Greeting and Starting a Phone Call
Making phone calls in China is an important skill for daily life. Starting politely and identifying yourself is essential.
你好，我是王强，请问李老师在吗？
Nǐ hǎo, wǒ shì Wáng Qiáng, qǐngwèn Lǐ lǎoshī zài ma?
Hello, I am Wang Qiang, may I speak with Teacher Li?
您好，我叫玛丽，我想预约明天的会议时间。
Nín hǎo, wǒ jiào Mǎlì, wǒ xiǎng yùyuē míngtiān de huìyì shíjiān.
Hello, my name is Mary, I would like to schedule tomorrow’s meeting.
早上好，我想咨询一下你们的服务。
Zǎoshang hǎo, wǒ xiǎng zīxún yíxià nǐmen de fúwù.
Good morning, I would like to ask about your services.
Asking for the Right Person
Sometimes you need to reach a specific person. Polite phrasing is important.
请问王经理在办公室吗？
Qǐngwèn Wáng jīnglǐ zài bàngōngshì ma?
May I ask if Manager Wang is in the office?
我可以和负责市场的同事通话吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ hé fùzé shìchǎng de tóngshì tōnghuà ma?
Can I speak with the colleague responsible for marketing?
对不起，他现在不在。您可以留言吗？
Duìbùqǐ, tā xiànzài bù zài. Nín kěyǐ liúyán ma?
Sorry, he’s not available now. Can you leave a message?
我想给客户服务部门打电话，请问号码是多少？
Wǒ xiǎng gěi kèhù fúwù bùmén dǎ diànhuà, qǐngwèn hàomǎ shì duōshǎo?
I want to call the customer service department, what is the number, please?
Explaining the Purpose of the Call
When the person answers, clearly explain why you are calling.
我打电话是想确认明天的会议安排。
Wǒ dǎ diànhuà shì xiǎng quèrèn míngtiān de huìyì ānpái.
I am calling to confirm tomorrow’s meeting schedule.
我想咨询一下信用卡申请的流程。
Wǒ xiǎng zīxún yíxià xìnyòngkǎ shēnqǐng de liúchéng.
I would like to ask about the process for applying for a credit card.
我打电话是想报告一个问题，电脑无法联网。
Wǒ dǎ diànhuà shì xiǎng bàogào yí gè wèntí, diànnǎo wúfǎ liánwǎng.
I am calling to report a problem; my computer cannot connect to the internet.
Making Requests or Appointments
Phone calls often involve arranging meetings or requesting help.
我可以预约下周三下午两点的时间吗？
Wǒ kěyǐ yùyuē xià zhōu sān xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn de shíjiān ma?
Can I make an appointment for next Wednesday at 2 pm?
请帮我查一下订单状态，可以吗？
Qǐng bāng wǒ chá yíxià dìngdān zhuàngtài, kěyǐ ma?
Could you help me check the status of my order, please?
能麻烦你把文件发到我的邮箱吗？
Néng máfan nǐ bǎ wénjiàn fā dào wǒ de yóuxiāng ma?
Could you please send the document to my email?
Asking for Clarification
If you don’t understand something, politely ask for clarification.
请你再说一遍好吗？
Qǐng nǐ zài shuō yí biàn hǎo ma?
Could you say that again, please?
对不起，我没听清楚，你能重复一下吗？
Duìbùqǐ, wǒ méi tīng qīngchǔ, nǐ néng chóngfù yíxià ma?
Sorry, I didn’t hear clearly, can you repeat it?
你能慢一点说吗，我还在学习中文。
Nǐ néng màn yìdiǎn shuō ma, wǒ hái zài xuéxí zhōngwén.
Can you speak a bit slower? I am still learning Chinese.
Ending the Call Politely
Concluding a phone call politely is important for maintaining good relationships.
谢谢你的帮助，再见！
Xièxiè nǐ de bāngzhù, zàijiàn!
Thank you for your help, goodbye!
我会按照你的指示操作，非常感谢。
Wǒ huì ànzhào nǐ de zhǐshì cāozuò, fēicháng gǎnxiè.
I will follow your instructions, thank you very much.
我们下次再联系，祝你今天愉快！
Wǒmen xià cì zài liánxì, zhù nǐ jīntiān yúkuài!
We’ll be in touch next time, have a nice day!
Vocabulary
- 电话 (diànhuà) – phone / telephone
- 预约 (yùyuē) – appointment / schedule
- 客户 (kèhù) – client / customer
- 同事 (tóngshì) – colleague
- 问题 (wèntí) – problem / question
- 服务 (fúwù) – service
- 订单 (dìngdān) – order
- 邮箱 (yóuxiāng) – email / mailbox
- 重复 (chóngfù) – repeat
- 指示 (zhǐshì) – instructions / guidance
