Making a phone call
Have to make a phone call in French? Let's look at the key expressions we need.
Identifying yourself
It's usually good form to introduce yourself:
- Bonjour, c’est John d’EcoArt.
Good morning, this is John from EcoArt. - Bonjour, c’est Sarah depuis le bureau de Londres.
Good afternoon, This is Sarah from the London office.
Ask to speak to someone
- Pourrais-je parler à Xavier Smith, s’il vous plait?
Could I speak to Xavier Smith, please? - Pourrais-je parler à Mr Duchamp ou bien à sa secrétaire?
Could I speak to Mr. Duchamp or his secretary?
Not sure who to speak to?
- Bonjour, pourriez-vous me passer le département de marketing ?
Hello. Could you put me through to the marketing department? - Bonjour, pourrais-je parler avec quelqu’un du département des ventes ?
Good morning. Could I speak to someone in the sales department?
If you're phoning for a specific reason, then jump straight in!
- Bonjour, je voudrais acheter 3 tickets pour le concert de Rod Stewart ce samedi.
Good afternoon, I'd like to buy 3 tickets to Saturday's Rod Steward concert. - Bonjour, je voudrais réserver une table pour ce soir, s’il vous plait.
Good morning, I'd like to book a table for tonight, please.
Phoning for information:
If you are calling in order to ask for specific information, then you would probably use a phrase with the following format:
- Bonjour, pourriez-vous me dire à quelle heure vous fermez aujourd’hui?
Good morning. Could you tell me what time you close today? - Bonjour, pourriez-vous me dire si l’exposition de Picasso est ouverte la semaine prochaine?
Good afternoon. Could you tell me if the Picasso exhibition is open next week?
Moving things along
Now that we've look at different ways of starting a phone conversation in French, let's look at what happens next:
She's not here I'm afraid
- J’ai bien peur qu’elle ne soit pas là.
She's not here I'm afraid.
If the person we want to speak to is not there, we could ask to speak to someone else:
- Sa secrétaire est-elle disponible?
Is his secretary available?
Alternatively, we could ask to leave a message. Remember that the phrase will be the same whether it's a man or a woman we want to leave a message for.
- Pourrais-je lui laisser un message ?
Could I leave a message for him / her?
Taking messages
In class three of this section we look at the French we'll need for giving or taking phone messages.
Communication problems
When making a phone call in a foreign language, we are bound to have communication problems and misunderstandings. We looked at this issue in our first class on French for the telephone.
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Some other stuff here
This Course
Business French
Our Business French course is designed to get you working in French as quickly as possible. The course contains sections on meetings and the telephone, as well as French for finance and practical workplace French (The type of practical phrases you'll need in a French-speaking office).
We are also working on a series of sector-based courses. First up is a set of classes for estate agents and property buyers.
Other sections in this course
Real estate
Whether you're selling property in Provence or working with clients in Paris, the type of vocabulary you'll need isn't going to vary much from place to place.
Speaking on the Phone
Speaking on the phone can be one of the most difficult tasks in any foreign language. In this course we'll take you through all the basics, from answering the phone, to taking messages or giving excuses when your boss hasn't come back from lunch.
French for Meetings
Need to attend a meeting with French-speaking clients?
In this section we'll cover everything from arranging dates and sending invitations, to writing agendas, through to summarising the agreements reached at the meeting.
In a French-speaking office
Dont' know how to ask for a stapler? In this section we'll take you through all those useful little phrases and questions for office life that other courses just don't cover.
Finance and Numbers
How do we present numbers and talk about financial information in French? In this section we cover the basics (the numbers in French!) as well as how to present graphs, sales results, or complicated statistical data.
Speaking on the Phone
Other classes in this section:
First phone conversation
In this first class we’ll look at the standard phrases we need when we answer the phone.
Making a phone call
How to you make a telephone call in French? What do we say to introduce yourself?
Taking and Leaving Messages
Taking and leaving messages can be tricky in a foreign language, particularly in a business context where mistakes can be costly! However, it's a really important part of being able to speak on the telephone. So roll up your sleeves and let's get into the nitty gritty!