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Thread: How may I help you?

 
  1. #1
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    Default How may I help you?

    I sometime take calls from Spanish speakers. In English I answer the phone saying "how may I help you?", would I say the same thing in Spanish, or do they use a different phrase?

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    Default Re: How may I help you?

    I'm guessing that it's going to depend on the country and region.
    vicente

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    Default Re: How may I help you?

    People say in Mexico "mande".

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    Default Re: How may I help you?

    Hello Daniel

    Certainly that's the way a lot of people answer a phone in Mexico, either [I]"Mande" or "Bueno" [I] but wouldn't you agree that
    mande is used more often when the caller asks for a certain person and that person answers (by saying mande)? .... but businesses use a more formal greeting: "Esta hablando con Walmart. Como puedo ayudarle (o sirvirle)."

    In my experience in Costa Rica they say "En que puedo ayudarte"; tambien "...servirle". They almost always respond to "thank you" by saying "Para servirle".
    Last edited by vicente; 06-08-2016 at 01:41 PM.
    vicente

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    Default Re: How may I help you?

    Hello Vicente,
    I am not Mexican, so I am not sure if this should be used with clients as you mentioned
    Your options will do too for every speaker.

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    Default Re: How may I help you?

    Hi Daniel

    Before I commented I checked with a Mexican friend who manages a number of pizzerias. Those were the versions used in his business places.

    Regarding mande, I've heard it said a million times. Any conversation between Mexicans on the street will have a lot of mandes It's very much like saying "what?" or "say again".

    The most common informal phone answering term is "¿Bueno?.
    vicente

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    Default Re: How may I help you?

    You had a good source! I just used memory
    Thanks for the explanation (and the story).

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    Default Re: How may I help you?

    Excellent. I think "como puedo ayudarle" is what I'm going to go with. Thanks!

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