#42 How to Make a Phone Call in French

When making a phone call in French, it is important to know not only the basic expressions used in conversation but also expressions that are specific to telephone conversations.

For example, when answering the phone in French, Allô ? (Hello?) is commonly used. When calling a company, on the other hand, you may need to introduce yourself and politely explain whom you would like to speak to.

In addition, you cannot see the other person’s facial expressions or gestures over the phone. For this reason, it is especially important to choose language that is appropriate for your relationship with the other person and the situation.

In this article, I will explain the basic flow of a telephone conversation in French, including how to make and answer calls and what to say when you cannot understand what the other person has said.

1. Basic Expressions for Answering the Phone

One of the most common expressions used when answering the phone in French is Allô ?

Allô ? is similar to “Hello?” in English. It is used not only when answering the phone but also when checking whether the other person is still on the line, such as when you can no longer hear their voice during a call.

For example, when answering the phone, you can say:

• Allô ? — Hello?
• Allô, oui ? — Hello?

Allô is generally used only on the telephone. It is therefore different from greetings such as Bonjour and Salut, which are used when meeting someone in person.

On a personal call, you can simply answer with Allô ? However, professional calls are handled somewhat differently. When answering the phone at a company or business, the person receiving the call may state the name of the company or department as well as their own name.

• Bonjour, société ABC, Marie Dupont à l’appareil.
  — Hello, ABC Company, Marie Dupont speaking.
• Bonjour, service commercial, Marie Dupont à l’appareil.
  — Hello, Sales Department, Marie Dupont speaking.

In this way, Allô ? can be used for personal calls with friends and family, while in professional situations, Bonjour may be combined with the name of the company, department, or person. It is important to choose an appropriate opening according to the person you are speaking with and the situation.

2. How to Start a Phone Call

When making a phone call in French, it is generally appropriate to greet the other person and then introduce yourself once they answer.

For professional calls or calls to someone you do not know well, you can begin the conversation with Bonjour or Bonsoir.

• Bonjour, c’est Marie Dupont.
  — Hello, this is Marie Dupont.
• Bonjour, Marie Dupont à l’appareil.
  — Hello, Marie Dupont speaking.
• Bonsoir, c’est Marie Dupont à l’appareil.
  — Good evening, this is Marie Dupont speaking.

The expression à l’appareil is used on the telephone when identifying yourself. It can be used both by the person making the call and by the person answering it.

When calling a company or business rather than an individual, you may also confirm that you have reached the correct place before explaining the purpose of your call.

• Bonjour, je suis bien à la société ABC ?
  — Hello, have I reached ABC Company?
• Bonjour, je suis bien au restaurant Le Jardin ?
  — Hello, have I reached Le Jardin restaurant?

With close friends or family members, on the other hand, you can introduce yourself more casually.

• Salut, c’est Paul.
  — Hi, it’s Paul.

As in face-to-face conversations, greetings and introductions on the phone should be adjusted according to your relationship with the other person and the situation.

3. Explaining the Purpose of Your Call

After greeting the other person and introducing yourself, you can explain the purpose of your call.

Because you cannot see the other person’s facial expressions over the phone, it is helpful to state clearly and concisely whom you would like to speak to or what you are calling about. This is particularly important when calling a company or business, as stating your purpose at the beginning makes it easier for the other person to assist you.

The following expressions are commonly used to explain the reason for a call:

• J’appelle pour confirmer ma réservation.
  — I’m calling to confirm my reservation.
• J’appelle au sujet de ma commande.
  — I’m calling about my order.
• Je vous appelle concernant notre rendez-vous de demain.
  — I’m calling regarding our appointment tomorrow.

J’appelle pour ～ is useful for stating the specific purpose of a call concisely. Expressions such as au sujet de ～ and concernant ～ mean “about” or “regarding” and are also commonly used for inquiries and professional communication.

If you do not know the name of the person responsible for a particular matter, you can ask to be transferred to the appropriate person.

• J’appelle au sujet d’une facture. Pourriez-vous me passer la personne qui s’en occupe, s’il vous plaît ?
  — I’m calling about an invoice. Could you put me through to the person responsible for it, please?

When asking for a friend or family member, you can use a simpler expression.

• Paul est là ?
  — Is Paul there?

In this way, the appropriate expression depends on the purpose of your call, such as whether you want to speak to a particular person or inquire about a reservation or order.

4. Leaving a Message

If the person you are calling is unavailable, you can ask to leave a message.

• Puis-je laisser un message ?
  — May I leave a message?
• J’aimerais laisser un message à Monsieur Martin.
  — I’d like to leave a message for Mr. Martin.

Laisser un message means “to leave a message” and is a common expression used on the phone.

If you would like the person to call you back, you can say:

• Pourriez-vous lui demander de me rappeler ?
  — Could you ask him to call me back?
• Pouvez-vous lui dire que j’ai appelé ?
  — Could you tell him that I called?

Rappeler has several meanings, but when used in the context of a telephone conversation, it can mean “to call back.”

5. Giving a Phone Number

When asking someone to call you back, you may need to give your phone number verbally.

In France, phone numbers are generally read in pairs of digits. For example, the phone number 06 12 34 56 78 would be read as zéro six, douze, trente-quatre, cinquante-six, soixante-dix-huit.

You can give your phone number as follows:

• Mon numéro est le 06 12 34 56 78.
  — My phone number is 06 12 34 56 78.

The other person may also ask you for your phone number using expressions such as:

• Quel est votre numéro de téléphone ?
  — What is your phone number?
• Pourriez-vous me donner votre numéro de téléphone, s’il vous plaît ?
  — Could you give me your phone number, please?

French numbers can be more complex than their English equivalents. Numbers such as 70 (soixante-dix), 80 (quatre-vingts), and 90 (quatre-vingt-dix) can be particularly difficult to understand over the phone for beginners.

For this reason, becoming familiar with the French numbers from 0 to 99 is important for understanding phone numbers accurately.

6. What to Say When You Cannot Understand

One of the difficulties of making a phone call in a foreign language is understanding exactly what the other person is saying.

Because you cannot see the other person’s mouth movements or facial expressions over the phone, understanding spoken language may be more difficult than in a face-to-face conversation.

If you do not understand something, rather than pretending that you have understood, you can simply ask the other person to repeat it.

• Pardon ?
  — Sorry?
• Pourriez-vous répéter, s’il vous plaît ?
  — Could you repeat that, please?
• Pourriez-vous parler un peu plus lentement, s’il vous plaît ?
  — Could you speak a little more slowly, please?

You may also need to confirm names, company names, addresses, and email addresses over the phone. Proper nouns in particular may be unfamiliar, so if you cannot understand them clearly, you can ask the other person to spell them.

• Comment ça s’écrit ?
  — How do you spell that?
• Pourriez-vous épeler votre nom, s’il vous plaît ?
  — Could you spell your name, please?

It is important to confirm the spelling of names and addresses when necessary and to make sure that you have correctly understood phone numbers, dates, and times.

7. Ending a Phone Call

In French, it is also customary to exchange a closing greeting before ending a phone call.

Rather than hanging up immediately once the purpose of the call has been addressed, you can thank the other person when appropriate and end the conversation with a farewell.

One of the most common expressions for ending a phone call is Au revoir. (Goodbye.) Au revoir is commonly used both when saying goodbye in person and when ending a telephone conversation.

• Merci beaucoup. Au revoir.
  — Thank you very much. Goodbye.

With close friends or family members, more casual expressions can also be used.

• À bientôt ! — See you soon!
• À plus ! — See you!
• Salut ! — Bye!

Salut can be used not only as an informal greeting meaning “Hi,” but also when saying goodbye to someone you know well. However, because it is a casual expression, Au revoir is generally more appropriate for professional calls or when speaking to someone for the first time.

8. Summary

When making a phone call in French, it is important to know expressions specific to telephone conversations and to choose language appropriate for your relationship with the other person.

The main points can be summarized as follows:

Making a phone call in French may initially feel more difficult than having a face-to-face conversation. However, many expressions used on the phone follow predictable patterns.

By first learning the basic expressions used for greetings, introductions, asking to speak to someone, requesting repetition, leaving messages, and ending a call, you will be better prepared to handle a variety of situations in French.

Izumi Miyajima

Writer

I’m a Japanese writer and language enthusiast with a deep interest in France. Through my articles, I explore the French language, history, and culture.