Ringing someone who is not in
李小姐：您好，请问您找谁？ Lǐ xiǎojie: Nín hǎo, qǐng wèn nín zhǎo shéi?
史密斯先生：你好，请问宋先生在吗？ Shǐmìsī xiānsheng: Nǐ hǎo, qǐng wèn Sòng xiānsheng zài ma?
李小姐：不好意思，宋先生出去了。 Lǐ xiǎojie: Bùhǎoyìsi, Sòng xiānsheng chūqùle.
史密斯先生：请问他什么时候回来呢？ Shǐmìsī xiānsheng: Qǐng wèn tā shénme shíhou huílái ne?
李小姐：今天下午5点左右吧。 Lǐ xiǎojie: Jīntiān xiàwǔ wǔ diǎn zuǒyòu ba.
史密斯先生：我可能等不到那么晚啊。 Shǐmìsī xiānsheng: Wǒ kěnéng děngbudào nàme wǎn a.
李小姐：请问您找他有什么事吗？我可以帮您转告。 Lǐ xiǎojie: Qǐng wèn nín zhǎo tā yǒu shénme shì ma? Wǒ kěyǐ bāng nín zhuǎn’gào.
史密斯先生：关于上周我们在会议上讨论的问题，我想跟他说一下我的想法。 Shǐmìsī xiānsheng: Guānyú shàng zhōu wǒmen zài huìyì shang tǎolùn de wèntì, wǒ xiǎng gēn tā shuō yíxià wǒ de xiǎngfǎ.
李小姐：那么，您能留下联系方式吗？我让宋先生给您回电话。 Lǐ xiǎojie: Nàme, nín néng liúxià liánxì fāngshì ma? Wǒ ràng Sòng xiānsheng gěi nín huí diànhuà.
史密斯先生：好的，我的号码是：07525986458。他应该有我的号码。 Shǐmìsī xiānsheng: Hǎo de, wǒ de hàomǎ shi: líng qī wǔ èr wǔ jiǔ bā liù sì wǔ bā. Tā yīnggāi yǒu wǒ de hàomǎ.
李小姐：好的，我记下了。请问您明天什么时候比较方便呢？ Lǐ xiǎojie: Hǎo de, wǒ jìxiàle. Qǐng wèn nín míngtiān shénme shíhou bǐjiào fāngbiàn ne?
史密斯先生：下午两点以前吧。 Shǐmìsī xiānshēng: Xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn yǐqián ba.
李小姐：好的。等宋先生回来我立即转告他。 Lǐ xiǎojie: Hǎo de. Děng Sòng xiānsheng huílai wǒ lìjí zhuǎn’gào tā.
史密斯先生：好的，谢谢。 Shǐmìsī xiānshēng: Hǎo de, xièxie.
李小姐：请问您还有什么需要帮助的吗？ Lǐ xiǎojiě: Qǐng wèn nín hái yǒu shénme xūyào bāngzhù de ma?
史密斯先生：没有了，就这样。谢谢你。 Shǐmìsī xiānsheng: Méi yǒule, jiù zhèyàng. Xièxie nǐ.
李小姐：不客气，再见。 Lǐ xiǎojie: Bú kèqi, zàijiàn.
Notes and vocab
小姐 xiǎojie (pronounced xiáojie) ‘miss’
找 zhǎo ‘look for, (here) want to speak to’
不好意思 bùhǎoyìsi ‘embarrassed; sorry’
出去 chūqù ‘go out’
回来(來) huílai ‘come back’
呢 Ne is used to soften the tone of a sentence containing a question word.
今天下午 jīntiān xiàwǔ ‘this afternoon’
五点(點)左右吧 wǔ diǎn zuǒyòu ba ‘at about five o’clock’ 吧 Ba indicates uncertainty here.
我可能等不到那么(麼)晚啊。 Wǒ kěnéng děng budào nàme wǎn a. ‘I may not be able to wait that late.’ 啊 A softens the expression.
事 shì ‘business, matter’
转(轉)告 zhuǎn’gào ‘give a message’
上周(週)我们在会议(會議)上讨论(論)的问题 shàngzhōu wǒmen zài huìyì shang tǎolùn de wèntì ‘things we discussed at a meeting last week’; 上周 shàng zhōu ‘last week’; 在会议上 zài huìyì shang ‘at a meeting’; 讨论 tǎolùn ‘discuss’; 问题 wèntì ‘issue, problem’
想法 xiǎngfǎ ‘thought, way of thinking’
留下 liúxià ‘leave (information with somebody)
联系(聯繫)方式 liánxì fāngshì ‘way of getting in touch
我让宋先生给您回电(電)话。 Wǒ ràng Sòng xiānsheng gěi nín huí diànhuà. 让 ràng ‘cause, (here) ask’; 给您回电话 gěi nín huí diànhuà ‘return your call’
Note: If 一 yī ‘one’ had occurred in the number it would have been pronounced yāo.
应(應)该 yīnggāi ‘should, probably’
记下 jìxià ‘write down’
比较(較)方便 bǐjiào fāngbiàn ‘relatively free/convenient’; 呢 Ne at the end softens a question containing a question word.
下午两点(兩點)以前 xiàwǔ liǎng diǎn yǐqián ‘before two o’clock in the afternoon’
立即 lìjí ‘immediately’
就这样(這樣)。 Jiù zhèyàng. ‘That’s all.’
Ringing someone who is not in
Miss Lee: Hello, who would you like to speak to, please?
Mr Smith: Hello, may I speak to Mr Song, please?
Miss Lee: I’m sorry, Mr Song is out.
Mr Smith: May I ask when he will come back?
Miss Lee: About 5pm today.
Mr Smith: I’m afraid I cannot wait so long.
Miss Lee: May I ask what your call is in regard to? I can take a message for you.
Mr Smith: It’s about the issue we discussed in the meeting last week, I’d like to explain my thoughts to him.
Miss Lee: In that case, can you leave your contact information please? I’ll ask Mr Song to call you back.
Mr Smith: All right. My number is 07525986458. He should have it.
Miss Lee: All right, I’ve written it down. May I ask what time is convenient for you?
Mr Smith: Before about 2pm.
Miss Lee: All right. I’ll pass this on to Mr Song when he comes back.
Mr Smith: All right, thank you.
Miss Lee: Do you need any further help?
Mr Smith: No, that's all. Thank you.
Miss: You’re welcome. Goodbye.