Phone and appointments
Making a phone call and booking an appointment are everyday tasks, and they come up directly in the speaking section of the exam. The key is using polite formulas and asking clearly for what you want. In this lesson you learn to answer the phone, ask for someone, propose a time and confirm a meeting, all in natural France French.
| Allô ? | Hello? (on the phone only) |
| Ne quittez pas. | Please hold. |
| C'est de la part de qui ? | Who's calling? |
| Je vous le passe. | I'll put you through (to him). |
| prendre rendez-vous | to make an appointment |
| un rendez-vous | an appointment / a meeting |
| annuler | to cancel |
| reporter | to postpone / reschedule |
| confirmer | to confirm |
| réserver une table | to book a table |
| Vous êtes libre ? | Are you free / available? |
| Ça vous convient ? | Does that suit you? |
| laisser un message | to leave a message |
| rappeler | to call back |
Associez chaque expression au téléphone à son sens.
Match each phone phrase to its meaning.
Quel mot s'emploie uniquement au téléphone ?
Which word is used only on the phone?
Quelle demande est la plus polie ?
Which request is the most polite?
On the phone the French are very polite. You almost always use vous and the conditional to soften requests. Compare a flat Je veux un rendez-vous (I want an appointment) with the polite Je voudrais prendre rendez-vous (I would like to make an appointment). Other softeners are Est-ce que je pourrais... (Could I...) and Serait-il possible de... (Would it be possible to...). Start a call with Bonjour, never Salut.
Note that Allô is used only on the phone, to check the line is connected. Once you are speaking, you still say Bonjour to greet the person. To propose a time, use à for the hour: à quatorze heures (at 2 p.m.). French often uses the 24-hour clock for appointments.
Complétez la demande polie.
Complete the polite request.
Bonjour, je ____ prendre rendez-vous avec le docteur.
Complétez avec le verbe qui veut dire confirmer.
Complete with the verb meaning to confirm.
Je vous ____ notre rendez-vous pour vendredi.
Remettez les mots dans l'ordre pour proposer un horaire.
Put the words in order to propose a time.
Traduisez en français (poli).
Translate into French (polite).
I'm sorry, I have to cancel our appointment.
Écoutez et tapez l'heure du rendez-vous que vous entendez.
Listen and type the appointment time you hear.
Au téléphone, on vous demande : C'est de la part de qui ? Que veut-on savoir ?
On the phone, someone asks C'est de la part de qui ? What do they want?
Traduisez en français.
Translate into French.
Could you ask him to call me back?
Remettez les mots dans l'ordre pour terminer poliment l'appel.
Put the words in order to end the call politely.
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