Do you ever get confused during a phone call because you don’t quite understand what the other person is saying? Even if you understand the individual words, they might be using phrasal verbs that have a non-literal meaning.
A phrasal verb is an idiomatic expression that contains a verb plus another word, usually an adverb or preposition. It’s easy to misunderstand what someone means when they use phrasal verbs for telephone conversations, especially if you’re learning English as a second language.
Understanding what each of these telephone phrasal verbs means should make your conversations a little smoother.
Useful phrasal verbs for telephone conversations
Break up
Meaning: Be inaudible at times (due to a bad signal)
I can’t hear you clearly; you’re breaking up.
Call around / Phone around
Meaning: Phone multiple people or places to try to get information about something
I have phoned around a few plumbers but nobody is free until next week.
Call (someone) back / Ring (someone) back
Meaning: Call again, or return a call from someone who has called you
I’m sorry, I’m busy right now. Can I call you back later?
Mr Gibson asked you to ring him back at 3pm.
There’s no answer. I’ll call back later.
Call in / phone in
Meaning: Make a phone call to a specific place
Yoshi was delighted to win a TV after calling in to a radio show competition.
Samson can’t be here in person but he’s going to phone in at 2pm for the meeting.
Another definition of this phrasal verb with ‘call’ is to order or report something by phone.
Tell me when you’ve decided what you want on your pizza, and I’ll call it in.
Cut (someone) off
Meaning: Disconnect; break the line of communication (with someone)
The signal is very bad; I’ve been cut off three times.
I only cut a customer off if they start shouting at me.
Dial in
Meaning: To connect to someone or a particular place by making a call
Don’t forget to dial in to the teleconference at 11am.
We’re still waiting for Eliza to dial in.
Get back to (someone)
Meaning: Contact (someone) at a later time
I’ll need to check that with my boss, can I get back to you later this afternoon?
Jia is asking when you’ll get back to him.
For more phrases you might need to use on the phone, check out some idioms about talking.
Get hold of / Get ahold of
Meaning: Communicate with
Could you get hold of Peter for me please?
I’ve been trying to get ahold of you all day!
Note: ‘Get ahold of’ is a variant used in US English in casual conversation.
Get off (the phone / a call)
Meaning: To finish speaking (on the phone / a call)
I just got off a 2-hour phone call; I need to take a break!
I just got off the phone with my boss; turns out she’s offering me a promotion!
Note: There are some slang and vulgar meanings of the phrasal verb ‘get off’, so be sure to always say ‘get off the phone’ or ‘get off a call’ rather than just ‘get off’, in this context.
Get through to (someone)
Meaning: Make contact with (someone)
I’ve been trying to get through to Sally all day but there is no answer.
Hang on / Hold on
Meaning: Wait on the phone
Please hold on a minute while I find the file.
Hang on, I think she has just returned from lunch.
Hang up
Meaning: End a phone call
Don’t forget to hang up when you’ve finished speaking.
I only hung up two minutes ago and he’s calling me back already!
This telephone phrasal verb comes from the days when a call was ended by replacing the phone in its cradle, where it would hang while not in use.
Hang up on (someone)
Meaning: End a call unexpectedly or suddenly
I can’t believe she hung up on me!
That sales agent was so annoying, I had to hang up on him in the end.
You’d usually hang up on someone with a degree of annoyance, frustration, anger, or another emotion that made you want to end the call.
Pass on
Meaning: Transmit or transfer (something)
Mr Allen isn’t here right now. Would you like me to pass on a message to him?
I’ll pass that onto him when he returns.
Pick up
Meaning: Answer
I’m sure he’s ignoring me; I’ve called three times and he won’t pick up.
Learn how to answer the phone professionally and more helpful telephone conversation phrases in our separate guide.
Put (someone) through
Meaning: Transfer (someone)
Could you put me through to the HR department, please?
Please wait a moment, I’ll just put you through.
An alternative version of this telephone phrasal verb is ‘patch through‘.
Ring off
Meaning: End a telephone call
Is it possible to speak to Bob before I ring off?
This is a variation to ‘hang up’ primarily heard in British English.
Speak up
Meaning: Talk more loudly
Mrs James is a bit deaf so you’ll need to speak up when you talk to her.
You’ll have noticed that some of these phrasal verbs for telephone conversations are separable and some are inseparable, so pay close attention to this when using them yourself.
Of course, some telephone phrasal verbs can be used in situations other than on the phone. For example, you might ask someone to ‘speak up’ if you’re in a loud place and can’t hear them clearly.
In addition, some of these phrasal verbs have different meanings in different contexts (e.g. ‘break up’ can also mean to end a relationship), so always check a dictionary for the meaning if you’re unsure.
Once you have built up your vocabulary, the best way to build your confidence speaking on the telephone is with English speaking practice. If someone says something you don’t understand, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification as well.
