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B1Swedish·30 cards

Phone Calls: Useful Sentences

Complete sentences for missed calls, phone queues, bad lines, wrong numbers and calling back.

These sentences cover the rest of phone life in Sweden: unknown numbers, missed calls, automated queues where you key in your personnummer, lines that won't connect, and how to end a call politely.

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  1. 1

    Jag ringer från ett nytt nummer, så du kanske inte känner igen det.

    I'm calling from a new number, so you might not recognise it.

    Tip: The particle verb 'know again' means recognise.

  2. 2

    Jag svarar sällan när ett okänt nummer ringer.

    I rarely answer when an unknown number calls.

    Tip: The adverb 'rarely' sits right after the verb.

  3. 3

    Om det är viktigt får de lämna ett meddelande.

    If it's important, they can leave a message.

    Tip: 'Get to' here means 'can, are allowed to'. Verb before subject after the if-clause.

  4. 4

    Jag har ett missat samtal från dig, ville du något?

    I have a missed call from you — did you want something?

    Tip: Past tense 'wanted' sounds softer than present.

  5. 5

    Förlåt att jag inte svarade, jag satt i bilen.

    Sorry I didn't answer, I was driving.

    Tip: Literally 'I sat in the car'. Swedes often use 'sit' for being somewhere.

  6. 6

    Kan jag ringa dig om fem minuter? Jag ska bara kliva av bussen.

    Can I call you in five minutes? I'm just getting off the bus.

    Tip: The preposition before the time means 'from now'.

  7. 7

    Det går inte fram några signaler, telefonen måste vara avstängd.

    It's not ringing — the phone must be switched off.

    Tip: Word for word: 'it goes not forward any rings'.

  8. 8

    Det tutar upptaget hela tiden.

    It's engaged every time I call.

    Tip: Literally 'it toots busy all the time'.

  9. 9

    Jag har ringt flera gånger men ingen svarar.

    I've called several times but nobody answers.

    Tip: Nobody = 'no one', used as subject.

  10. 10

    Vi har dålig täckning här ute på landet.

    We have bad reception out here in the countryside.

    Tip: Word for word: 'here out on the country'.

  11. 11

    Det brusar jättemycket, var är du någonstans?

    There's so much noise — where are you?

    Tip: The verb is for hissing, rushing noise. 'Where are you somewhere' is normal Swedish.

  12. 12

    Jag hör dig dåligt, kan du prata lite högre?

    I can hardly hear you, could you speak a bit louder?

    Tip: Word for word: 'I hear you badly'.

  13. 13

    Samtalet bröts, jag ringer upp igen.

    The call got cut off — I'll call again.

    Tip: Passive -s form of the verb 'break'.

  14. 14

    Jag la på av misstag, förlåt!

    I hung up by mistake, sorry!

    Tip: Spoken past tense of 'lay'; the written form is longer.

  15. 15

    Mitt batteri håller på att ta slut.

    My battery is about to run out.

    Tip: 'Hold on to' + infinitive = be about to / be in the middle of.

  16. 16

    Jag sätter på högtalaren så att alla kan höra.

    I'll put you on speaker so everyone can hear.

    Tip: Literally 'I put on the speaker'.

  17. 17

    Du får gärna sms:a i stället, det är lättare för mig.

    Feel free to text instead, it's easier for me.

    Tip: 'May gladly' = feel free to.

  18. 18

    Kan vi ta ett videosamtal i stället? Det är lättare att visa.

    Can we do a video call instead? It's easier to show.

    Tip: You 'take' a call in Swedish.

  19. 19

    Jag har stått i telefonkö i över en halvtimme.

    I've been in the phone queue for over half an hour.

    Tip: Literally 'I have stood in phone queue'. Half an hour is one word.

  20. 20

    Man kan välja att bli uppringd i stället för att vänta i kö.

    You can choose to be called back instead of waiting in the queue.

    Tip: 'Become called up' = be called back: a passive with 'become'.

  21. 21

    Slå ditt personnummer och avsluta med fyrkant.

    Key in your personal identity number and finish with the hash key.

    Tip: Literally 'hit your number'. The hash key is called 'square'.

  22. 22

    Kan du koppla mig till kundtjänst?

    Could you put me through to customer service?

    Tip: No article before customer service.

  23. 23

    Jag kopplar dig vidare till rätt person.

    I'll transfer you to the right person.

    Tip: 'Connect onwards' = transfer. No article needed before 'right'.

  24. 24

    Ursäkta, jag tror att jag har ringt fel nummer.

    Sorry, I think I've dialled the wrong number.

    Tip: Literally 'called wrong number' — no article.

  25. 25

    Det finns ingen här som heter så.

    There's nobody here by that name.

    Tip: Literally 'there's nobody here who is called so'.

  26. 26

    Jag ringer bara för att höra hur du har det.

    I'm just calling to see how you're doing.

    Tip: Literally 'to hear how you have it'.

  27. 27

    Jag lämnade ett meddelande på hans röstbrevlåda i morse.

    I left a message on his voicemail this morning.

    Tip: A special word for 'this morning' when it's already past.

  28. 28

    Han svarar aldrig i telefon, det är bättre att skicka ett mejl.

    He never answers his phone, it's better to send an email.

    Tip: You answer 'in phone' in Swedish.

  29. 29

    Jag ringer tillbaka så fort jag kan.

    I'll call back as soon as I can.

    Tip: 'So fast I can' = as soon as I can.

  30. 30

    Jag måste sluta nu, någon står och väntar på mig.

    I have to go now, someone's waiting for me.

    Tip: 'Stop' is how you end a call. 'Stands and waits' = is waiting.