Practise two routes through an office call: put the caller through, or take a message when the requested person is unavailable. The table is an original internal call between colleagues at different extensions.
The idea
Open with a greeting, your company or department, and your name. For a transfer, Sizi satış bölümüne bağlıyorum identifies both the caller (sizi) and the destination (satış bölümüne). If the person is unavailable, offer Bir mesaj alabilir miyim? and ask for a name and number. Here dâhilî numara is an extension within the organisation’s phone system; repeat it back before passing on the message.
| Caller | Person answering |
|---|---|
| İyi günler, Selin Hanım'la görüşebilir miyim? | Selin Hanım şu anda toplantıda. Bir mesaj alabilir miyim? |
| Evet, ben Deniz. Sipariş için arıyorum. | Adınızı not aldım. Dâhilî numaranız kaç? |
| Dâhilî numaram iki yüz on dört. | İki yüz on dört, doğru mu? |
| Evet, doğru. Öğleden sonra tekrar arayacağım. | Teşekkür ederim. Mesajınızı hemen iletiyorum. |
Examples
- Sizi satış bölümüne bağlıyorum.I’m putting you through to the sales department.
- Bir dakika bekleyin lütfen.Please wait a moment.
- Mesajınızı hemen iletiyorum.I’m passing on your message right away.
- İyi günler, satış bölümü, ben Ece.Hello, sales department, Ece speaking.
- Selin Hanım'la görüşebilir miyim?May I speak to Ms Selin?
- Selin Hanım şu anda toplantıda.Ms Selin is in a meeting at the moment.
- Bir mesaj alabilir miyim?May I take a message?
- Mesaj bırakmak istiyorum.I’d like to leave a message.
- Adınızı ve numaranızı alabilir miyim?May I have your name and number?
- Dâhilî numaranız kaç?What is your extension number?
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Watch out
The person answering takes a message: mesaj almak. The caller leaves one: mesaj bırakmak. If you answer the phone and say Mesaj bırakmak istiyorum, you have switched roles. Also, sizi is the person being connected, whereas size means “to you”.
Try it yourself
Complete the transfer: I’m putting you through to the sales department. Use bölümü.
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bölümüne
bölümüne: the sales department is the destination of the transfer. The phrase satış bölümü already ends in a possessive suffix, so n links that form to the dative -e; bölümünde would say where someone is.
You answer the phone and offer to take a message. Complete the polite question with almak.
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alabilir
alabilir completes an offer by the person answering to take down the caller’s message. The separate miyim makes the question first person: “May I…?” It does not ask the caller to take a message.
You are the caller and want to leave a message. Choose almak or bırakmak.
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bırakmak
bırakmak fits the caller’s wish to leave information for someone else. After istiyorum, the activity is named with the infinitive; almak would reverse who receives the message.
Ask the caller politely to wait a moment. Use the polite imperative of beklemek.
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bekleyin / bekleyiniz
bekleyin addresses the caller politely with the siz imperative. bekleyiniz is also possible and more formal. bekle addresses someone as sen, which does not match this formal office exchange.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Turkish sentences and words where available. We keep your score.
Complete the transfer: I’m putting you through to the sales department. Use bölümü.
You answer the phone and offer to take a message. Complete the polite question with almak.
You are the caller and want to leave a message. Choose almak or bırakmak.
Ask the caller politely to wait a moment. Use the polite imperative of beklemek.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
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Work in pairs. First answer with a department and name, ask the caller to wait and transfer the call. Then act out an unavailable colleague: take a message, note a name and extension, and repeat the number back. Swap roles.