On the phone

Woordenschat

• 电话phone / phone call
• 手机mobile phone
• 打电话to make a phone call
• 接电话to answer the phone
• 挂断to hang up
• 号码number
• 喂hello (on the phone)
• 请问excuse me / may I ask
• 等一下wait a moment
• 回电话to call back
• 忙busy
• 方便convenient

Uitdrukkingen

• 喂，你好！Hello on the phone.
• 请问，你找谁？Excuse me, who are you looking for?
• 我找李明。I am looking for Li Ming.
• 王先生在吗？Is Mr. Wang there?
• 他现在不方便。He is not available right now.
• 请等一下。Please wait a moment.
• 我可以回电话吗？Can I call back?
• 你的号码是多少？What is your number?

Veelgemaakte fouten

• ✗我打了一个电话给他
  ✓我给他打电话

  The natural order puts 给 before the person: 我给他打电话.

• ✗喂，你是谁？
  ✓请问，你找谁？

  你是谁 is rude on the phone — use the polite 请问，你找谁？

• ✗他是忙
  ✓他很忙

  Do not use 是 with adjectives — say 他很忙 or 他现在不方便.

• ✗你的电话号是多少
  ✓你的电话号码是多少

  The full word is 号码 — do not shorten to 号 in this context.

• ✗我要等你打电话回来
  ✓我等你回电话

  Use the compound 回电话 (to call back) instead of the wordy form.

Korte quiz