MichalMaking or receiving a phone call in a foreign language can be one of the most terrifying things you’ll do as a foreign language speaker (at least in my experience it is). However, if you’re living abroad you will have to make phone calls from time to time. So how can you make this rite of passage as comfortable and un-terrifying as possible? Over the months of living in France, I’ve come up with a few tricks and tips to make phone calls easier and I’m going to share them with you. Let’s get started!
Don’t make the phone call (try to send an email or text instead)
I know this completely contradicts what I just said in the preceding paragraph and the title of this post, but it’s still valid. Sometimes you don’t need to make a phone call. Perhaps you need to contact a bank or a real estate agency. If you take some time to look up the website you might be able to find a Contact Us form or an email address where you can send your message. This allows you the luxury of writing up what you need to say at your own pace and take advantage of Google Translate when you need it. Or maybe the contact phone number you have is a cell phone and you can just text the person you’re trying to communicate with. Again this allows you some breathing room to compose your message and double-check your translation before hitting send.
But this doesn’t work all the time, and sometimes you have to pull on your big girl (or boy) pants and summon the courage to make a phone call. What then?
Research and write down any specialized vocabulary you might need
First, think in advance about what you’re calling about and if you need to look up any special words. If you’re calling about some repair work being done in your apartment familiarize yourself with the specific vocabulary you’ll need to know (for example: plumbing, pipes, drain, etc…).
Also if you’re truly uncomfortable in the language have a few emergency phrases ready if you can’t understand what’s coming back at you like, “Could you repeat that?”, “Could you speak more slowly?” and if it’s all going terribly the ultimate bail-out “We have a bad connection, I’ll call you back”.
Being prepped with the vocabulary and phrases you might need really helps in the moment when you’re mind goes blank, you panic and start spouting any random words that pop into your head.
Pull up a note-taking app or use a notepad
This ties in nicely with the last point. I like to have a note-taking app open on my laptop when I make a phone call. First I have any phrases or information I’ll need for the phone call ready to go. Then as the call progresses I’ll make notes with the major points of the conversation. This helps in two ways. First, it helps me focus and stay calm during the conversation. And second, it’s very, very useful if you need to make a follow-up call to have things like dates and names clearly noted. Especially if you’re living in a country like France where the bureaucracy is infamous having all this extra information at your fingertips as you call up your gestion for the third time to add your name to your building’s interphone system (personal experience here) can make a difference and build your case as to why the person you’re speaking with should help you.
Use earbuds!
This is my number one tip! Before I make a call I always connect my wireless earbuds to my phone. I love this for two reasons. First, hearing and understanding the person you’re speaking with is easier. I find my listening comprehension is so much better when I use earbuds instead of my phone’s tiny little built-in speaker pressed to my ear. I think there’s something to the fact that the conversation is passing through both of your ears too and outside noises are blocked. Focusing on the conversation is much easier.
Second with earbuds my hands are free and I can take notes easily. I find I get so much more flustered if I’ve got my phone pressed in between my shoulder and ear while trying to scribble down a phone number or email address. Instead having my earbuds in allows me to feel more at ease and calm.
Ask if They Speak Your Language or Ask a Friend for Help
If despite all of this it’s still a disaster there are other options. One is just to ask if they speak your language. For example in France many people have some knowledge of languages like English, Spanish, Italian, German, Arabic, etc… It’s admirable that you’ve made the effort to speak their language but if you’re at an impasse it’s OK to ask if they or someone they work with speaks your language.
However what if you ask and no they don’t speak your language? Maybe you’ve got a friend who’s fluent in the target language and could help out? See if you can meet up with them to do the phone call together.
Go In Person
Sometimes you just have to go in person. Maybe you’ve tried calling without success or the language barrier on the phone is too high to surmount. Going in person can help solve these problems. First, it shows you’re serious about the issue you’re calling about, and seeing someone’s face as you’re talking can really help with language problems.
When Push Comes to Shove
Finally, when you absolutely have to communicate on the phone in a foreign language (for example in an emergency) you’ll be amazed at how your brain unblocks and you somehow can get your point across and understand what’s coming back to you. This happened after we came back from a two-week vacation in December and found our apartment flooded because our upstairs neighbor’s pipes broke (also away on vacation). In the flurry of panicked activity that followed I had to make several phone calls, without my earbuds, without vocabulary preparation, and guess what? I did it. Often what blocks us while speaking a foreign language is our language anxiety. But when you have to save your home, a person’s life, etc… suddenly language anxiety doesn’t matter as much as just getting the help you need.
Conclusion
Making phone calls in a foreign language is an inevitable part of expat life. They’re not fun but with hopefully with these tips it can be a more pleasant and chill experience for everyone involved.
