picking up the phone ?

[ph2004]

Is it polite to pick up the phone only naming your first name ? If not, what would be more polite without being overly polite ?

 

[sarat_106]

Is it polite to pick up the phone only naming your first name ? If not, what would be more polite without being overly polite ?

Yes, mentioning your fisrt name is polite but a standard answer on lifting the phone could be:
Good morning. Xyz Technologies. Susan speaking. How may I help you?

 

[ph2004]

Yes, mentioning your fisrt name is polite but a standard answer on lifting the phone could be:
Good morning. Xyz Technologies. Susan speaking. How may I help you?

How to answer as a private person : "Good morning. John speaking. " ?

 

[sarat_106]

How to answer as a private person : "Good morning. John speaking. " ?

Yes, precizly.

 

[TheParser]

Is it polite to pick up the phone only naming your first name ? If not, what would be more polite without being overly polite ?

***NOT A TEACHER***If I understand your question, you want to know what to say when the telephone rings and you pick it up. Am I right? Here in the United States, almost everyone just says, "Hello." Nothing more. I didn't know that people in other countries often give their names. Did I misunderstand your question? I thought "Hello" was the standard greeting everywhere. Thank you.

 

[Tdol]

In the UK, we just say 'hello' too, including landlines when anyone in the family or resident there may answer.

 

[mmasny]

We do the same in Poland, but it is not very good. I can't remember how many times I mistook someone for someone else and said stupid or sometimes even secret things to them.
Do you sometimes just say "yes" or "yeah" picking up the phone?

 

[Barb_D]

We do the same in Poland, but it is not very good. I can't remember how many times I mistook someone for someone else and said stupid or sometimes even secret things to them.

After the person says "Hello" and I think it's the person I was calling, I would say "Hi Mary, it's Barb." If it wasn't Mary, she'd say "You have the wrong number" or "This is Missy. Let me get Mary for you."

If I don't know the person (say the mother of a friend of my daughter's), I'd say "Hi, this is [my full name]. I'm Becky's mom. Is this Mrs. Smith?"

Do you sometimes just say "yes" or "yeah" picking up the phone?

No, never! That would be extremely rude in my culture!

Edit: Exception to this: At work, I can see who is calling, so if it's someone I have that kind of relationship with, I might jokingly answer the phone with "What now?" but never, EVER with someone I didn't know or wasn't a friend of already.

 

[TheParser]

Is it polite to pick up the phone only naming your first name ? If not, what would be more polite without being overly polite ?

***NOT A TEACHER***I just remembered something interesting (well, I think it's interesting!). I hear that traditionally in Japan, when you pick up the phone, YOU don't say anything. It's the caller who starts to speak first. Of course, this is the 21st century, and customs are changing fast. I recently asked some young Japanese people. A few said some people still observe this custom. Maybe some members in Japan can enlighten us.

 

[komp_user333]

Good morning. Xyz Technologies. Susan speaking. How may I help you?

Could please somebody tell me what to say if I wanted to call, for example a video store, not a Xyz Technologies?
It would be rude to hang up without saying anything, so how can I end that call politely?

"Sorry, I've got wrong number" Is that ok? Or maybe there're some different phrases?

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, that's exactly right.
"Sorry, I've dialed the wrong number."

Apparently my number at home is similar to that of a pizza place. I get calls for them a few times a month.

I think it's funny when I answer with a residential "Hello?" and they start in on a pizza order. Surely, if I were really the pizza place, I would answer with the company's name?

But usually, they say "Oh, I thought I was dialing Coco's Pizza?" and I say "No, sorry, this is a private residence" and they say "Oh, I'm sorry! Bye then" or something like that.

 

[mmasny]

After the person says "Hello" and I think it's the person I was calling, I would say "Hi Mary, it's Barb." If it wasn't Mary, she'd say "You have the wrong number" or "This is Missy. Let me get Mary for you."

If I don't know the person (say the mother of a friend of my daughter's), I'd say "Hi, this is [my full name]. I'm Becky's mom. Is this Mrs. Smith?"

It's probably easier in English, because you can always say "you" talking to anyone. In Polish, we have to choose between "you", "sir" and "madame" - it's very rude to choose any wrong form. It's hard when you call your buddy who lives with his family. It's hard to tell his voice from his father's, who you don't know. Whatever you say can turn out ridiculous or rude. But it's not that much of a problem. It's worse when you're sure you're talking to your buddy, girlfriend or whoever and start with something that shouldn't be said to anybody else. It did actually happen to me, not even once.

 

[RonBee]

It's probably easier in English, because you can always say "you" talking to anyone. In Polish, we have to choose between "you", "sir" and "madame" - it's very rude to choose any wrong form. It's hard when you call your buddy who lives with his family. It's hard to tell his voice from his father's, who you don't know. Whatever you say can turn out ridiculous or rude. But it's not that much of a problem. It's worse when you're sure you're talking to your buddy, girlfriend or whoever and start with something that shouldn't be said to anybody else. It did actually happen to me, not even once.

Do you mean it has happened to you more than once?

 

[mmasny]

Yes, that's what I meant. Would "even not once" or "not once, even" be better?

 

[RonBee]

Yes, that's what I meant. Would "even not once" or "not once, even" be better?

No, that would be the opposite. If it hasn't happened once it hasn't happened at all.

 

[mmasny]

Oh! I didn't occur to me it can be understood this way, thanks for pointing it out.