Answering the phone in Spanish shouldn't be a difficult thing to do. Just by learning the vocabulary and expressions in this article you'll be able to understand and be understood. This article covers the basics on a Spanish language phone call, some expressions and vocabulary used at work.
Not as difficult as you may think!
When learning a language, the idea of answering a phone or trying to have a phone conversation may seem very scary to some students. Maybe because the only possible way of communication is language: that is, there are no clues or non-verbal language helping us understand what a Spanish native speaker (that's the case now) wants to tell us.
Let's loose that fear! The first step will be studying and recognizing Spanish vocabulary and expressions related to a phone call.
On the phone - Common expressions
Hello → Dígame, Diga. (These are the most common ways, but you can also say ¿Sí?, which is a less formal way of answering the phone.)
Can I speak to... ? → ¿Puedo hablar con... ?
I'd like to speak to... → Me gustaría hablar con... / Quería hablar con...
Who's calling, please? → ¿De parte de quién? Or ¿Quien le llama?
I am... → Soy....
Sorry, he/she is not here right now. → Lo siento, él / ella no está aquí ahora mismo.
Can I leave a message? → ¿Puedo dejar un recado?
These are the basic expressions to be used when you are on the phone.
On the phone - Vocabulary
(la) cabina telefónica – phone booth
colgar – to hang up
(el) contestador (automático) – answering machine
dejar un mensaje – to leave a message
descolgar el teléfono – to pick up the phone
enviar un mensaje de texto or enviar un sms – to send a text message
estar comunicando – the line is busy
(la) guía telefónica / (la) guía de teléfonos – phone book
(la) línea – line
(la) llamada – phone call
(la) llamada a cobro revertido - collect charge call
(la) llamada de larga distancia – long distance call
(la) llamada gratuita – toll free
(la) llamada internacional – international call
(la) llamada local – local call
llamar por teléfono – to call
llamar más tarde – to call back later
mantenerse a la espera – to hold on
marcar (un número de teléfono) – to dial (a pbone number)
(el) número de teléfono – phone number
pasar a alguien con ...- To put somebody through to...
(la) rellamada – redial
sonar (teléfono) – to ring
(el) teléfono – phone
(el) teléfono móvil / (el) móvil – cell phone
(el) tono, (la) señal – tone
volver a marcar – to redial
On the phone – At work
Apart from the above mentioned expressions, it is important to know some specific forms, specifically used in a company / at work. CSpecifically, all the expressions used by a secretary:
(Name of the company), dígame.
Or
(Name of the company), buenos días / buenas tardes.
¿En qué puedo ayudarle? - May I help you?
¿Quién le llama, por favor? (Who's calling, please?)
Le paso, un momento, por favor. (I’ll put you through, one moment, please)
Un momento, por favor. (Please, hold on)
El señor / La señora (name) no está disponible en este momento. (Mr. /Mrs. (name) is not available right now.)
¿Quiere dejar un mensaje / recado? (Do you want to leave him/her a message?)
Le diré que usted ha llamado. (I'll tell him/her about your phone call.)
On the phone – Sorry, but I don't want to buy it!
Yes, sometimes they phone us to sell us anything! So, here we have some polite ways to say “no, thanks!”
Lo siento, pero no me interesa. (Sorry, but I am not interested in it.)
Perdone, para ahora no tengo tiempo para hablar por teléfono. (Sorry, but I haven't got time now to talk on the phone.)
Perdone que le interrumpa, pero esta no es la primera vez que ustedes me llaman para hablar sobre esto. (Excuse me if I interrupt you, but this is not the first time you called me to talk about this.)
No, le digo de nuevo que no estoy interesado / interesada en su producto. (No, I'm telling you again, I am not interested in your product.)
Por favor, déjeme pensarlo. (Please, let me think about it.)
No, lo siento, ya tengo el producto que usted quiere venderme. (No, sorry, I already have the product you are trying to sell me.)
A final note
Phone call vocabulary and expressions may vary not only depending on the Spanish speaking country, but also on the area or region. Anyway, by knowing the basics, you'll be able to understand anyone on the phone. And, the same way, you will be also understood. So the best way to loose that fear of talking on the phone is practicing. You can read a very useful and interesting article about this here: Spanish Phone Conversation Lesson Activity.
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To download the list of vocabulary in this article, click here.
To download the sound file with the vocabulary, click here.