How to Use HAVE Naturally in English | English Conversation Practice

Added: 2026-05-16

[00:00:00]Hi everyone, we're very happy you are here with us today. My name is Emma. And my name is Jack. We make simple videos to help you speak English everyday. Yes, please like this video and subscribe to our channel. It really helps us a lot.

[00:00:15]Thank you so much. Today we are talking about an important topic. Yes, today we are talking about talking on the phone in English. Many people feel nervous when they talk on the phone. That's true because we cannot see the other person's face. Today we will practice listening.

[00:00:33]We will also learn useful phone phrases.

[00:00:36]And we will have a fun conversation together. Are you ready to start? Let's begin. Jack, do you like talking on the phone? Sometimes I like it, but sometimes it is difficult for me. Why is it difficult for you? Because I cannot see the person's face or body language.

[00:00:52]That's true, but phone calls are very important. Yes, we need them to call friends or make appointments. So, what will we learn today? Today we will learn the most important phone call phrases.

[00:01:05]We will learn how to answer the phone.

[00:01:07]We will learn how to ask for someone.

[00:01:09]And we will learn how to end a call politely. We will learn many useful phrases. Maybe not 100 phrases, but many helpful ones. Part one is answering the phone. Okay, let's start at the very beginning. Your phone rings, ring, ring.

[00:01:26]What do you say first? I say, "Hello."

[00:01:29]Perfect. That is the most common answer.

[00:01:32]If it is a business call, you can say more. For example, "Hello, this is Jack." Or, "Hello, this is Emma." But what if I don't know the number? Then you can still say, "Hello." But your voice sounds curious. "Hello?" Yes, that sounds natural. Now, if you call someone and they answer, "Hello." What do you say? I say, "Hello, Emma. This is Jack."

[00:01:55]That's very good and polite. Or I can say, "Hi, it's Jack." Yes, that sounds friendly and easy. Part two is asking to speak to someone. Often we want to talk to a specific person. I can say, "I want to talk to Emma." That is clear, but we usually say it more politely. Can I speak to Emma, please? Perfect. Or, "Could I speak to Emma, please?" And if I am Emma, what do I say? You simply say, "Speaking." Just one word? Yes, it is short and very natural. Let's practice. Okay, I'm calling you. Ring, ring. Hello. Hello. Can I speak to Jack, please? Speaking. Great, that works perfectly. Part three is when the person is not available. You can say, "She is not here right now." Or, "I'm afraid she's not available." "I'm afraid" is a polite way to say "unfortunately". Then you can offer help. You can say, "Can I take a message?" That means you will write the information down. If I am the caller, I can say, "Yes, please. Could you ask her to call me back?" Then I ask for the phone number. Sure, what's your number? It's 555-1234.

[00:03:09]Let me read that back to you. 555-1234.

[00:03:13]Yes, that's correct. This is a very good system for phone calls. Yes, and with practice, it becomes easy. Part four is dealing with problems on the phone.

[00:03:23]Emma, sometimes I don't understand the person on the phone. It feels difficult for me. That happens to everyone, Jack.

[00:03:31]Don't worry, it's completely normal.

[00:03:34]It's okay to ask the other person for help. What can I say if I don't understand? You can say, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that, please?" Could you repeat that, please? Very good. That is polite and clear. What if the person speaks very fast? Then you can say, "Could you speak a little slower, please?" Could you speak a little slower, please? Excellent. That phrase is very useful. Sometimes spelling names is hard, too. Yes, that's true. You can ask for spelling. You can say, "Could you spell that, please?" Could you spell that, please? Then the person might say, "J A C K." Perfect. That helps a lot.

[00:04:15]Never be shy to ask questions. Asking is very normal and very polite. Part five is making an appointment or a plan. Yes, many phone calls are for appointments.

[00:04:27]How do we start a call like that? You can say, "I'm calling to make an appointment." I'm calling to make an appointment. That's a great start. You can also say, "I'd like to schedule an appointment." Then we talk about time, right? Yes, exactly. I can ask, "Are you free on Tuesday?" Very good. Or you can ask, "What time is available?" The other person might suggest a time. Yes, they might say, "How about 3:00 p.m.?" Or does 3:00 p.m. work for you? That's right. If it's good, I say, "Yes, 3:00 p.m. works for me." Perfect. Or I can say, "That's perfect." Yes, that sounds natural. And if it's not good, then you can say, "I'm sorry, I'm not available at 3:00 p.m." And then I add another time. "How about 4:00 p.m.?" Jack, that's perfect. You're doing very well.

[00:05:20]Part six is ending the call politely.

[00:05:23]Yes, ending the call is important. We don't just say "Bye" and hang up. No, that sounds rude. First, we say, "Thank you." Thank you for your help. That's a great way to start ending the call. We can also say, "It was nice talking to you." Yes, that sounds friendly. Then we give a reason. Well, I have to go now.

[00:05:44]Very good. Then we say goodbye. Yes, you can say goodbye or bye for now. Or talk to you soon. Exactly. Let's practice ending a call. Okay, let's do it. Thank you for your help, Emma. You're welcome, Jack. Talk to you soon. Goodbye.

[00:06:00]Goodbye. See? Friendly and clear. Part seven is putting everything together.

[00:06:06]Yes, now let's try one long example. I will call a doctor's office. Okay, I will be the assistant. Ring, ring.

[00:06:16]Hello, Green Tree Clinic. This is Emma.

[00:06:19]Hi, I'd like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Lee, please. Sure, what day works for you? Is he available this Friday? Let me check. I am afraid he's not available on Friday. How about next Monday? Monday is good. What time is available? Does 10:00 a.m. work for you?

[00:06:40]Yes, 10:00 a.m. is perfect. Can I have your name, please? It's Jack Brown.

[00:06:46]Thank you, Mr. Brown. We'll see you on Monday at 10:00 a.m. Thank you for your help. Goodbye. Goodbye. Wow, Jack, that was excellent. Really? Thank you. It's much easier when we practice together.

[00:06:59]Yes, practice makes everything easier.

[00:07:03]Now, let's look at some useful sentences you can use in real life. Exactly.

[00:07:08]That's why we will do five different situations. Are you ready, Emma? I'm ready. Maybe I feel a little nervous, but that's okay. Don't worry at all. We will go slowly and step by step.

[00:07:21]Situation one is the most common one, answering a phone call from a friend.

[00:07:27]Okay, let's pretend your phone is ringing. Ring, ring. Oh, it's you, Jack.

[00:07:34]I'll answer the phone. Hello? In a friendly and casual voice. Hey, Emma, it's Jack. How are you? Hi Jack. I'm good, thanks. How are you? I'm great.

[00:07:46]Are you busy right now? Not really.

[00:07:49]What's up? I just wanted to ask you something. Do you want to get coffee tomorrow? Oh, that sounds nice. Yes, I'd like that. What time? How about 3:00 p.m.? That's perfect. See you then.

[00:08:03]Great. Talk to you later. Bye. Bye. See, everyone? That was simple and friendly.

[00:08:10]We said hello, made a plan, and said goodbye. That felt easy. I can do that in real life. Okay, what's next? What about calling a business? Good idea.

[00:08:22]Situation two is calling a restaurant.

[00:08:25]We want to book a table. Okay, I'll call the restaurant. Ring, ring. In a polite and professional voice. Hello, Riverside Restaurant? This is Emma speaking. How can I help you? Hello, I'd like to book a table for tonight, please. Certainly.

[00:08:43]For how many people? For four people, please. And what time would you like? Is 7:00 p.m. available? Let me check.

[00:08:52]Yes, we have a table at 7:00. May I have your name, please? Yes, it's Jack Wilson. Thank you, Mr. Wilson. We'll see you at 7:00 tonight. Thank you very much. Goodbye. Goodbye. Did you hear the polite phrases? I'd like to book a table. Is 7:00 p.m. available? These are very useful phrases. I really like that example. Now, let's try a more difficult one. Situation three is asking for clarification. This happens when you don't understand. Okay, let's pretend you called my office. The phone line is bad. You are the caller and I answer.

[00:09:33]Okay, I'm ready. Hello, Emma speaking.

[00:09:36]Speaking quickly and not very clearly.

[00:09:39]Hi, this is David from Swift Delivery.

[00:09:41]I'm calling about your package for tomorrow. Is 1 4 Maple Street the correct address? Oh, I heard package and address, but I didn't understand everything.

[00:09:52]I'm sorry, could you repeat that, please? The connection is not very good.

[00:09:56]Speaking slowly and clearly now. Of course, is your address 1 4 Maple Street? Oh, thank you. No, it's 4 0 Maple Street, 4 0. 4 0 Maple Street, got it. Can I have a phone number, please?

[00:10:14]Sure, it's 5 5 5 8 9 8 9. Let me repeat that. 5 5 5 8 9 8 9. Yes, that's correct. Thank you. Sorry for the confusion. That's okay. Thank you.

[00:10:29]Goodbye. Goodbye. Did you notice that, everyone? Emma was not afraid to say, "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" That is very important. Thank you. Okay, my next idea is leaving a message.

[00:10:44]Situation four is when the person isn't there. This time, I will call you, but you are not home. Your brother answers the phone. Okay, let's try it. Ring ring. Hello. Hello, can I speak to Emma, please? I'm afraid she's not home right now. Can I take a message? Yes, please.

[00:11:05]Could you ask her to call Jack when she comes back? Of course. Does she have your phone number? I think she does. But let me give it again. It's 5 5 5 7 0 7 0. Let me write that down. 5 5 5 7 0 7 0. Okay, I've got it. Excellent. Now, we have one last situation. Yes, situation five. A very short and informal phone call. This one is about confirming plans quickly. This call will be very fast. I will pretend to call you. Okay, I'm ready. Ring, ring. Hello. Hey Emma, just a quick call. We're still meeting at the cinema at 5:00, right? Oh, yes. 5:00 at the Star Cinema. I'll be there. Awesome.

[00:11:55]See you then. Bye. Bye. That call was very short. Maybe only 15 seconds. Yes, sometimes phone calls are very, very short. You don't need to talk for a long time. Exactly. The most important things are being clear and friendly. You practiced five different situations today, Jack. How do you feel now?

[00:12:19]I feel much better. These examples feel like little stories. I can remember them easily. That's the best way to learn.

[00:12:27]Try to imagine yourself in these situations. You can do it. Yes, we all can. We just need practice. Now, let's go through many essential phone call phrases. These are phrases you can really use in real life. Jack, can you help me? We will say the phrase first and then explain it. Of course. These are phrases we use all the time. They're the key to a good phone call. Exactly.

[00:12:56]Let's start from the very first second.

[00:12:59]The phone rings. What do you say? The simplest answer is hello. You say it like a question. It means I'm here, who is calling? Perfect. If you expect a business call, you can be clearer. You can say, "Hello, this is Emma."

[00:13:16]Saying your name right away is very helpful. Yes. And if I am the caller, I often say, "Hi, it's Jack." It's is short for it is. It sounds friendly and casual. Very good. Now, what if someone asks for you? That's easy. You just say, "Speaking." It means, "Yes, I am the person you want." Right. Sometimes you need to ask who is calling. A polite way is, "May I ask who's calling?" "May I ask" is very polite English. Then the caller answers simply, "This is David."

[00:13:51]Just the name. Now, let's say the person is not available. You need to tell the caller politely. A good phrase is, "I'm afraid she's not available right now."

[00:14:03]"I'm afraid" doesn't mean scared. It means unfortunately or I'm sorry to say.

[00:14:08]Exactly. Then you can offer help. You can ask, "Can I take a message?" That means, "Can I write down your message for her?" And if you are the caller, you can say, "Yes, could you ask her to call me back?"

[00:14:23]"Could you ask" is a polite way to ask for a favor. Then the other person will ask, "What's your number?" You give your number slowly and clearly. For example, it's 555-1234.

[00:14:38]A good helper repeats the number. "Let me read that back to you. 555-1234."

[00:14:45]This helps avoid mistakes. Then you confirm. You say, "Yes, that's correct."

[00:14:52]Sometimes you need to wait. You can say, "One moment, please." Or "Hold on, please." Both mean wait for a short time. Good. Now, let's talk about the reason for your call. To be clear, you can start with, "I'm calling about my appointment." Or if you want to make one, you say, "I'd like to schedule an appointment." Schedule is a formal word for plan or book. Then we talk about time. You can ask, "What time works for you?" Works for you means is convenient for you. The other person might say, "Does 3:00 work for you?" If it's good, you say, "Yes, that's perfect." Or, "3:00 works for me." If it's not good, you say, "I'm sorry, I'm not available at 3:00." Then, you suggest a new time.

[00:15:44]"How about 4:00?" Perfect. Now, let's talk about problem moments on the phone.

[00:15:50]Yes, these moments happen to everyone.

[00:15:53]If you don't hear well, you must say something. You can say, "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." Here, catch means hear or understand. That phrase is very important. After that, you can ask, "Could you repeat that, please?" Yes.

[00:16:13]And if the person is speaking too fast, you can say, "Could you speak a little slower, please?" Sometimes, names are difficult to hear. Then, you should ask, "Could you spell that, please?" Exactly.

[00:16:28]The person might say the letters clearly. For example, J A C K.

[00:16:34]Sometimes, you need to transfer a call.

[00:16:37]Then, you say, "I'll put you through."

[00:16:39]This means you will connect the call to the right person. At the end of a call, before saying goodbye, we usually say, "Thank you." For example, "Thank you for your help." Or, you can say, "Thanks for your time." That sounds polite and professional. Then, you give a small reason to end the call. You can say, "Well, I should let you go." This is a polite way to say it's time to finish talking. I like that phrase. It sounds friendly and natural. After that, you can add a friendly closing. You can say, "It was nice talking to you." Then finally, you say goodbye. You can say goodbye or bye for now or the very friendly talk to you soon. Let's not forget one more useful phrase. If you promise to give a message, you say, "I'll make sure she gets the message."

[00:17:35]Here, gets means receives. And the caller can reply politely. They can say, "I appreciate it." "I appreciate it" is a warmer way to say thank you. We covered many phrases today, Jack. Yes, we really did. Hearing them in conversations makes them easier to remember. They're not just words, they are tools for real phone calls. Exactly.

[00:17:59]Think of these phrases like tools in a toolbox. You choose the right tool for each situation. I like that idea. My phone toolbox. Now, I feel ready to call anyone. That's the spirit. With these phrases, you can handle almost any phone call. Okay, Jack. Let's take a short break from phrases. Now, let's look at some important words. Good idea.

[00:18:25]Sometimes one key word helps you understand everything. Let's start with a word we use all the time. What does available mean? Available is a very useful word. It means free or able to be used or seen. What does it mean for a person? For person, available means not busy and able to talk. Can you give an example? Of course. You can say, "Is the manager available?" That means is the manager free to talk? And another example?

[00:18:58]I'm not available on Saturday. That means I am busy on Saturday. I already have plans. I see. So, available is about being free. Exactly. Another word we used a lot is appointment.

[00:19:13]Appointment is a formal word for a planned meeting. We use it for doctors, dentists, salons, or business meetings.

[00:19:21]Can you give an example sentence? Sure.

[00:19:24]You can say, "I have a doctor's appointment at 10:00 a.m." That sounds clear. Or I need to make an appointment for a haircut. It's not a casual meeting with a friend. It's a scheduled time for a service or official meeting. Okay, I understand. Now one more word. What about message, like take a message? Yes, what does message mean exactly? A message is a piece of information you give to someone. On the phone, a message is usually short and clear. So when you say, "I'll take a message," what does that mean? It means I will write down what you say. Then I will give that information to the right person later.

[00:20:07]Oh, I see. So if I say, "Can I leave a message for her?" that means can you write my information for her? Exactly.

[00:20:16]That's a perfect understanding. Now let's talk about phone actions. What does the word dial mean? Dial means you dial a number. Yes. To dial means to press the numbers on your phone to make a call. Old phones had a round dial you turned. We don't use that anymore, but we still use the word. Like saying, "I'll dial his number now." Exactly. And the opposite is hang up, right? Right.

[00:20:47]To hang up means to end the phone call.

[00:20:50]You press the button and finish the call. Like he said goodbye and hung up.

[00:20:55]Perfect example. Sometimes you don't want to hang up. You just want to wait.

[00:21:00]Yes. That word is hold. Hold means to wait on the phone. We often say hold on, right? Yes. Can you hold on for a moment, please? Or simply, please hold.

[00:21:15]Both mean please wait. And if you need to connect the call to another person?

[00:21:20]Then you transfer the call. To transfer means to move the call to another person or department. Like saying, let me transfer you to the sales department.

[00:21:32]Exactly. Now let's talk about a tricky but very useful word. The word is confirm. I hear that word a lot. What does confirm mean? Confirm means to make sure something is true or correct. On the phone, we often confirm details. For example? You can say, "I'm calling to confirm my appointment." That means you want to make sure the appointment is still okay. Or can you confirm your address? Yes. That means, "Please say your address again so I know it's right." Another word I like is convenient. That's a great word.

[00:22:15]Convenient means easy, suitable, or good for someone. Like asking, "What time is convenient for you?" Exactly. A convenient time is a time that works well for your schedule. So is Monday convenient for you? Means is Monday a good day for you? Yes. That's right. And if I say that time is not convenient, it means that time is not good for me.

[00:22:41]Perfect understanding. Now let's look at a word for a small problem. The word is connection. Oh, yes. The connection is how good the phone line is. Right. If the connection is bad, you can't hear clearly. You might say, "Sorry, we have a bad connection." Or, "Can I call you back? That's very polite and very common. And one last very important word. The word is polite. Yes. Polite is extremely important for phone calls.

[00:23:13]Polite means showing good manners. It means being respectful and kind. Saying please, thank you, and could you is polite. Exactly. All the phrases we learned today are polite phone phrases.

[00:23:28]That's true. Using these words correctly makes your calls clearer and nicer. How do you feel about them now, Jack? I feel much better. When you explain one word, the whole phrase makes sense. Words like available, appointment, and confirm.

[00:23:44]They feel like keys. They are keys to understanding. Great job today, Jack.

[00:23:49]Now, let's practice using everything together. It's your turn to speak. This is the repeat-after-me part. I will say an important sentence from today. I will explain it simply. And then, I will repeat it. Yes. You repeat it, too.

[00:24:07]Let's build your confidence together.

[00:24:09]Yes. Don't be shy. Just speak with us.

[00:24:13]We will go slowly together. That's right. There is no hurry. Great. Now, let's start with answering the phone.

[00:24:20]The sentence is, "Hello. This is Emma."

[00:24:24]This is how you answer the phone.

[00:24:27]You also say your name clearly. Jack, can you repeat that sentence? Hello.

[00:24:33]This is Jack. Perfect. Very clear and very natural. Now, let's practice asking for someone.

[00:24:40]The phrase is, "Can I speak to Sarah, please?" This is a polite way to ask for your friend.

[00:24:48]Jack, your turn. Can I speak to Sarah, please? Excellent. That sounds very polite. Now, if you are that person, you answer with one short word. You say, "Speaking." This means, "Yes, it's me."

[00:25:04]Speaking. Great job. Now, what if the person is not there? You might hear this sentence, "I'm afraid she's not available." Here, "I'm afraid" is polite English. It means, "Sorry" or "Unfortunately." When you hear that, the other person may help you. They might ask, "Can I take a message?"

[00:25:27]This means they will write down your words. Can I take a message? Perfect.

[00:25:34]Then, you can answer politely. You say, "Yes, could you ask her to call me back?" "Could you" is a very polite way to ask. Yes, could you ask her to call me back?

[00:25:49]Excellent. Very polite and very clear.

[00:25:53]Now, let's practice an important problem phrase. Use this when you don't hear well. The sentence is, "Could you repeat that, please?" Could you repeat that, please? Good.

[00:26:10]If the person is speaking too fast, you can say another helpful sentence.

[00:26:16]"Could you speak a little slower, please?" Could you speak a little slower, please? Very nice.

[00:26:25]Now, let's practice making a plan.

[00:26:29]To start, you can say, "I'd like to schedule an appointment." Schedule means to plan a fixed time.

[00:26:38]I'd like to schedule an appointment.

[00:26:41]Great.

[00:26:42]To talk about time, you can ask, "What time works for you?"

[00:26:48]"Works for you" means "is good for you."

[00:26:51]What time works for you? Perfect.

[00:26:55]To agree on a time, you can say, "3:00 works for me." This means, "Yes, 3:00 is good." 3:00 works for me. Excellent. At the end of the call, always be polite.

[00:27:12]You can say, "Thank you for your help."

[00:27:16]Thank you for your help. Very good. And finally, a friendly goodbye. You can say, "Talk to you soon. Goodbye." Talk to you soon. Goodbye. Wow, Jack. You did an amazing job with all of those sentences. Thank you. And everyone at home, you did a great job, too. Speaking out loud is the best practice. Try saying these sentences one more time by yourself. Yes, you can do it. Well, Jack, we talked for a long time today.

[00:27:52]We really did. My brain is full of phone phrases. Hello, this is Jack. See, you're already using them. I think everyone did a great job today. Me too.

[00:28:05]We started with just one word, "Hello."

[00:28:08]And now we can have a whole phone conversation. That's amazing.

[00:28:13]Let's think about what we did today.

[00:28:16]First, we learned the three parts of a phone call. The beginning, the middle, and the end. It's like a small story when you make a phone call. Yes, exactly. Every phone call has three parts, just like a story. First, we practiced the beginning. Then, we practiced the middle. And finally, we practiced the end. And we didn't just talk about them. We practiced with real examples. Yes, we used five different examples. Real situations, like calling a restaurant or calling a friend. My favorite one was when you called your office. I had to ask you to repeat what you said. That happens to me all the time in real life. And that's completely okay. Asking questions is not a problem.

[00:29:09]Saying, "Could you repeat that, please?"

[00:29:12]is a smart thing to do. Yes. Yes, it helps the conversation continue. Then, we practiced many important phrases.

[00:29:22]These are phrases you really need on the phone. There were a lot of phrases. At first, it felt like too many. But when we said them together, they didn't feel so difficult. That's the best way to learn, step by step, one sentence at a time. Then, we talked about important words, words like available and words like appointment. When you understand the word, the whole sentence becomes easier.

[00:29:52]Yes. The words are like small keys. When you have the key, you can open the sentence. And finally, we all practiced speaking together.

[00:30:02]That was my favorite part. Mine, too.

[00:30:05]Because speaking is the final goal.

[00:30:08]Using your voice is very important. So, what should our friends do now? What should they do after this video? That's a great question. I have a small idea.

[00:30:21]This week, try to make one small phone call in English. Just one phone call?

[00:30:28]That doesn't sound too scary. Right?

[00:30:30]Right. It can be very short. Maybe call a friend. A friend who is also learning English. You can say, "Hi, this is your name. I am practicing English. How are you? That's a great idea. You can laugh together and speak for just 1 minute. Or you can practice alone. That's okay, too. Say the phrases again. Talk to your mirror. Yes. Any practice is good practice. The most important thing is to try and not be afraid of mistakes. That's true.

[00:31:07]My first phone call in English was not perfect. I said thank you five times because I didn't know how to finish the call.

[00:31:18]But the person understood you and you made the call. That is success. Yes.

[00:31:24]Trying is already a success. Now, before we say goodbye, we have our question of the day. Yes. Today's question is this.

[00:31:35]What is the most difficult part of a phone call in English for you? Is it the beginning? Is it understanding the other person? Or is it saying goodbye?

[00:31:45]Please tell us in the comments below. We read every single comment. We really do.

[00:31:52]Your comments help us make better lessons. So, please write to us. And if you liked this lesson, please give us a thumbs up. It helps other learners find our channel. And don't forget to subscribe. That way you won't miss our next video. We are so happy you learned with us today. Remember, a little English every day makes a big difference. Thank you for your time.

[00:32:20]And thank you for being such a wonderful learner. Bye for now. Goodbye, everyone.