How to Make Business Phone Calls in English

Do phone calls in English make you nervous? You can't see the person, the line is sometimes bad, and you have to answer fast. In this lesson, Daniel and Lauren teach you 30+ essential telephone phrases — how to answer, make a call, take a message, ask someone to repeat, and end a call politely — all in simple, natural English. This is clear, practical English for B1–B2 learners. Phone English uses the same phrases again and again — learn them once, and calls become easy. ✅ What you’ll learn • How to answer the phone professionally • How to make a call and introduce yourself • How to take and leave a message • What to say when you can't hear: “Could you repeat that?” • How to spell names and read back numbers • How to be polite and end a call warmly • Useful phone phrasal verbs: pick up, hang up, put through, call back 🎧 How to use this lesson: listen first, then repeat every phrase out loud. Imagine the phone is ringing right now. Practice a little every day, and the next real call will feel easy. ⏱️ Timestamps 0:00 Intro — Business phone calls in English 1:30 Warm-up: why the phone feels scary 2:22 Answer the phone (company + name + “How can I help you?”) 3:13 Make a call & introduce yourself (“this is…”) 4:24 Say why you're calling (“I'm calling about / to…”) 5:14 “Is now a good time?” & “Can I call you back?” 5:55 Take & leave a message (+ returning a call, wrong number) 7:54 Ask to hold & transfer (“I'll put you through”) 8:53 Can't hear? Ask to repeat (“You're breaking up”) 10:01 Spell names & read back numbers 11:19 Be polite & soften (“Would it be possible to…?”) 12:06 Make an arrangement (“Shall we say 3 o'clock?”) 12:52 End the call politely 13:39 Leave a voicemail 14:21 Phone phrasal verbs (pick up, hang up, put through) 15:23 Role-play: a real phone call 16:52 Quick review of the key phrases 18:10 Question of the day 18:41 Final tips 🔑 Key phrases from this lesson • Good morning, [company], [name] speaking. How can I help you? • Hi, this is Daniel from Sunrise. Could I speak to Sarah, please? • I'm calling about... / I'm calling to... • Is now a good time? / Can I call you back in ten minutes? • Can I take a message? / Can I leave a message? • Could you hold on a moment? / I'll put you through to... • Sorry, could you repeat that? / You're breaking up. • Could you spell that? / Let me read that back to you. • Would it be possible to...? / Sorry to bother you. • Are you free on Thursday? / Shall we say three o'clock? • Thanks very much for your time. Have a great day. Speak soon! 👍 If this lesson helped you, please like the video, subscribe, and turn on notifications so you never miss a new English lesson for work. Which phone call makes you most nervous in English? Tell us in the comments! About the channel English for Work is your practical channel for Business English. Every week, Daniel and Lauren help you speak more confidently at work — in meetings, phone calls, projects, emails, and everyday office conversations. Our lessons use simple, natural American English for B1–B2 learners, with real examples you can use right away. This English lesson is perfect for anyone who wants to speak on the phone in English at work: answering calls, making calls, taking messages, leaving a voicemail, and handling a bad line. Whether you are calling a client, a supplier, or a colleague, these telephone phrases will help you sound clear, calm, and professional. #BusinessEnglish #EnglishForWork #TelephoneEnglish #LearnEnglish #EnglishSpeaking #ESL #PhoneEnglish #EnglishPhrases #SpokenEnglish #EnglishLesson #IntermediateEnglish #EnglishVocabulary #EnglishForProfessionals #EnglishForBeginners