201d or \u201cUnfortunately\u201d simply because it\u2019s polite and indirect.<\/p>\n
When asked to provide your contact details over the phone in English, Dutch speakers often get caught up in the similarities \u2013 and differences \u2013 of the Dutch alphabet. Vowels are especially tricky and often incorrectly articulated (e.g. The letter \u2018a\u2019 in English is pronounced as the letter \u2018e\u2019 in Dutch). Consider keeping a PDF copy on your desktop or print a copy of the NATO phonetic alphabet to assist you with spelling. For example, if you are not certain about spelling the name Elena, you might choose to spell it using the NATO alphabet: Echo \u2013 Lima \u2013 Echo \u2013 November \u2013 Alpha. This simple technique ensures that you will spell the information correctly every time.<\/p>\n
\u2022 Hello, this is (name) speaking.
\n\u2022 Good afternoon. This is (name) speaking. How may I help you?
\n\u2022 May I ask who\u2019s calling?
\n\u2022 Who am I speaking with, please?<\/p>\n
\u2022 I would like to speak to (name). Is he\/she available?
\n\u2022 Yes, just a moment please. I\u2019ll put you through.
\n\u2022 I\u2019m afraid Mr\/Ms (name) is not available at the moment.
\n\u2022 Would you like to leave a message?<\/p>\n
\u2022 I\u2019m afraid I didn\u2019t quite catch that.
\n\u2022 Sorry, it\u2019s quite noisy here. Can you hear me well?
\n\u2022 Could you please repeat that?
\n\u2022 Could you please speak a bit slower\/louder?<\/p>\n
\u2022 Was there anything else I could do for you?
\n\u2022 Thank you for your call.
\n\u2022 I look forward to hearing from you again.
\n\u2022 Take care. Goodbye.<\/p>\n
Read our other blogs with handy tips<\/a> Making and taking telephone calls in your second language can be a daunting task, especially when a call catches you by surprise. We\u2019ve all been there; stammering, searching for words, awkward silences, and even opting to write an email just to avoid all of the above.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":5822,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[159],"tags":[274,652,275,659],"class_list":["post-5827","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english","tag-english","tag-language-course","tag-language-training","tag-learn-english"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
\nSee our English language courses<\/a>, including Business<\/a> and Legal English<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"