英语电话用语
随着中国的入世,越来越多的外资企业将进入中国市场,我们与外商接触的机会随之增多。西方人是非常注重事前电话预约的。对于我们中国人来说,如何正确使用英语电话用语,才能达到预期的目的呢?
很多自以为能用英语进行简单会话的人,在面对用英语通电话的场合就会变得手忙脚乱,不知所措也是常见的事。其实,用英语打电话有一定的模式及惯用语,笔者简单归纳如下:
当你拿起话筒用英语打电话时,开头打招呼的第一个词便是Hello,Hello,不像中文中的“喂”可以连喊几声,挂电话打招呼时,只要说一次就够了。也可视情况说 Good morning (afternoon , evening)。习惯上,英语国家的人(特别是美国人)打电话一开始就自报姓名或自己的电话号码,甚至是工作单位或住址等等。如: “Hello ( Good morning ,„)、This is 2856123 ”(喂,你好,我这儿的电话号码是2856123。)或“ This is Marg’s phone or This is Mary speaking”(我是玛丽)。有的人在接电话时只回答Hello,而等待对方开始说话。但是这样做法必定地使对方提出“Is this 7856111?”(这是7856111电话吗?)或 “Is that Peter’s phone?”(这是彼得家吗?)这样的问题,
势必导致双方在正式通话前花费不少时间与口舌。因此,不要只说Hello 而已,这一点与我们国内双方通话的情形相差甚远。
如果你发现对方要找的是另一个,或拨错了号码,这时,你最好能重复一下你的电话号码,然后告诉对方 “Sorry you’ve dialed the wrong unmber ”(对不起,你拨错号了。)或简单回答:“Sorry wrong number,”不要一声不响地就挂断电话。同样,若是我们自己拨错了号码也该简单地向对方说:“Sorry ,(I’ve dialed) wrong number,”再挂断电话。
用中文打电话或接电话时,可以问:“你是谁?”但用英语通话时,则千万不可以问:“Who are you?”问对方是哪一位时,可以用以下几种方式:
Who’s that / who’s speaking , please? 请问你是谁?
Whom an I speaking to ? 跟我通话的是谁?
May I have your name ?我可以问你的名字吗?
Is that you , „ ? / Is „ there, please?某某在吗?
回答对方问话或自我介绍时,可用This is „ It’s „speaking . It is (Mary) here / Hello , Mary here . This is 3132459 等等,不能用“I am „.”如果对方找的正是本人,可用“ Yes ,speaking ”即可。
转告某人接电话时,可用“You’re wanted on the phone ”或“Someone wants you on the phone(有人打电话找你)。也可说“There’s telephone call for you”(有你的电话)。
如果此人就在身边时可以说“It’s for you , Tom .”或“For you Tom”(汤姆,找你的),若来电话时对方要找的人正在隔壁房间或在别处办事,你接了电话以后要过去叫他,请对方稍等一下时,可用Hold on (the time)please, Hold on a moment , please, just a moment, please, Don’t hang uplease 等。如果来电话要找的人一时无法找到,应尽快回答对方,并最后询问对方是否愿意留下口信。这时可用“May I take a message for you?”(我可以给你带
个口信吗?)或者“Would you like to leave a message?”(你要留吗?)反之亦然,若是你打电话给某人,对方恰巧不在,你也可以要求接电话的人带个口信或留个便条,就说:“Could you take a message for me please ?”然后你可酌情简单地向接话者说:“Please tell him that I want to speak to him 。”(请转告他我有事要告诉他),或“Tell him that I called(告诉他我来过电话)也可说:“Will you please tell him to call me back later?”(请你告诉他回个电话给我,好吗?)
当然,打电话也并非尽善尽美,也有其烦人之时。譬如,你给某人打去电话时,对方正忙得很。你最好礼貌地表示一下歉意,可以说:“I am sorry to make a phone call to you when you are very busy ”。(你现在正是很忙的时候,我却打电话给你,很对不起)。如果你有十分紧急的事需打电话给某人,又是清晨或半夜了,可以说:“I am sorry to have called you so early ,but„„“(这么早打电话给你,对不起,但是„„)。Sorry to have waked you wp.
A.“电话”英译
电话——telephone,phone,mobile phone(移动电话)等;给什么人打电话——telephone/phone/ring/call sb.,give a ring/call to sb.,make a (telephone / phone) call to sb., ring sb. up等;接听电话——have / receive a telephone call,answer the telephone等。
B.“电话问候语”脱口秀
拿起电话说Hello/Hi或因时间而定Good morning/afternoon/evening等,接着报上本机号码,以让对方确认是否有误。常用告别语有:See you/Bye/Bye-bye/Goodbye.;告别时也可顺送对亲朋好友的祝愿:Take care. Bye./Look after yourself. Bye./Have a nice (lovely) day. Bye. /Good luck to you (your family). /All the best. /I hope everything goes well. Bye.;受助于人后不忘致谢:That's very kind of you.或
Thank you for your help. Goodbye. /Many thanks. Bye.等。
C.“请问你/您是哪位呀?”,易学常用
Who's that(speaking / calling)? / Who's speaking? / May I ask who's (that) calling?等。如果有迹象表明对打电话人心有把握,就直来直去——Is that Jim (speaking)?。
D.“自报家门”既是礼貌又是常识
This is Kate (speaking). /Kate here. /It's Kate (here).等,此时禁用I'm...。
E.闲话少说,“直奔要找之人”
May /Can/Could I speak to Mr Long, please?或I'd like to speak to Mr Long, please.等,这样不管电话往家还是往办公室打,不管接电话的是谁都适用。
F.“稍等片刻”,常有的事
Hold on, please!/ Would you hold on, please? /Wait a minute, please!/Hold the line, please!/Just hang on a minute, please!/One moment, please!/Please don't hang up!等。
G.“通知别人接电话”,常这么说
There's a telephone call / call for you, Miss Green. / You're wanted on the phone. 等;至于电话中心内容,当然各人自己去做主!
H.暂时找不到接听人,告知对方
I'm afraid he/she is not here at the moment.或Sorry, he/she is out at the moment. 或He/She left here a few minutes ago.等,一般不会立该挂上,还可礼节性地建议拨打另一号码或稍后再打:You can get him at [1**********]. 或Please dial [1**********]. 等。更多的时候,会礼节性地问上一声:May I have him/her call back? /Would you
like to leave your name and number? 等;出于礼貌,也常主动相助(如是办公室工作人员,更是职责了):Can I help you?/Would you like to leave a message?/May I take a message? 等,如对方的回答是肯定的,就有必要做好电话记录——