Guide for newcomers

The calls every newcomer has to make

A new country comes with a list of phone calls, in a language you are still learning. Here is what each one will ask you, so less of it is a surprise.

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murmur

hey.wanna rehearse a phone call?

you call · the olive tree

book a table

book a table for two on friday.

easyup to 3:00

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call language or try another call

A real call, up to 3:00. Uses your microphone. Your voice is streamed live and never recorded.

Before any call

Write three things on paper and keep them in front of you.

Your full name, spelled out letter by letter
Your address, with the postcode
Any reference, account or customer number

Then learn two rescue phrases. They work on every call in this guide.

"Could you say that more slowly, please?"

"Let me check I understood. You need my passport number and my address. Is that right?"

The bank

They will ask for: your full name, date of birth and address, and sometimes answers to security questions.

"I'd like to open an account. What do I need to bring?"

"I'm calling about a payment I don't recognize."

Banks often read numbers quickly. Ask them to repeat any number, and read it back.

The doctor

They will ask for: your name, date of birth, the reason for the visit and the days you are free.

"I'm a new patient. How do I register?"

"I'd like to make an appointment. Is there anything this week?"

You do not have to explain the whole problem to the receptionist. One short sentence is enough.

The landlord or the agency

They will ask for: your address, what is wrong and when someone can come in.

"The heating has stopped working. When can someone come to look at it?"

"Could you confirm that by message, please?"

Always ask for the confirmation. A written time is easier to rely on than one you heard once.

Electricity, gas, water and internet

They will ask for: your address, the date you moved in, and sometimes a meter reading or a bank detail for payments.

"I'm moving in on the first. I'd like to set up an account."

"What do you need from me today, and what can I send later?"

Government and official lines

They will ask for: a reference number, your date of birth, and patience. Queues are long.

"Could you tell me which form I need?"

"May I take your name, please, in case I need to call again?"

Write down the date, the time and the name of the person you spoke to. If you call back, those three things save you from starting again.

When you get stuck

It will happen, and it is fine. Say so.

"Sorry, English is not my first language. Could you repeat the last part?"

People slow down when you ask. If you are practicing in murmur, you can also switch to your own language in the middle of the call, and the coach switches with you.

Rehearse the first one

Pick the call you need this week and say it out loud once. The doctor's appointment at the top of this page is a live call you can try now.

There is a longer guide to phone calls in English, with the phrases explained in your own language:

You can also practice calls in another language if English is the one you already speak.

Updated 11 November 2026.

Scripts to rehearse

Call Your BankSort out that account question without getting lost in phone menus. Book a Doctor AppointmentCall the clinic and get that appointment on the calendar. Ask Landlord to Fix SomethingReport that broken thing in your apartment without the stress. Ask About Your LeaseGet clarity on your lease without feeling like you're being difficult. Set Up Internet ServiceOrder internet for a new address and ask the questions that affect the bill. Call About an ApartmentAsk if a rental is still available and book a viewing. Refill a PrescriptionCall the pharmacy and get your medication sorted out.

All calls Build a script

Questions

How can I practice phone calls in English?

Write down the first sentence and the details they will ask for, then say the call out loud before you make it. In murmur a realistic voice plays the other side, and if you get stuck you can switch to your own language and back.

What do I say if I don't understand someone on the phone?

Ask them to slow down: "Could you say that more slowly, please?" Then repeat back what you understood. It is normal, and it is much better than guessing.

More guides

Practice planPhone anxiety: a two-week practice planOne small call a day for fourteen days, each a little harder than the last. Guide for support teams15 customer service calls worth rehearsingThe calls that go wrong in a new hire's first week, each with a first line. Guide for sales teamsCold call openers, and what to say after "not interested"Four openers and replies to the five brush-offs every caller hears.

All guides

Rehearse the call before you dial

murmur is on the App Store, for iPhone.

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