Using the Telephone

This unit introduces telephone vocabulary and conversation patterns. You will learn how to request to speak with someone (bolte pari?), dictate numbers and spellings, and use conversation fillers and turn-taking expressions. These skills support professional and personal communication by phone in Bengali-speaking contexts.

Basic Sentences

Bengali (romanized)	English
Apni ki Mr. Rahman-er sathe bolte paren?	Can you speak with Mr. Rahman?
Aami Mr. Karim ke bolte chai.	I want to speak with Mr. Karim.
Ektu dhorun, please.	Hold on a moment, please.
Apnar phone number ki?	What is your phone number?
Aamar number 01712345678.	My number is 01712345678.
Apni ki aamar number ta likhe nicchen?	Did you write down my number?
Aami bar bar bolchhi, shunchen ki?	I am saying again, are you listening?
Phone-e kothay bolchhen?	Where are you speaking from?
Aami Dhaka theke bolchhi.	I am calling from Dhaka.
Apni ki aabar phone korben?	Will you call again?

Key Vocabulary

Bengali	English
phone	phone, telephone
number	number
call	call
bolte	to speak
bolte pari	can I speak
bolte paren	can you speak
bolchhi	I am saying/speaking
bolchhen	you are saying/speaking
dhorun	hold (imperative)
likhe nicchen	have written down
bar bar	again and again
shunchen	are you listening
aabar	again
korben	you will do
sathe	with
ke	whom (object)
chai	want
ektu	a little, a moment
please	please

Grammar Notes

Telephone Vocabulary (phone, number, call)

Phone and number are commonly used as in English. Call kora means “to call”: Aami aapnake call korbo (I will call you). Phone kora also means “to call.” Phone number or number for phone number. Bolte is the infinitive “to speak.”

Requesting to Speak (bolte pari?)

Bolte pari means “can I speak”; bolte paren means “can you speak.” Aami Mr. Karim ke bolte chai (I want to speak with Mr. Karim). Apni ki Mr. Rahman-er sathe bolte paren? (Can you speak with Mr. Rahman?)—here sathe means “with” and takes possessive: X-er sathe (with X).

Dictating Numbers and Spelling

To give a number: Aamar number 01712345678. To confirm: Apni ki likhe nicchen? (Did you write it down?). Bar bar (again and again): Aami bar bar bolchhi (I am saying again). For spelling, use letter names or repeat digits slowly. Ektu dhorun (Hold a moment) asks the listener to wait.

Conversation Fillers and Turn-Taking

Ektu dhorun (Hold on), haan (yes), na (no), achha (okay, I see), bollen (please say), shunchen ki? (are you listening?). Phone-e kothay bolchhen? (Where are you speaking from?)—Phone-e means “on the phone.” Aabar phone korben? (Will you call again?) for closing or follow-up.

Drills

Drill 1: Requesting to Speak

Bengali	English
Aami Mr. Karim ke bolte chai.	I want to speak with Mr. Karim.
Apni ki Mr. Rahman-er sathe bolte paren?	Can you speak with Mr. Rahman?
Aami director ke bolte pari?	Can I speak with the director?
Ektu dhorun, please.	Hold on a moment, please.

Drill 2: Giving and Confirming Numbers

Speaker A	Speaker B
Apnar phone number ki?	Aamar number 01712345678.
Apni ki likhe nicchen?	Haan, likhe niyechhi.
Bar bar bolun, please.	0171, 2345, 678.
Dhonyobaad.	Kichhu mone korben na.

Drill 3: Phone Context

Bengali	English
Phone-e kothay bolchhen?	Where are you speaking from?
Aami Dhaka theke bolchhi.	I am calling from Dhaka.
Apni ki aabar phone korben?	Will you call again?
Haan, aami aabar korbo.	Yes, I will call again.

Drill 4: Turn-Taking Expressions

Bengali	English
Ektu dhorun.	Hold on.
Shunchen ki?	Are you listening?
Haan, shunchhi.	Yes, I am listening.
Achha, bujhlam.	Okay, I understand.

Narrative

Aami ekdin office theke phone korlam. Aami Mr. Rahman ke bolte chailam. Reception-e bollen, “Ektu dhorun.” Tarpor Mr. Rahman phone-e elen. Aami bollam, “Aami embassy theke bolchhi. Apni ki aamar sathe dekha korte paren?” Tini bollen, “Haan, kokhon?” Aami aamar number dilam. Tini likhe nicchen. Aami bollam, “Apni aabar phone korben.” Tini bollen, “Haan, aami korbo.” Phone shesh hoyechhe. Aami khub bhalo bhabe bujhlam.

One day I called from the office. I wanted to speak with Mr. Rahman. The reception said, “Hold on a moment.” Then Mr. Rahman came on the phone. I said, “I am calling from the embassy. Can you meet with me?” He said, “Yes, when?” I gave him my number. He wrote it down. I said, “Will you call again?” He said, “Yes, I will.” The call ended. I understood everything well.