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German lessons · Everyday German phrases · A2

Ich rufe wegen … an: German phone calls from hello to goodbye

Living in Germany, you'll make more phone calls than you might expect: booking a doctor's appointment, reporting a fault to your landlord or the property management (Hausverwaltung), asking your insurance a question. You can't see the other person and they speak fast, so it's stressful — but phone German runs on set phrases. Prepare a few and it gets much easier. And there's one German habit to know: people often answer the phone not with "hello" but with their own name.

Answering and introducing yourself

  • Müller. / Hier ist Müller. — Müller speaking. At home or on a private mobile, many people just say their surname. It surprises newcomers, but it's very common.
  • Praxis Dr. Weber, Sie sprechen mit Frau Schulz. Was kann ich für Sie tun? — Dr Weber's practice, Ms Schulz speaking. How can I help you? Companies and practices answer with the organisation's name plus the person's name.
  • Guten Tag, hier spricht Min-jun Kim. — Hello, this is Min-jun Kim. When you're the caller, say your name first. Mein Name ist … works too.

Saying why you're calling

  • Ich rufe wegen meines Termins an. — I'm calling about my appointment. wegen officially takes the genitive, but in conversation you'll often hear the dative too: wegen dem Termin.
  • Ich rufe an, weil die Heizung nicht funktioniert. — I'm calling because the heating isn't working. Use weil when you want to give the reason as a full sentence.
  • Ich hätte eine Frage zu meiner Rechnung. — I have a question about my bill. A very polite, natural opener.
  • Ich möchte gern einen Termin vereinbaren. — I'd like to make an appointment. Works for doctors, offices and hairdressers alike.

When you can't hear well, and spelling

  • Können Sie das bitte buchstabieren? — Could you spell that, please? Essential when you note down names or addresses.
  • Ich buchstabiere: K wie Kaufmann, I wie Ida, M wie Martha. — Let me spell it: K as in Kaufmann, I as in Ida, M as in Martha. This is how Germans spell on the phone — very handy for your own name.
  • Entschuldigung, die Verbindung ist schlecht. — Sorry, the line is bad. The other person will usually repeat it, more slowly.
  • Können Sie bitte etwas langsamer sprechen? — Could you speak a bit more slowly, please?

Being put through, messages, calling back

  • Könnten Sie mich bitte mit Frau Becker verbinden? — Could you put me through to Ms Becker, please?
  • Einen Moment, ich verbinde Sie. — One moment, I'll put you through. If you hear this, just hold the line.
  • Kann ich eine Nachricht hinterlassen? — Can I leave a message?
  • Können Sie mich bitte zurückrufen? Meine Nummer ist … — Could you call me back, please? My number is … Saying numbers in pairs makes them easier to follow. To avoid confusion with drei, two is often said as zwo.

Short dialogue

Calling the doctor's to move an appointment

A: Praxis Dr. Weber, Schulz am Apparat. Guten Tag! — Dr Weber’s practice, Schulz speaking. Hello!

B: Guten Tag, hier spricht Kim. Ich rufe wegen meines Termins am Dienstag an. — Hello, this is Kim. I'm calling about my appointment on Tuesday.

A: Wie ist Ihr Name, bitte? Können Sie ihn buchstabieren? — What's your name, please? Could you spell it?

B: K wie Kaufmann, I wie Ida, M wie Martha. Ich kann am Dienstag leider nicht kommen. — K, I, M. Unfortunately I can't come on Tuesday.

A: Kein Problem. Passt Ihnen Donnerstag um 10 Uhr? — No problem. Does Thursday at 10 suit you?

B: Ja, das passt gut. Vielen Dank! — Yes, that works. Thank you very much!

A: Gern. Auf Wiederhören! — You're welcome. Goodbye!

B: Auf Wiederhören! — Goodbye!

Watch out

  • Auf Wiederhören — on the phone, say this ("until we hear each other again") instead of Auf Wiedersehen. With friends, Tschüss! is fine.
  • Answering with Hallo? — fine on your private phone, but at work answer with the company name and your name.
  • The spelling alphabet — the official standard changed in 2022 to city names (K wie Köln, M wie München). The old first names like Kaufmann, Ida and Martha are still widely used, so it helps to recognise both.
  • am Apparat — "Schulz am Apparat" just means "Schulz speaking". It's not about a machine.

Quick check

  1. You call someone and they answer only "Meier." What does that mean?
AnswerThe person answering is called Meier. Many Germans answer the phone with their surname.
  1. How do you say "I'm calling about my contract (Vertrag)"?
AnswerIch rufe wegen meines Vertrags an.
  1. Which polite goodbye do you use to end a phone call?
AnswerAuf Wiederhören!
ExpressionsB1 Genau! Ich sehe das anders: agreeing and disagreeing in GermanGermans say what they think clearly, in meetings and among friends. How to agree with Genau and Da hast du recht, and how to disagree politely with Ich sehe das anders and Das stimmt nicht ganz, for every situation.
ExpressionsA2 Entschuldigung, Tut mir leid, Danke: saying sorry and thank you in GermanBumping into someone on the street and forgetting an appointment call for different apologies. The difference between Entschuldigung and Tut mir leid, and how to answer Danke with Gern geschehen or Kein Problem — German you'll use several times a day.
ExpressionsA2 Ich hätte gern zwei Brötchen: German for the bakery and the marketAt a German bakery you order out loud at the counter. Ordering with Ich hätte gern …, answering Sonst noch etwas? with Das wär's, and paying with Mit Karte, bitte — sentences you can use straight away at the bakery and the weekly market.
ExpressionsA2 Sehr geehrte Damen und Herren: formal German emails from the first line to the sign-offEmails to your landlord, the authorities, your insurance or a company follow a fixed pattern in German. Ready-to-use sentences for addressing the reader, explaining why you're writing, mentioning attachments, asking for something and signing off.