電話英文 (Phone Call English) | 50+ Phrases for Calls, Voicemails & Video Chats

Does your heart race every time the phone rings at work? You’re not alone. For many English learners in Taiwan, phone calls (電話) are scarier than face-to-face conversations. You can’t read body language, there’s background noise, and everything happens fast. But here’s the good news — once you master a handful of go-to phrases (常用句型), you’ll handle any call like a pro.

This guide breaks down the English you actually need on the phone — from picking up and saying hello to leaving voicemails (語音留言), putting people on hold, and even joining video calls (視訊通話). Every phrase comes with a Chinese translation so you can study at your own pace. Let’s pick up the phone and get started.

Answering the Phone (接電話)

First impressions count, even when someone can’t see your face. The way you answer a phone call tells the other person whether you’re professional (專業的), friendly, or both. Here are some standard greetings for different situations.

Formal / Office (正式 / 辦公室):

• “Good morning, this is [your name] speaking. How may I help you?” (早安，我是[你的名字]，請問有什麼需要幫忙的？)
• “Thank you for calling [company name]. How can I direct your call?” (感謝來電[公司名稱]。請問要轉接哪位？)
• “[Company name], [your name] speaking.” ([公司名稱]，我是[你的名字]。)

Casual / Friends (非正式 / 朋友):

• “Hey, what’s up?” (嘿，怎麼了？)
• “Hey! Long time no talk!” (嘿！好久沒聊了！)
• “Yo, what’s going on?” (嘿，最近如何？)

Quick tip (小訣竅): In a professional setting, always state your name and the company name. This saves time and lets the caller know they’ve dialled (撥打) the right number.

Making a Phone Call (打電話)

Sometimes you’re the one dialling. Whether you’re calling a hotel to make a reservation (預訂) or phoning a client (客戶), you need a strong opening line.

• “Hi, this is [name] from [company]. I’m calling about…” (嗨，我是[公司]的[名字]。我打電話是關於……)
• “Hello, may I speak to [person’s name], please?” (你好，請問可以找[某人]嗎？)
• “I’m returning a call from [person].” (我回覆[某人]的來電。)
• “Could you put me through to the [department] department?” (可以幫我轉接[部門]嗎？)
• “I’d like to make an appointment, please.” (我想預約，麻煩你了。)

Notice how “may I” and “could you” pop up a lot? These polite modal verbs soften your requests and make you sound courteous (有禮貌的). In Mandarin, we might add 「請」or「麻煩你」— the English equivalent is using modals like may, could, and would.

Putting Someone on Hold & Transferring Calls (請稍候 & 轉接電話)

Nothing kills a conversation faster than awkward silence. If you need to check something or transfer the call (轉接), tell the caller what you’re doing.

• “Could you hold for a moment, please?” (可以請你稍等一下嗎？)
• “Let me put you on hold while I check that for you.” (我先幫你保留通話，查一下資料。)
• “I’ll transfer you to [name/department] now.” (我現在幫你轉接給[姓名/部門]。)
• “Please hold the line. I’ll be right back.” (請不要掛斷，我馬上回來。)
• “I’m sorry for the wait. Thank you for holding.” (抱歉讓你久等了，謝謝你的耐心等候。)

Transferring calls is a daily task in offices across Taiwan. If you work at a front desk (櫃台) or in customer service (客服), these phrases will come in handy dozens of times a day. Practise them until they feel automatic — that’s when real fluency (流利度) kicks in.

Asking for Clarification (請求釐清)

Phone lines aren’t always crystal clear. Background noise (背景噪音), bad reception (收訊不良), or unfamiliar accents (口音) can make it tough to catch every word. Don’t be afraid to ask for help — native speakers do it too!

• “I’m sorry, could you repeat that?” (不好意思，可以再說一次嗎？)
• “Could you speak a little more slowly, please?” (可以請你說慢一點嗎？)
• “I didn’t quite catch that. Could you say it again?” (我沒有聽清楚，可以再說一次嗎？)
• “Could you spell that for me?” (可以幫我拼一下嗎？)
• “Sorry, you’re breaking up. Can you hear me?” (抱歉，訊號斷斷續續的。你聽得到我嗎？)
• “Let me read that back to you to make sure I’ve got it right.” (我覆述一遍，確認我記對了。)

“You’re breaking up” is one of those must-know phone phrases (必學電話用語) that doesn’t translate literally. It means the connection is bad and the voice is cutting in and out. You’ll hear it all the time on mobile calls.

Leaving a Voicemail (留語音信箱)

Voicemail (語音留言) can feel intimidating because you’re talking to a machine, not a person. The key is to keep it short and include the basics: your name, the reason for calling, and your callback number (回電號碼).

• “Hi, this is [name]. I’m calling about [reason]. Could you give me a call back at [number]? Thanks!” (嗨，我是[名字]。我打電話是因為[原因]。可以回電給我嗎？號碼是[號碼]。謝謝！)
• “Hello, this is [name] from [company]. I’d like to discuss [topic]. Please call me back at your earliest convenience. My number is [number].” (你好，我是[公司]的[名字]。我想討論[主題]。請在方便時回電給我，我的號碼是[號碼]。)
• “Hey [name], it’s [your name]. Just calling to check in. Give me a ring when you get a chance. Bye!” (嘿[名字]，我是[你的名字]。打來聊聊近況。有空回我電話吧。拜！)

“Give me a ring” (打電話給我) is a common British English idiom. In American English, people tend to say “give me a call.” Both are perfectly fine.

Ending a Call Politely (禮貌地結束通話)

Knowing how to wrap up a phone call is just as important as knowing how to start one. Here are some natural ways to say goodbye without sounding abrupt (突兀的).

• “Thank you for your time. Have a great day!” (謝謝你的時間，祝你有美好的一天！)
• “I’ll send you an email with the details we discussed.” (我會寄一封電子郵件，附上我們討論的細節。)
• “It was nice talking to you. Let’s touch base again next week.” (很高興跟你聊天。我們下週再聯繫。)
• “Alright, I’ll let you go. Talk soon!” (好的，不打擾你了。改天再聊！)
• “Thanks for calling. Goodbye!” (謝謝來電，再見！)

“Let’s touch base” (再聯繫) is a popular expression in the business world. It means to make contact again in the future. You’ll hear it in business emails and phone calls alike.

Video Call Phrases (視訊通話用語)

Since 2020, video meetings (視訊會議) have become a normal part of working life in Taiwan and around the world. Whether you’re on Zoom, Google Meet, or Microsoft Teams, these phrases will keep you sounding polished (得體的).

• “Can everyone hear me okay?” (大家都聽得到我嗎？)
• “I think you’re on mute.” (我覺得你忘記開麥克風了。)
• “Could you share your screen?” (可以分享你的螢幕嗎？)
• “Sorry, my camera isn’t working. Let me try to fix it.” (抱歉，我的相機壞了。讓我試著修復。)
• “There seems to be a lag. Can you repeat the last part?” (好像有延遲。可以再說一次最後那段嗎？)
• “I’ll drop the link in the chat.” (我把連結貼在聊天室。)
• “Let me share my screen to walk you through this.” (讓我分享螢幕帶你看一下。)

“I think you’re on mute” might be the most spoken sentence of the decade. If you’ve sat through any online meeting, you’ve heard it — and probably said it yourself. Knowing these tech-related phrases (科技相關用語) is non-negotiable for modern office work.

Dealing with Problems on the Phone (電話中處理問題)

Not every call goes smoothly. Sometimes you dial the wrong number (打錯電話), sometimes the connection drops (斷線), and sometimes you get stuck in automated menu hell. Here’s how to handle those situations.

• “I’m sorry, I think you have the wrong number.” (抱歉，我想你打錯電話了。)
• “I’m afraid [person] isn’t available right now. Can I take a message?” (恐怕[某人]目前不在。需要我幫你留言嗎？)
• “We got disconnected. Sorry about that — where were we?” (我們剛才斷線了。抱歉——我們說到哪了？)
• “I’m having trouble hearing you. Let me call you back.” (我聽不太清楚。讓我回撥給你。)
• “Could you give me a reference number, please?” (可以給我一組參考編號嗎？)

“Can I take a message?” is the go-to phrase when someone isn’t available. It shows you’re helpful and professional. If you’re the one leaving a message, you can say: “Could you let [person] know that [your name] called?” (可以轉告[某人]說[你的名字]打過電話嗎？)

Phone English for Everyday Life in Taiwan (台灣日常生活電話英語)

Phone calls aren’t only for the office. Here are some real-life situations where you might need phone English in Taiwan.

Calling to make a reservation (打電話訂位):

• “I’d like to book a table for two at 7 PM tonight, please.” (我想預訂今晚七點兩位，麻煩你了。)
• “Do you have any availability this Saturday?” (這週六有空位嗎？)

Calling a doctor’s office (打電話給診所):

• “I’d like to schedule an appointment with Dr. [name].” (我想預約[醫生姓名]的門診。)
• “I need to reschedule my appointment. Is Thursday available?” (我需要改約。請問週四有空嗎？)

Calling about a delivery (詢問物流配送):

• “I’m calling to check on the status of my order.” (我打來查詢訂單的狀態。)
• “My package hasn’t arrived yet. The tracking number is…” (我的包裹還沒到。追蹤號碼是……)

These everyday scenarios (日常情境) are where your phone skills really get tested. Practise them with a study buddy or even by yourself — read the phrases out loud until they feel natural. For more essential English phrases for real-world situations, check out our travel English guide.

Watch and Learn: Phone English in Action (觀看學習：電話英語實戰)

Sometimes hearing the phrases in context helps more than reading them on a page. This great video from Bob the Canadian walks you through practical phone phrases with clear pronunciation (發音) and real-life examples.

Quick-Reference Cheat Sheet (快速參考小抄)

Cut this out (or screenshot it) and stick it next to your desk phone. These ten phrases will get you through 90% of phone calls.

1. “Good morning, this is [name] speaking.” (早安，我是[名字]。)
2. “May I speak to [person], please?” (請問可以找[某人]嗎？)
3. “Could you hold for a moment?” (可以稍等一下嗎？)
4. “I’ll transfer you now.” (我現在幫你轉接。)
5. “Could you repeat that, please?” (可以再說一次嗎？)
6. “Sorry, you’re breaking up.” (抱歉，訊號不好。)
7. “Can I take a message?” (需要留言嗎？)
8. “I’ll call you back.” (我會回電給你。)
9. “Let me read that back to you.” (我覆述一遍給你聽。)
10. “Thank you for calling. Goodbye!” (謝謝來電，再見！)

Phone calls don’t have to be terrifying. With the right phrases in your toolkit (你的工具箱), you can handle everything from a casual chat with a friend to a high-stakes business call. Start by picking five phrases from this article and using them in your next call. Before you know it, you’ll be the person your coworkers (同事) ask to answer the phone.

If you found this helpful, check out our guides on English job interview phrases et how to present in English. And for a deep dive into polite language, the BBC’s English at Work series is a fantastic free resource. You can also explore British Council’s speaking practice for more guided exercises.

Now go pick up that phone. You’ve got this. 📞