How to Call Someone in Japanese: Polite Phone Introductions and Stating Your Purpose
Learn to make a phone call in Japanese: use もしもし, introduce yourself with 〜と申します, and state your purpose politely with 〜のですが. Includes a model dialogue and practice.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
Making a phone call in Japanese requires a slightly different set of phrases from face-to-face conversation. You need to announce yourself clearly, often using a humble expression, and then state your purpose in a way that sounds considerate rather than abrupt. This lesson focuses on initiating calls: what to say when the other person picks up, how to introduce yourself, and how to explain why you are calling. You will learn three core patterns that work in both personal and professional contexts. We will not cover answering incoming calls here; that is a separate skill. By the end, you should be able to start a call politely and keep the conversation moving.
By the end, you can…
- start a phone call in Japanese with もしもし and introduce myself appropriately.
- state the purpose of my call using 〜のですが and related polite patterns.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
もしもし
Hello (on the phone)
moshi moshi
Used when you pick up or when you are checking if the other person is there. It is not used when you meet someone in person.
田中と申しますが、佐藤さんはいらっしゃいますか。
My name is Tanaka; is Mr./Ms. Sato there?
Tanaka to mōshimasu ga, Satō-san wa irasshaimasu ka.
A polite way to introduce yourself and ask for someone. と申します is humble; いらっしゃいます is an honorific form of います.
お電話ありがとうございます。
Thank you for calling.
O-denwa arigatō gozaimasu.
Often said by the person who answers, but you may also hear it. It is a set phrase showing appreciation for the call.
〜についてお電話しました。
I called about 〜.
〜 ni tsuite o-denwa shimashita.
A direct way to state your purpose. Replace 〜 with a noun phrase, e.g., 会議について (about the meeting).
〜のですが、今お話ししてもよろしいでしょうか。
I'd like to talk about 〜; is now a good time?
〜 no desu ga, ima o-hanashi shite mo yoroshii deshō ka.
Softens the request and checks availability. 〜のですが often introduces a request or explanation.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The pattern 〜のですが is extremely useful for phone calls. It presents background information and then implies a request or question. For example, 田中と申しますが、佐藤さんはいらっしゃいますか。 means 'My name is Tanaka; is Mr./Ms. Sato there?' The が at the end of the first clause softens the statement and leads into the question. Similarly, 資料についてお電話したのですが、今お話ししてもよろしいでしょうか。 means 'I called about the documents; is now a good time to talk?' You can also use 〜についてお電話しました to state your purpose directly: 会議についてお電話しました。 (I called about the meeting.) These patterns work in both business and formal personal calls.
When to use it
Use もしもし only when you are on the phone and want to confirm the other person is listening, or when you answer. Do not use it when you meet someone face-to-face. For introductions, 〜と申します is more humble than 〜です and is preferred in business settings. If you are calling a friend, 〜だけど or 〜ですが is fine, but 〜と申します may sound overly formal. When stating your purpose, 〜についてお電話しました is neutral and clear. To ask if the person is available, 今お話ししてもよろしいでしょうか is polite; a slightly less formal alternative is 今大丈夫ですか. Choose based on your relationship and the formality of the situation.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
もしもし、田中と申しますが、佐藤さんはいらっしゃいますか。
Hello, my name is Tanaka; is Mr./Ms. Sato there?Moshi moshi, Tanaka to mōshimasu ga, Satō-san wa irasshaimasu ka.はい、佐藤です。お世話になっております。
Yes, this is Sato. Thank you for your continued support.Hai, Satō desu. O-sewa ni natte orimasu.お世話になっております。実は、来週の会議についてお電話しました。今お話ししてもよろしいでしょうか。
Thank you for your continued support. Actually, I called about next week's meeting. Is now a good time to talk?O-sewa ni natte orimasu. Jitsu wa, raishū no kaigi ni tsuite o-denwa shimashita. Ima o-hanashi shite mo yoroshii deshō ka.はい、大丈夫です。どうぞ。
Yes, that's fine. Please go ahead.Hai, daijōbu desu. Dōzo.A little context goes a long way
In Japanese phone calls, especially business ones, people often exchange set phrases like お世話になっております (thank you for your continued support) at the start. This is a ritualized greeting that shows awareness of the relationship. It is not necessary between close friends, but using it in professional contexts is safe and appreciated. Also, もしもし is only for phone calls; using it in person can sound strange. When in doubt, mirror the level of politeness the other person uses.
One thing to watch for
Using もしもし when meeting someone in person, or using 〜です instead of 〜と申します in a very formal business call.
Try this instead: もしもし is only for phone calls. For in-person greetings, use こんにちは. In formal business calls, 〜と申します is more appropriate than 〜です. For example, 田中と申しますが、佐藤さんはいらっしゃいますか。 is more polite than 田中ですが、佐藤さんいますか。
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1You are calling a colleague, Mr. Suzuki, at his office. Introduce yourself (your name is Lee) and ask if he is available. Use a polite pattern.
Show a sample answer
リーと申しますが、鈴木さんはいらっしゃいますか。
This uses と申します for a humble introduction and いらっしゃいます for the honorific 'is there.' A slightly less formal alternative is リーですが、鈴木さんいますか, but the first is safer in business.
2You want to say you are calling about the schedule. Which phrase fits?
Show a sample answer
スケジュールについてお電話しました。
〜についてお電話しました directly states the purpose. You could also say スケジュールの件でお電話しました, which is equally natural.
3After stating your purpose, how do you politely ask if now is a good time to talk?
Show a sample answer
今お話ししてもよろしいでしょうか。
This is a polite way to check availability. A more casual version is 今大丈夫ですか, which is fine with friends but less suitable for formal calls.
Start with もしもし, introduce yourself with 〜と申します, state your purpose with 〜についてお電話しました, and check availability with 今お話ししてもよろしいでしょうか. These patterns will help you make polite phone calls in Japanese.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Japanese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr