Buy THE EVERYTHING GERMAN PHRASE BOOK

German Phrases

On the Phone by Edward Swick, M.A.

Speaking on the phone in a foreign language is a daunting experience. Not being able to see the person you're speaking to seems to make comprehension that much more difficult. Just do your best. When someone answers the phone, he or she is most likely to say hallo (hah LOE). But many answer with a last name such as Keller (“Keller speaking”). The following phrases will help you through your calls.

May I speak to ? Kann ich sprechen? kahn eech SHPREHCH en

I'd like to speak to Ich möchte sprechen. eech MERCH teh SHPREHCH en

Who is calling? This is Wer ruft an? Hier spricht vare rooft ahn heeuh shpricht

Don't hang up. Bleiben Sie am Apparat! BLY ben zee ahm ahp ah RAHT

I'll connect you. Ich verbinde Sie. eech fare BIN deh zee

The line is busy. Die Leitung ist besetzt. dee LYE toong ist beh ZEHTZT

TELEPHONE VOCABULARY

phone number	die Telefonnummer
dee tay lay fone NOO muh
phone number
prefix, area code	die Vorwahl
dee FORE vahl
phone book	das Telefonbuch
duss tay lay fone BOOCH
cell phone	das Mobiltelefon/Handy
duss moe beel tay lay FONE/HEN dee
dial tone	der Wählton
dare VALE tone
collect call	das R-Gespräch
duss AIR gheh shpraych
local call	das Ortsgespräch
duss OHRTS gheh shpraych
long distance call	das Ferngespräch
duss FAIRN gheh shpraych
answering
machine	der Anrufbeantworter
dare AHN roof beh ahnt vawr tuh
to call	anrufen/telefonieren
AHN roof fen/tay lay foe NEER en
to call back	wieder anrufen
VEE duh AHN roof en
to be cut off	unterbrochen werden
oont uh BRAWCH en VARE den
to dial a number	eine Nummer wählen
INE eh NOO muh VAY len
to hang up	aufhängen
OWF heng en
leave a message	eine Nachricht hinterlassen
INE eh NAHCH richt HIN tuh luss en
to pick up
the phone	den Hörer abnehmen
dane HER uh AHP nay men
to ring	klingeln
KLING eln

<B>Essential</B></h2> <p>When completing a telephone call, you cannot use the expression <B>auf Wiedersehen</B> to say goodbye. Instead, say <B>auf Wiederhören</B>, which is something like “until I hear from you again.”</p> </div>  <div id="pagination"><ul><li class="prev"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/german-in-the-workplace.htm" title="German in the Workplace">German in the Workplace</a></li><li class="next"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/office-supplies-and-equipment.htm" title="Office Supplies and Equipment">Office Supplies and Equipment</a> </li></ul></div></div> <div id="coda"> <div id="rel"><div class="n5">Related Articles</div><ul> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/on-the-phone.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> On the Phone - German Phrases </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/time-for-dinner/ordering-a-meal.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Ordering a Meal - German Phrases </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/airports-and-hotels/at-the-hotel.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> AT THE HOTEL - German Phrases </a></li> <li><a href="http://german.about.com/library/blvoc_shopPB.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> English-German Phrasebook: Shopping Phrases - Stores Shops Businesses ... </a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/essential-german/survival-german.htm" zT="18/1YL/Zn"> Survival German - German Phrases </a></li> </ul></div> <div id="sec"><div class="n5">Read More German for Business</div><ul><ul class="col1"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/jobs-and-professions.htm">Jobs and Professions</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/german-in-the-workplace.htm">German in the Workplace</a></li> <li class="btO">On the Phone</li> </ul><ul class="col2"><li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/office-supplies-and-equipment.htm">Office Supplies and Equipment</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/banking-and-changing-money.htm">Banking and Changing Money</a></li> <li ><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/in-school.htm">In School</a></li> </ul></ul></div> </div> <script>if(zSbL<1)zSbL=3;zSB(2);zSbL=0</script> </div> <div id="widgets"><script type="text/javascript">if(z336>0){w('<div id="adB">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,280,'1','bb',3);w('</div>')}if(z155>0){w('<div id="adP">'+ap[0]+at[4]+as[0]);adunit('','','about.com',ch,gs,336,155,'1','ps',4);w('</div>')}</script> <div id="pg" class="pane"><div class="n3">Shopping</div><div class="cntnr"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-phrase-book/"><img src="http://0.tqn.com/d/np/german-phrases/Cover.jpg"></a><h4><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-phrase-book/">THE EVERYTHING GERMAN PHRASE BOOK</a></h4><p><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-phrase-book/">By Edward Swick, M.A.</a></p><div id="fp"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/product/the-everything-german-phrase-book/">Buy This Book</a></div></div></div> <div id="toc" class="pane"><div class="n3">German Phrases Sections</div><ul><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/the-top-ten-german-phrases-you-should-know/">The Top 10 German Phrases You Should Know</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/introduction-to-german/">Introduction to German</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-grammar-basics/">German Grammar Basics</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/essential-german/">Essential German</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/meeting-people/">Meeting People</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/airports-and-hotels/">Airports and Hotels</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/taking-in-the-town/">Taking in the Town</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/time-for-dinner/">Time for Dinner</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/shopping-and-services/">Shopping and Services</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/activities-and-entertainment/">Activities and Entertainment</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/">German for Business</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-medical-phrases/">German Medical Phrases</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/in-your-community/">In Your Community</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/miscellaneous-german/">Miscellaneous German</a></li> <li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/common-german-expressions/">Common German Expressions</a></li> </ul></div></div> <script type="text/javascript">zCi();validateForms();</script> <div id="abf" style="padding-right:0"><ol class="crumbtrail"><li class="home"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/">Home</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/">German Phrases</a></li><li><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/german-phrases/german-for-business/">German for Business</a></li><li>On the Phone</li></ol></div> <div id="aboutinfo" class="hlist"><div id="morefrom"><h6>Visit other About.com sites:</h6><ul><li><a href="http://caloriecount.about.com/" rel="nofollow">Calorie Count</a></li><li><a href="http://www.consumersearch.com/" rel="nofollow">ConsumerSearch</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.allexperts.com/" rel="nofollow">Allexperts.com</a></li></ul></div> <ul id="siteinfo"><li><a href="http://spiderbites.about.com/sitemap.htm">SiteMap</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/hc.htm" rel="nofollow">Help</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm" rel="nofollow">Privacy Policy</a></li><li><a href="http://www.about.com/gi/pages/mprivacy.htm#adchoices" rel="nofollow">Your Ad Choices</a></li><li class="last"><a href="http://www.netplaces.com/pform.htm" rel="nofollow">Contact Us</a></li></ul> <ul id="companyinfo"><li class="last"><a href="http://shop.everything.com/ " rel="nofollow">Buy Books</a></li></ul><div id="disclaimer"><p>Netplaces.com, a part of <a href="http://www.nytco.com/">The New York Times Company</a>.</p><p>All rights reserved.</p></div></div></div> <script type="text/javascript"> </script> <script type="text/javascript">(function(){var po=document.createElement('script');po.type='text/javascript';po.async=true;po.src='https://apis.google.com/js/plusone.js';var s=document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];s.parentNode.insertBefore(po,s)})();</script> </body></html>