17 Useful Telephone Phrasal Verbs in English

Last updated on July 1, 2024 by Isabella Claire

Telephone phrasal verbs are essential for everyday conversations, especially in business settings. Knowing how to use them effectively helps in communicating clearly and efficiently on the phone. This reference covers the most useful telephone phrasal verbs and their meanings, including “break up,” “call back,” and “cut off.”

You will also learn how to apply these phrasal verbs in different contexts, such as business communication. This will help you improve your phone conversation skills.

List of Phrasal Verbs for Telephone Conversation

Telephone Phrasal Verbs
Telephone Phrasal Verbs – Created by 7ESL
  • Break – up
  • Call back
  • Call up
  • Cut off
  • Get through
  • Hang on
  • Hang up
  • Hold on
  • Pick up
  • Put through
  • Speak up
  • Get back to someone
  • Get off
  • Turn off
  • Turn on
  • Pass on
  • Phone in

Telephone Phrasal Verbs with Meaning and Examples

Break – up

  • Meaning: Become difficult to hear or understand over the phone due to a poor connection.
  • Example: “Sorry, could you repeat that, please? You’re breaking up“.

Call back

  • Meaning: Make a return phone call to someone or to phone someone again at a later time.
  • Example: I missed your call earlier. Can you please call me back?

Call up

  • Meaning: Make a phone call to someone.
  • Example: I need to call up my friend to confirm our plans for tonight.

Cut off

  • Meaning: To abruptly end a phone call, usually because of a bad connection.
  • Example: I‘m sorry, I got cut off. Can you please repeat what you just said?

Get through

  • Meaning: To successfully make a phone connection.
  • Example: I’ve been trying to get through to the bank for hours, but the line is always busy.

Hang on

  • Meaning: To wait for a short period of time.
  • Example: Can you please hang on for a moment while I check my calendar?

Hang up

  • Meaning: To end a phone call.
  • Example: I’m sorry, I have to hang up now. I have another call coming in.

Hold on

  • Meaning: To wait for a longer period of time.
  • Example: Can you please hold on for a few minutes while I finish this task?

Pick up

  • Meaning: To answer a phone call.
  • Example: I’m sorry, I missed your call. Can you please call me again so I can pick up?

Put through

  • Meaning: To connect a phone call to the intended recipient.
  • Example: I’ll put you through to my manager so you can discuss the details of the project.

Speak up

  • Meaning: To speak louder.
  • Example: I’m sorry, I can’t hear you. Can you please speak up?

Get back to someone

  • Meaning: To return a phone call or respond to a message.
  • Example: I’ll get back to you as soon as I have the information you need.

Get off

  • Meaning: To end a phone call.
  • Example: I’m sorry, I have to get off now. I have another appointment.

Turn off

  • Meaning: To end a phone call or to turn off the phone.
  • Example: I’m sorry, I have to turn off my phone now. I’m in a meeting.

Turn on

  • Meaning: To start using a phone or to turn on the phone.
  • Example: I need to turn on my phone to check my messages.

Pass on

  • Meaning: To give a message to someone.
  • Example: Can you please pass on the message to your colleague that the meeting has been rescheduled?

Phone in

  • Meaning: To call someone or a central point by telephone.
  • Example: I have to phone in and report the changes.

Telephone Phrasal Verbs in Business Communication

In business communication, it is essential to use the right telephone phrasal verbs to convey the intended message effectively. The use of phrasal verbs can make the conversation more natural and fluent. Here are some common telephone phrasal verbs used in business communication:

  • Get through: to successfully make contact with someone over the phone.

Example: “I couldn’t get through to the customer service department yesterday.”

  • Put through: to connect someone to another person over the phone.

Example: “Can you please put me through to the sales department?”

  • Call back: to return a phone call.

Example: “I missed your call earlier. Can you please call me back?”

  • Hold on: to wait on the phone for a short time.

Example: “Please hold on for a moment while I transfer your call to the manager.”

  • Hang up: to end a phone call.

Example: “I’m sorry, I have to hang up now. Can I call you back later?”

Phrasal Verbs for Telephone Conversation
Phrasal Verbs for Telephone Conversation – Created by 7ESL

Useful Phrasal Verbs for Telephone Conversation | Video

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