Au téléphone: Phone Conventions
The formulaic phrases every French phone call uses: opening, asking who's calling, asking someone to repeat, and ending.
PHONE CONVENTIONS: fixed phrases used only on the phone, different from face-to-face greetings.
OPENING: Allô ? (Hello? (phone only)): never used face-to-face. You say it when you pick up your own phone, and the caller says it to open the call: Allô, bonjour, c'est Marie. (Hello, it's Marie.). Businesses answer with their name and bonjour, without allô: Cabinet Durand, bonjour. (Durand practice, good morning.)
ASKING WHO'S CALLING: C'est de la part de qui ? (Who's calling, please?). Answering: C'est [name] à l'appareil. (This is [name] speaking.)
WHEN YOU CAN'T HEAR OR UNDERSTAND (phrases YOU say, the most useful ones for a beginner): Je vous entends mal. (I can't hear you well.). Vous pouvez répéter, s'il vous plaît ? (Can you repeat, please?)
PUTTING SOMEONE ON HOLD / TRANSFERRING (phrases you'll mostly hear): Ne quittez pas. (Please hold.) (literally: don't leave). Je vous le/la passe. (I'll put you through to him/her.)
WRONG NUMBER: Vous avez fait un faux numéro. (You've got the wrong number.)
- - Cabinet Durand, bonjour. - Allô, bonjour, c'est Marie Dupont à l'appareil. — Durand practice, good morning. Hello, this is Marie Dupont speaking.
- Je vous entends mal, vous pouvez répéter, s'il vous plaît ? — I can't hear you well, can you repeat, please?
- C'est de la part de qui ? - Ne quittez pas, je vous le passe. — Who's calling? Please hold, I'll put you through.
- Pardon, vous avez fait un faux numéro. — Sorry, you've got the wrong number.