For many expats, phone calls are the most stressful part of living in Germany.
You can read German. You can write emails. But the phone removes all safety nets.
No subtitles. No time to translate. Just fast German, spoken with confidence.
This guide gives you ready-made phone call scripts for the situations expats face every day — appointments, offices, customer service, and work calls.
Every German sentence includes a phonetic reading so you can speak under pressure.
1) How German phone calls are structured
German phone calls follow predictable patterns.
If you know the structure, you don’t need perfect German.
The basic structure
- Greeting
- Identification
- Reason for calling
- Clarification
- Closing
The scripts below follow this structure every time.
2) How calls usually start
When you call, the other side usually answers first.
You will often hear:
Guten Tag, Firma Müller. (GOO-ten tahk, FIR-ma MÜL-ler) — Good day, Müller company.
Praxis Dr. Schmidt, guten Tag. (PRAK-sis dok-TOR SHMIT, GOO-ten tahk) — Doctor Schmidt’s office, hello.
Your response should be immediate and clear.
3) Identifying yourself on the phone
Identifying yourself early is considered polite.
Guten Tag, mein Name ist Alex Müller. (GOO-ten tahk, mine NAH-meh ist A-leks MÜL-ler) — Good day, my name is Alex Müller.
Ich rufe wegen eines Termins an. (ish ROO-feh VAY-gen AI-nes ter-MEENS an) — I’m calling about an appointment.
This immediately reduces confusion.
4) Checking availability
Asking if it’s a good time is polite but optional.
Haben Sie kurz Zeit für mich? (HAH-ben zee koorts TSYT für mish) — Do you have a moment for me?
Störe ich gerade? (SHTÖ-reh ish geh-RAH-deh) — Am I disturbing you?
If they answer briefly, continue.
5) Calling to make an appointment
Appointments are one of the most common reasons for phone calls.
Ich hätte gern einen Termin. (ish HET-teh gern AI-nen ter-MEEN) — I’d like an appointment.
Es geht um ein Beratungsgespräch. (es gate oom ine beh-RAH-toongs-geh-SHPRAYKH) — It’s about a consultation.
They may ask:
Worum geht es genau? (voh-RUM gate es geh-NOW) — What is it about exactly?
Answer with keywords, not long explanations.
6) Handling dates and times
German phone calls are precise about time.
Passt Ihnen Dienstag um zehn Uhr? (passt EE-nen DEENS-tahk oom TSEHN oor) — Does Tuesday at 10 work for you?
Ja, das passt. (yah, das passt) — Yes, that works.
Leider kann ich da nicht. (LY-der kan ish dah nikht) — Unfortunately, I can’t then.
If needed, propose an alternative.
7) Asking for repetition or slower speech
It’s normal to ask for repetition.
Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen? (KÖN-ten zee das BIT-teh VEE-der-hoh-len) — Could you repeat that, please?
Könnten Sie bitte langsamer sprechen? (KÖN-ten zee BIT-teh LANG-zah-mer SHPREH-khen) — Could you please speak more slowly?
This is never considered rude.
8) Being put on hold or transferred
You may be transferred.
Ich verbinde Sie. (ish fer-BIN-deh zee) — I’ll connect you.
Einen Moment bitte. (AI-nen moh-MENT BIT-teh) — One moment, please.
Wait silently.
9) Leaving messages
If the person is unavailable:
Die Person ist gerade nicht erreichbar. (dee pair-ZOHN ist geh-RAH-deh nikht er-RYKH-bar) — The person is not reachable right now.
Möchten Sie eine Nachricht hinterlassen? (MÖKH-ten zee AI-neh NAKH-rikht HIN-ter-las-sen) — Would you like to leave a message?
Message template:
Könnten Sie bitte ausrichten, dass ich angerufen habe? (KÖN-ten zee BIT-teh OWS-rikh-ten, das ish AN-geh-roo-fen HAH-beh) — Could you please let them know that I called?
10) Calling customer service
Customer service calls are direct.
Ich habe eine Frage zu meiner Rechnung. (ish HAH-beh AI-neh FRAH-geh tsoo MY-ner REKH-noong) — I have a question about my bill.
Es gibt ein Problem mit meinem Vertrag. (es gipt ine pro-BLEM mit MY-nem fer-TRAHK) — There is a problem with my contract.
Stick to facts.
11) Work-related phone calls
Work-related phone calls are concise.
Ich rufe wegen des Projekts XY an. (ish ROO-feh VAY-gen des pro-YEKT eks-wai an) — I’m calling about project XY.
Ich wollte kurz etwas klären. (ish VOL-teh koorts ET-vas KLÄ-ren) — I wanted to clarify something briefly.
Small talk is minimal.
12) Ending a phone call politely
Closings are short and polite.
Vielen Dank für Ihre Zeit. (FEE-len DANK für EE-reh TSYT) — Thank you very much for your time.
Dann vielen Dank und auf Wiederhören. (dan FEE-len DANK oont owf VEE-der-hö-ren) — Many thanks and goodbye.
13) Leaving a voicemail
Leaving voicemail is rare but possible.
Guten Tag, hier spricht Alex Müller. (GOO-ten tahk, heer shprikht A-leks MÜL-ler) — Good day, this is Alex Müller speaking.
Ich rufe wegen Ihres Schreibens an. (ish ROO-feh VAY-gen EE-res SHRY-bens an) — I’m calling about your letter.
Keep it under 20 seconds.
14) Common phone call mistakes
Typical expat mistakes include:
- starting with long explanations
- not identifying yourself
- panicking when you don’t understand
Stick to the script.
Final takeaway: phone calls are scripts, not improvisation
Practice these core phone sentences until automatic:
- Guten Tag, mein Name ist … (GOO-ten tahk, mine NAH-meh ist) — Good day, my name is …
- Ich rufe wegen … an. (ish ROO-feh VAY-gen an) — I’m calling about …
- Könnten Sie das bitte wiederholen? (KÖN-ten zee das BIT-teh VEE-der-hoh-len) — Could you repeat that?
- Vielen Dank und auf Wiederhören. (FEE-len DANK oont owf VEE-der-hö-ren) — Thank you and goodbye