Test your telephone skills
Wie sicher fühlen Sie sich, wenn Sie auf Englisch telefonieren müssen? Hier sind einige für Sekretärinnen typische Situationen beschrieben. Kennen Sie die richtigen Antworten auf die Fragen?
First impressions
1 You phone John Hardy, a business associate in London. Which of the following expressions will he not use when he answers the phone?
a) Hardy speaking
b) Hello
c) John Hardy speaking
2 You introduce yourself. Which of the following is the best expression to use:
a) I am Johanna Schmidt
b) Schmidt here
c) This is Johanna Schmidt
3 Someone calls for your boss and doesn’t give their name. What do you say:
a) What’s your name, please
b) Who can I say is calling?
c) Who are you, please?
Answers: 1) a, 2) c, 3) b
How to give numbers on the telephone
Nummern am Telefon durchzugeben, ist immer schwierig. Wie sagen Sie die folgenden Zahlen um sicher zu gehen, dass Ihr Gesprächspartner sie richtig versteht?
How do you say these numbers on the phone to make sure the person on the other end gets them right?
a € 3
b $456,210
c 0.4%
d 20:30 (the time for dinner)
Answers
a) three euros
b) four-hundred and fifty-six thousand two-hundred and ten dollars
c) oh point four / zero point four per cent
d) half past eight in the evening / eight thirty p.m.
Your colleague or boss is not there
You answer the phone for your colleague or your boss. Complete these sentences to give polite information to the caller. The German words in brackets will help you.
a I’m sorry but she’s not .................................. (am Platz) right now.
Would you like to .......................... (eine Nachricht hinterlassen)?
b She’s ...........................(im Urlaub) this week. ....................... (Kann ich Ihnen helfen)?
c She’s ............................. (in einer Besprechung) at the moment. Shall I get her to .......................... (Sie zurückrufen)?
Answers: a) at her desk – b) on vacation / holiday, Can I help you? –
c) in a meeting, call you back