36 Telephone Phrasal Verbs | Figure Out English

In this episode, I am telling you about telephone phrasal verbs: learn how to communicate on the phone and tell about your phone conversations in spoken English.

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I hear a lot from many of you that it’s difficult to use the phone and yes – this is actually the hardest thing in learning a foreign language.

We are afraid of the bad connection, of not to hear and understand what the person is saying, and because we don’t communicate face-to-face, it’s stressful. I hear you.

Let’s learn how to describe different aspects of phone conversations and use these phrasal verbs in this context by the phone.

Important note about the verb CALL

We don’t normally say CALL TO SOMEBODY in English. Please skip the preposition TO.

Say CALL SOMEBODY / PHONE SOMEBODY

Examples:

I will call you. (NOT I will call to you)
I will call you tonight.
I will phone him tomorrow.
I just called my mother five minutes ago.
Can I call you tonight?

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Learn these telephone phrasal verbs

TO GET THROUGH (to reach somebody on the phone)

I tried calling him, but I couldn’t get through.

TO PUT THROUGH (to connect somebody with somebody)

I want to talk to Mr. Jones – Can you put me through?
I will put you through to the Marketing Department.
I am putting you through right now.

TO PICK UP THE PHONE (to answer the phone)

Come on, come on, come on. Pick up, pick up, pick up, pick up.
She is not picking up. She must be busy.
Why do you need a mobile phone anyway? You are never picking up!

TO SPEAK UP (to speak louder)

TO SPEAK DOWN (to speak in a lower voice)

I can’t hear you well. Can you please speak up?
I hear you well. You can speak down.

TO BREAK UP (to experience problems with the connection)

I can’t hear, you are breaking up.

TO GET CUT OFF (to lose the connection; to be disconnected)

We got cut off in the middle of the conversation.
What did you say just we got cut off?

TO HANG ON / TO HOLD ON (to wait on the line)

Can you hang on a second?
Don’t go away. Just hold on a minute.
Can you hang on on the line, please? I will be right back.

TO HANG UP (to disconnect, to stop the phone conversation)

Did she really just hang up on me?
This conversation is over. I am hanging up.

TO CALL BACK (to call again later, to return the call)

I can’t talk right now. I will call you back.

I am certainly hoping that you can find your own strategy to sail through the university course, to do only the courses which will help you in the future and happy new school year, guys!

Hope you like this episode!