Leaving a message in French

1. 1
   message/mɛsaʒ/

   messagenoun

   Words you send to someone.
2. 2
   laisser/lɛse/

   to leaveverb

   Not to take something with you when you go.
3. 3
   répondeur/ʁepɔ̃dœʁ/

   answering machinenoun

   A device that records phone messages.
4. 4
   bip/bip/

   beepnoun

   A short, high sound from a device.
5. 5
   rappeler/ʁaple/

   call backverb

   To phone someone again.
6. 6
   joindre/ʒwɛ̃dʁ/

   to reachverb

   To manage to speak to someone.
7. 7
   numéro/nymeʁo/

   numbernoun

   A series of digits for calling someone.
8. 8
   transmettre/tʁɑ̃smɛtʁ/

   to pass onverb

   To get something to someone else.
9. 9
   disponible/dispɔnibl/

   availableadjective

   Free and able to be had or used.
10. 10
    urgent/yʁʒɑ̃/

    urgentadjective

    Something that must be done right away, without waiting.

The sentences

1. Bonjour, je vous laisse un petit message rapide.

   Hello, I'm leaving you a quick little message.

2. Je vais vous laisser un message après le bip.

   I'm going to leave you a message after the beep.

3. Je tombe encore sur votre répondeur, je rappelle plus tard.

   I've got your voicemail again, I'll call back later.

4. Pardon, j'ai commencé avant le bip, je recommence.

   Sorry, I started before the beep, I'll start again.

5. Pouvez-vous me rappeler quand vous aurez un moment ?

   Could you call me back when you have a moment?

6. J'essaie de vous joindre depuis ce matin.

   I've been trying to reach you since this morning.

7. Vous pouvez me rappeler sur mon numéro personnel.

   You can call me back on my personal number.

8. Pouvez-vous transmettre le dossier au client avant ce soir ?

   Could you send the file on to the client before this evening?

9. Je suis disponible demain matin pour en parler.

   I'm available tomorrow morning to talk about it.

10. Ce n'est pas urgent, rappelez-moi quand vous pouvez.

    It's not urgent, call me back whenever you can.

Pronunciation

• message/mɛsaʒ/

  The first e is open, like the one in « mer ».

• répondeur/ʁepɔ̃dœʁ/

  The « on » is nasal: you don't hear the n, as in « bonbon ».

• rappeler/ʁaple/

  The middle e is dropped: you say ra-plé.

• numéro/nymeʁo/

  The u is said with rounded lips, as in « tu », not like « ou ».

• disponible/dispɔnibl/

  Here the o-n is not nasal: you hear the n as in 'donne'.

• urgent/yʁʒɑ̃/

  The u is pronounced like in 'tu', not like 'ou'; the final t is silent and 'gen' is nasal.

Good to know

répondeur

When nobody picks up, you often get an answering machine or voicemail. You then leave your name, why you're calling and a way to reach you, and keep it short.

vouvoiement

At work, people usually use vous with colleagues, especially on the phone and in voicemail. Whether to use tu depends on the company and the relationship, and it's best to follow what the other person does.

Bonjour

You start a message with « Bonjour » and end it with « Bonne journée » or « Au revoir ». Leaving out the greeting and closing sounds curt, even in a short message.

rappeler

Saying « je rappelle plus tard » or « rappelez-moi » is the usual way to arrange another call. It's customary to leave your number if you're not sure it shows up.

Questions

What do I say in French to ask someone to call me back?

You can say « Pouvez-vous me rappeler quand vous aurez un moment ? ». To give a number, say « Vous pouvez me rappeler sur mon numéro personnel ».

How do I say a message isn't urgent in French?

Say « Ce n'est pas urgent, rappelez-moi quand vous pouvez. » Urgent means something that must be done right away, without waiting.

What does « joindre » mean in French?

It means to manage to speak to someone. For example: « J'essaie de vous joindre depuis ce matin. »