More Telephone Calls

In this lesson you will learn additional telephone expressions for more complex situations. You will practice saying that the person the caller wants is not in, offering to switch with someone who speaks Japanese, asking if there is someone who speaks English, and saying that you will call again. This lesson introduces humble and deferential verb forms that are essential for polite telephone conversations.

英語のわかる人はいませんか。 — Eego no wakaru hito wa imasen ka. — “Is there anyone who speaks English?”

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Dialogues (会話)

Situation 1 — Mr. Yamashita calls Mr. Wright’s residence

Romaji	English
Yamashita: A, moshimoshi. Raito-san no otaku desu ka?	Hello. Is this Mr. Wright’s residence?
Raito: Hai, soo desu.	Yes, it is.
Yamashita: Asahi Shinbun no Yamashita desu ga, goshujin irasshaimasu ka?	I’m Yamashita of the Asahi Newspaper. Is your husband home?
Raito: Ima orimasen ga…	No, he is not in now.
Yamashita: Soo desu ka. Jaa, mata odenwa itashimasu.	I see. Well then, I’ll call again.
Raito: Soo desu ka. Sayoonara.	I see. Good-bye.

Situation 2 — A Japanese man calls the American Embassy asking for Mr. Holt

Romaji	English
Nihonjin: Horuto-san onegaishimasu.	May I speak to Mr. Holt?
Denisu: Ima orimasen ga…	He is not in now.
Nihonjin: Soo desu ka. Nan-ji goro omodori ni narimasu ka?	I see. What time will he come back?
Denisu: Sumimasen. Nihongo ga wakaru mono to kawarimasu. Shooshoo omachi kudasai.	I’m sorry. I’ll get someone who speaks Japanese. Please wait a moment.
Nihonjin: Iie, kekkoo desu. Mata denwa shimasu.	No, that’s OK. I’ll call again.
Denisu: Soo desu ka. Jaa, shitsuree shimasu.	I see. Well then, good-bye.
Nihonjin: Sayoonara.	Good-bye.

Situation 3 — Mr. Jones is connected to Mr. Koyama’s section

Romaji	English
Joonzu: Koyama-san onegaishimasu.	May I speak to Mr. Koyama?
Nihonjin: Chotto omachi kudasai.	Hold on a second, please.
Nihonjin: Omatase shimashita. Koyama wa kyoo wa oyasumi desu. Ashita wa kuru to omoimasu ga, nanika okotozuke ga gozaimasu ka?	I’m sorry to have kept you waiting. Koyama is on leave today. I think he’ll come tomorrow, but is there a message?
Joonzu: Sumimasen. Nihongo ga yoku wakarimasen. Eego ga wakaru hito wa imasu ka?	I’m sorry. I don’t know Japanese very well. Is there anyone who speaks English?
Nihonjin: Jaa, chotto omachi kudasai.	Well then, please wait a moment.

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Key Vocabulary (語彙)

Romaji	Kana	English
orimasen	おりません	is not (here) — humble form of imasen
odenwa itashimasu	おでんわいたします	(I will) make a telephone call — very deferential
goro	ごろ	approximately
omodori ni narimasu	おもどりになります	return — deferential form
mono	もの	person — humble (for in-group members)
hito	ひと	person — neutral (for out-group members)
to	と	to, toward
kawarimasu	かわります	change, switch
denwa shimasu	でんわします	make a phone call
omatase shimashita	おまたせしました	I’m sorry to have kept you waiting — deferential
oyasumi desu	おやすみです	is resting, on leave — polite
ashita	あした	tomorrow
kuru	くる	come (dictionary form of kimasu)
…to omoimasu	ーとおもいます	think that…
nanika	なにか	something, some kind of
okotozuke	おことずけ	message
yasunde imasu	やすんでいます	is resting, taking leave
seki o hazushite imasu	せきをはずしています	is away from one’s desk
kekkoo desu	けっこうです	that’s fine; no thank you

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Grammar & Usage Notes

1. Saying “(name) isn’t in now” — in-group/out-group distinction

When answering a call on behalf of your institution, you must use humble forms for your own people (in-group) and respectful forms for outsiders (out-group):

Situation	Expression
Asking if an out-group person is in	(name)-san irasshaimasu ka? (respectful)
Saying an in-group person isn’t in	(name) wa ima orimasen ga… (humble)

Notice that when referring to your own colleague to an outside caller, you drop -san and use the humble orimasen instead of irasshaimasen or imasen.

2. Saying “I’ll call again”

When the person you want is not available:

Mata odenwa itashimasu. — “I’ll call again.” (very polite) Mata denwa shimasu. — “I’ll call again.” (standard)

3. Asking for an English speaker

Eego ga wakaru hito wa imasu ka? — “Is there someone who understands English?“

4. Offering to switch to a Japanese speaker

When you can’t understand the caller, offer to hand off:

Nihongo ga wakaru mono to kawarimasu. — “I’ll switch with a person who understands Japanese.”

Note: mono (humble) is used for your own people; hito (neutral) is used for others. This is another example of the in-group/out-group distinction.

5. Common responses about an absent person

Romaji	English
Kyoo wa yasunde imasu.	(He/She) is absent today.
Ima seki o hazushite imasu.	(He/She) is not at their desk right now.
Shucchoochuu desu.	(He/She) is away on a business trip.
Kaigi-chuu desu.	(He/She) is in a meeting.

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Practice Exercises (練習)

A. Production — Person is not in

Student A calls and asks for Student B’s husband or wife. Student B says either that they are not in or asks the caller to wait.

Pattern 1 (not in): — Moshimoshi. Goshujin / okusan onegaishimasu. — Ima orimasen ga… — Jaa, kekkoo desu. Mata odenwa shimasu.

Pattern 2 (wait): — Moshimoshi. Goshujin / okusan onegaishimasu. — Shooshoo omachi kudasai. Shitsuree desu ga, donata desu ka? — Amerika Taishikan no (your name) desu.

B. Production and Comprehension — Checking status

Call and ask for a person. The instructor responds. Check the correct description.

Ask for	Possible answers
1. Watanabe-buchoo	He is off today / He is not at his desk / He will be with you
2. Matsushita-kachoo	He is at a meeting / He is on leave / He is away on business
3. Katoo-kachoo	He is at his desk / He is away / Please wait
4. Nishida-buchoo	He is off today / He is in a meeting / He is out
5. Itoo-kachoo	He is at a meeting / He isn’t at his desk / He will come to the phone

C. Production — Switching to a Japanese speaker

The instructor asks questions you cannot understand. Say that you don’t understand Japanese well and will get someone who speaks Japanese.

Example: — (Instructor asks a complex question) — Sumimasen. Nihongo ga yoku wakarimasen. Nihongo ga wakaru mono to kawarimasu.

D. Production — Asking for an English speaker

Ask if there is someone who speaks English. The instructor responds. Check whether the answer is “yes, please wait” or “no, there isn’t.”

Example: — Eego ga wakaru hito wa imasu ka? — Ee, chotto omachi kudasai. (Yes, please wait.)

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Cultural Notes

The in-group/out-group principle on the telephone

One of the most important aspects of Japanese business telephone etiquette is the in-group/out-group (uchi/soto) distinction. When you answer a call at your office, all colleagues become part of your “in-group.” You must refer to them humbly — dropping -san from their names and using humble verb forms like orimasen (instead of imasen or irasshaimasen). This shows respect to the outside caller. Conversely, when asking about someone at the caller’s organization, use respectful forms like irasshaimasu. This principle extends beyond the phone to all business interactions in Japanese.