Phone Conversations — Building Blocks

What you will learn

Master essential phone etiquette in Cantonese. Learn how to answer calls, ask for someone, leave messages, and handle common phone scenarios like booking a restaurant or calling in sick.

Answer and make phone calls politely
Ask for someone on the phone
Leave and take messages
Use phone-specific vocabulary and phrases

Dialogue

Conversation

A

喂，你好，請問陳生喺唔喺度呀？

wai2, nei5 hou2, cing2 man6 can4 saang1 hai2 m4 hai2 dou6 aa3?

Hello, may I ask if Mr Chan is there?

B

佢而家唔喺度，你要唔要留口訊呀？

keoi5 ji4 gaa1 m4 hai2 dou6, nei5 jiu3 m4 jiu3 lau4 hau2 seon3 aa3?

He is not here right now, would you like to leave a message?

A

好呀，麻煩你同佢講我打過嚟。

hou2 aa3, maa4 faan4 nei5 tung4 keoi5 gong2 ngo5 daa2 gwo3 lai4.

Sure, please tell him I called.

B

冇問題，你貴姓呀？

mou5 man6 tai4, nei5 gwai3 sing3 aa3?

No problem, may I have your surname?

A

我姓李，李明華。佢有我電話號碼嘅。

ngo5 sing3 lei5, lei5 ming4 waa4. keoi5 jau5 ngo5 din6 waa2 hou6 maa5 ge3.

My surname is Lee, Lee Ming Wah. He has my phone number.

B

好，我會同佢講。仲有冇其他嘢呀？

hou2, ngo5 wui5 tung4 keoi5 gong2. zung6 jau5 mou5 kei4 taa1 je5 aa3?

OK, I will tell him. Is there anything else?

A

冇啦，麻煩晒你。

mou5 laa3, maa4 faan4 saai3 nei5.

No, thank you for the trouble.

B

唔使客氣，拜拜。

m4 sai2 haak3 hei3, baai1 baai3.

You are welcome, bye bye.

Vocabulary

Key Words & Phrases

喂

wai2

hello (on phone)

打電話

daa2 din6 waa2

make a phone call

接電話

zip3 din6 waa2

answer the phone

留口訊

lau4 hau2 seon3

leave a message

掛線

gwaa3 sin3

hang up

冇訊號

mou5 seon3 hou6

no signal

打錯咗

daa2 co3 zo2

dialled the wrong number

等一陣

dang2 jat1 zan6

wait a moment

回覆

wui4 fuk1

reply / call back

貴姓

gwai3 sing3

your surname (polite)

麻煩晒

maa4 faan4 saai3

thanks for the trouble

電話號碼

din6 waa2 hou6 maa5

phone number

Grammar

Language Patterns

喺唔喺度 (is someone there?)

喺唔喺度 (hai2 m4 hai2 dou6) is the A-not-A question form for asking if someone is present. Very common when calling an office or household.

王小姐喺唔喺度？

wong4 siu2 ze2 hai2 m4 hai2 dou6?

Is Miss Wong there?

你老闆喺唔喺度呀？

nei5 lou5 baan2 hai2 m4 hai2 dou6 aa3?

Is your boss there?

同 + person + 講 (tell someone)

Use 同 (tung4) + person + 講 (gong2) to mean "tell someone". This is the standard way to relay messages in Cantonese.

你同佢講我遲啲打返嚟。

nei5 tung4 keoi5 gong2 ngo5 ci4 di1 daa2 faan1 lai4.

Tell him I will call back later.

同老闆講我病咗。

tung4 lou5 baan2 gong2 ngo5 beng6 zo2.

Tell the boss I am sick.

verb + 過嚟 / 過去 (directional complements)

Add 過嚟 (gwo3 lai4, towards speaker) or 過去 (gwo3 heoi3, away from speaker) after a verb to show direction. 打過嚟 means "called over here".

佢打咗過嚟。

keoi5 daa2 zo2 gwo3 lai4.

He called over (to me).

我行過去搵你。

ngo5 haang4 gwo3 heoi3 wan2 nei5.

I will walk over to find you.

仲有冇 ... ？ (is there still / anything else?)

仲有冇 (zung6 jau5 mou5) asks "is there still" or "is there anything else". The 仲 adds the meaning of "additionally" or "still".

仲有冇嘢想問？

zung6 jau5 mou5 je5 soeng2 man6?

Is there anything else you want to ask?

仲有冇位呀？

zung6 jau5 mou5 wai2 aa3?

Are there still seats available?

Practice

Test Your Knowledge

Fill_blank · Question 1

陳生喺唔喺 ___ 呀？ (here/there)

度
邊
嗰
呢

Answer

度

Translate · Question 2

Please tell her I called.

Answer

麻煩你同佢講我打過嚟。

Choice · Question 3

How do you say "leave a message" in Cantonese?

留口訊
掛線
回覆
接電話

Answer

留口訊

Fill_blank · Question 4

你 ___ 晒你幫忙。 (thank you for the trouble)

唔該
麻煩
多謝
辛苦

Answer

麻煩

Translate · Question 5

Is there anything else?

Answer

仲有冇其他嘢呀？

Master essential phone etiquette in Cantonese. Learn how to answer calls, ask for someone, leave messages, and handle common phone scenarios like booking a restaurant or calling in sick.

Conversation

Key Words & Phrases

Language Patterns

喺唔喺度 (is someone there?)

同 + person + 講 (tell someone)

verb + 過嚟 / 過去 (directional complements)

仲有冇 ... ？ (is there still / anything else?)

Test Your Knowledge

Finished this lesson?