Language Expansion

Receiving visitors at the office

Asking for name / identification of the visitor

• Are you Miss Karolin from ABC?
• May I have your name, please?
• Yes, I am. I represent the ABC Electric Company.

Asking the purpose of the visit

• Could you tell me the purpose of your visit?
• I've come to discuss the possibility of establishing business relations with your corporation.

Asking the visitor to wait

• Wait a few minutes, please. I'll phone through to his secretary.
• Take a seat, please. I'll ask his secretary to come to meet you.
• Wait a few minutes, please. Mr. Dania will come and see you in a few minutes.

Asking the visitor for information

• When will the meeting finish?
• What can I do to help?
• What would you like me to do?
• When will your manager be available?

Giving the visitor information

• I'll let him know as soon as he returns.
• The accountant is available now in his office.
• The Sales Manager will be here on Friday morning.
• Mr. Jones is free at 15:00 this afternoon.

Apologising for having kept the visitor waiting

• I'm sorry for the inconvenience. The director is out to lunch / has another visitor at the moment.
• I'm sorry. Mr. Hopkins has gone out to attend a conference.
• I'm sorry. The Sales Manager is away on business.

Expressing regret when someone is not present

• I'm sorry, but the Managing Director is attending a conference.
• I'm afraid the Marketing Manager will be very busy all day.
• The Production Manager is at another plant.

Meeting guests at the airport

• Excuse me, sir, but are you Mr. Thomson from New York?
• Yes, I'm Harris Thomson from New York Trading Ltd.
• Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Lin Hua.
• How do you do, Mr. Lin? It's very kind of you to come to meet us.
• My name is Wang Li. I'm from the United Textiles Corporation. I'm here to meet you.

Taking guests to their hotel

• You must be very tired after such a long trip. If there's nothing else you want, I'll leave now.
• I don't think there is anything else. You have been very considerate.

Small talk topics

About travel

• It was a bit rough.
• I missed my connection.
• There were no problems.

About weather

• Fine weather, isn't it?
• Yes, it's lovely. Real November weather, sharp and bright.

About accommodation

• The service is rather slow.
• The rooms are a bit cramped.

Seeing off

• Have a nice journey. And we look forward to hearing from you soon.
• Don't forget to give me a ring when you arrive home.
• I wish you all the very best.
• Give my best regards to ...