打电话是日常交际的重要方式。用英语打电话必须先掌握一些常用的语句。因为在打电话的表达习惯上中英文有所不同。
一、呼叫差异
在中国,接电话者一般不自报名称或电话号码。在英国,电话在接通后,接电话者常常自报名称或电话号码。英语打电话问某人在不在时,一般可用Hello!May
(Can,
Could)
I
speak
to
...?
或I’d
like
to
speak
to
...,
please.
以表示想找某人。如果正是对方要找的人,一般说Yes,
speaking.
二、称呼差异
英语打电话问对方“你是谁?”,一般可用下列说法:
(1)
Is
that
...
(speaking)?
(2)
Who
is
that
speaking,
please?
(3)
Who
is
it
(that)?
询问对方是不是某人时,不可用Are
you
...?
问对方是哪一位时,不可用Who
are
you?
回答对方提问或要自我介绍,表示“我是……”时,不用I’m
...,而用下列句式:
(1)
This
is
...
speaking.
(2)
It
is
...
here,
speaking.
(3)
Speaking.
三、传呼差异
如果用英文打电话,而对方要找的人不是你,你可这样表达:请稍等,别挂断电话。应用下列句式:
(1)
Hold
on
for
a
moment,
please.
(2)
Hold
the
line,
please.
(3)
Just
a
moment,
please.
(4)
Will
you
hold
the
line,
please?
如果对方要找的人在场,可用以下句式:
(1)...,
there
is
a
call
for
you.
(2)...,
you
have
a
phone
call.
(3)...,
you
are
wanted.
如果对方要找的人不在,代接电话者不应该仅仅说“某某不在”,一般会主动征询对方是否愿意留言。可用下面句式:
(1)
Can
I
take
a
message?
(2)
Would
you
like
to
leave
a
message?
对方愿意留言,可以说Yes,
please.
如果不愿意,也可说No,
thanks.
I’ll
call
back
later.
(不用了,过一会儿我再打电话吧。)
英语中,打电话结束时,一般都有Thank
you
for
calling.
之类的客套语作为结束语。