Phone calls in English feel harder than face-to-face talk. You cannot see the other person, the line may be bad, and you have to answer quickly. The good news is that most calls use the same small set of phrases. In this guide you will learn formal and casual English phrases for phone calls, with Bangla meanings, so you can answer, make and end a call with confidence.
How to answer the phone in English
Use formal English with clients, offices, banks, teachers and anyone you do not know well. Use casual English with friends and family. Not sure which one to use? Start formal. Nobody minds polite English.
| Formal | Casual | বাংলা অর্থ |
|---|---|---|
| Good morning. Rafiq speaking. | Hi, Rafiq here. | শুভ সকাল, আমি রফিক বলছি। |
| Good afternoon, Accounts Office. How can I help you? | Hey! What’s up? | শুভ বিকেল, অ্যাকাউন্টস অফিস থেকে বলছি। কীভাবে সাহায্য করতে পারি? |
| May I ask who’s calling? | Who’s this? | কে বলছেন, জানতে পারি? |
| May I ask what it’s about? | What’s it about? | কী বিষয়ে ফোন করেছেন, জানতে পারি? |
How to say who you are and why you are calling
When you make a call, the other person needs two things quickly: your name and your reason for calling. Say “This is…”, not “I am…”. Then give the reason in one short sentence. Here is a simple formal opening.
A formal opening
Good morning. This is Nusrat Jahan from the sales team. Could I speak to Mr Karim, please? I’m calling about the meeting on Monday.
| Formal | Casual | বাংলা অর্থ |
|---|---|---|
| Could I speak to Mr Karim, please? | Is Tanvir there? | করিম সাহেবের সঙ্গে কি একটু কথা বলা যাবে? |
| I’m calling about the meeting on Monday. | I’m just calling about Monday. | সোমবারের মিটিংয়ের ব্যাপারে ফোন করেছি। |
| I’m returning your call. | Sorry I missed your call. | আপনি ফোন করেছিলেন, তাই কল ব্যাক করছি। |
| Is this a good time to talk? | Have you got a minute? | এখন কথা বলতে কি সুবিধা হবে? |
| I’d like to make an appointment. | Can we meet this week? | আমি একটা অ্যাপয়েন্টমেন্ট নিতে চাই। |
Also read: 50 Daily-Use English Sentences with Bangla Meaning and How to Write a Professional Email in English (with Examples)
How to ask someone to wait and take a message
Often the person you want is busy. These phrases help you on both sides of the call, whether you are taking the message or leaving it.
| Formal | Casual | বাংলা অর্থ |
|---|---|---|
| One moment, please. | Hang on a second. | এক মুহূর্ত অপেক্ষা করুন। |
| Please hold the line. | Hold on a minute. | একটু লাইনে থাকুন। |
| I’ll put you through. | I’ll get him for you. | আপনাকে তাঁর সঙ্গে লাইন দিয়ে দিচ্ছি। |
| I’m afraid he’s not available at the moment. | Sorry, he’s not here right now. | দুঃখিত, তিনি এই মুহূর্তে নেই। |
| Could I take a message? | Do you want me to tell him anything? | কোনো মেসেজ রেখে যাবেন? |
| Could I leave a message? | Can you tell him I called? | আমি কি একটা মেসেজ রেখে যেতে পারি? |
| Could you ask her to call me back? | Tell her to call me, okay? | তাঁকে আমাকে ফোন করতে বলবেন? |
What to say when the line is bad
Bad signal happens to everyone. Do not stay silent. Tell the other person clearly, then ask them to repeat or offer to call again.
- Sorry, I can’t hear you very well. (আপনার কথা ভালো শোনা যাচ্ছে না।)
- You’re breaking up. (আপনার কথা কেটে কেটে আসছে।)
- Could you speak a little more slowly, please? (একটু ধীরে বলবেন?)
- Sorry, could you say that again? (দুঃখিত, আবার একটু বলবেন?)
- Could you spell that for me, please? (বানানটা একটু বলবেন?)
- The line is bad. Can I call you back? (লাইনটা খারাপ। আমি কি আবার ফোন করব?)
How to end a phone call politely
A sudden “Okay, bye” can sound rude in a formal call. First give a small signal that the call is finishing, then say goodbye.
| Formal | Casual | বাংলা অর্থ |
|---|---|---|
| Is there anything else I can help you with? | Anything else? | আর কিছু জানার আছে? |
| Thank you for calling. | Good to hear from you. | ফোন করার জন্য ধন্যবাদ। |
| I’ll send you the details by email. | I’ll text you the details. | বিস্তারিত ইমেইলে পাঠিয়ে দেব। |
| I won’t keep you any longer. | I’ve got to go now. | আপনাকে আর আটকে রাখব না। |
| Goodbye, and have a good day. | Bye! Talk to you soon. | ভালো থাকবেন। |
Two sample phone calls
Read these two calls aloud. Notice how the words change, but the steps stay the same: greeting, reason, details, goodbye.
A formal call to an office
Sadia: Good morning, Accounts Office. Sadia speaking. How can I help you?
Rafiq: Good morning. This is Rafiq Ahmed. Could I speak to Mr Karim, please?
Sadia: May I ask what it’s about?
Rafiq: I’m calling about my invoice from last month.
Sadia: One moment, please. I’m afraid he’s in a meeting at the moment. Could I take a message?
Rafiq: Yes, please. Could you ask him to call me back this afternoon?
Sadia: Of course. Does he have your number?
Rafiq: Yes, he does. Thank you for your help.
Sadia: You’re welcome. Goodbye.
A casual call between friends
Monica: Hi Joe, it’s Monica. Have you got a minute?
Joe: Hey Monica! Yes, what’s up?
Monica: I’m making biryani on Saturday. Do you want to come?
Joe: Sorry, you’re breaking up. Could you say that again?
Monica: Biryani! On Saturday! Can you hear me now?
Joe: Yes, much better. I’d love to come. What time?
Monica: Around seven.
Joe: Great. I’ll text you when I’m on my way.
Monica: Perfect. Talk to you soon.
Joe: Bye!
Common phone mistakes to avoid
Many of these mistakes come from translating Bangla word by word. Fix these six and your calls will sound much more natural.
- Sir, I am telling from the accounts office.I’m calling from the accounts office.Use “calling from”, not “telling from”. “বলছি” কথাটি এখানে “telling” হবে না, “calling” হবে।
- Hello, I am Rafiq.Hello, this is Rafiq.On the phone we introduce ourselves with “this is”. ফোনে নিজের পরিচয় দিতে “this is” বলা হয়।
- Who are you?May I ask who’s calling?“Who are you?” sounds rude on a formal call. “Who are you?” শুনতে রূঢ় লাগে, তাই ভদ্রভাবে জিজ্ঞেস করুন।
- Call me after five minutes.Call me back in five minutes.For future time from now, use “in”. এখন থেকে কত সময় পরে, তা বোঝাতে “in” ব্যবহার করুন।
- Your voice is cutting.You’re breaking up.“Breaking up” is the natural phrase for a bad line. কথা কেটে কেটে এলে “You’re breaking up” বলুন।
- I will cut the phone now.I have to go now.We say “hang up”, not “cut the phone”, and “I have to go” is more polite. “ফোন কাটা” ইংরেজিতে “hang up”, তবে বিদায় নিতে “I have to go” বলাই ভালো।
Three tips for better calls
- Plan your first sentence. Before an important call, write down your opening line and your reason for calling.
- Slow down. Clear, slow English is easier to understand than fast English, especially on a bad line.
- Practise with a friend. Sit back to back and read the sample calls. You cannot see each other, so it feels like a real call.
Pick one formal phrase and one casual phrase from this guide and use them this week. Small steps build confidence. If you need to introduce yourself on the call, read how to introduce yourself in English, and keep practising with the daily quiz.
Practise now: test yourself with today’s free daily English quiz (10 questions, about 3 minutes, no sign-up).
