Personal Catch-up Voicemail
You are calling a friend or family member to catch up or make social plans. You need to leave a casual but clear voicemail if they don't answer.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
catch up
This phrasal verb means to talk with someone you haven't seen in a while to share updates about your life. It's commonly used in casual conversations with friends or family.
grab
In this context, 'grab' means to quickly get or have something, like 'grab a coffee' which means to go out and buy a coffee together. It's informal and used for suggesting casual meetups.
flexible
This adjective describes someone who can easily change their plans or schedule. Use it when talking about availability, like 'I'm flexible on days' to show you're open to different times.
call back
This phrasal verb means to return a phone call later. It's polite and common in voicemails when asking someone to contact you again.
get a chance
This expression means to have an opportunity or time to do something. It's used to politely suggest doing an action when possible, like 'when you get a chance' to avoid sounding demanding.
looking forward to
This phrase expresses excitement or anticipation about a future event or response. It's a positive way to end messages, showing enthusiasm.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Hey Sarah, it's John. Hope you're doing well.
This is a friendly greeting for a voicemail. 'It's John' introduces the speaker clearly. 'Hope you're doing well' is a polite way to show care. Use this at the start of casual voicemails to friends or family to set a warm tone.
I was just calling to see if you're free to catch up sometime next week.
This sentence explains the purpose of the call using 'I was just calling to' for a casual reason. 'See if you're free' politely checks availability. It's useful for suggesting social plans; the past continuous 'was calling' softens the request.
Maybe grab a coffee or dinner? I'm pretty flexible on days, but evenings usually work best for me.
This offers specific but open suggestions with 'maybe' to keep it casual. 'Pretty flexible' means somewhat adjustable. Use this to propose activities while sharing your preferences; it's practical for making plans without being pushy.
Give me a call back when you get a chance. My number is 555-123-4567.
This requests a response politely with 'give me a call back' and 'when you get a chance' to show no rush. Always include your number in voicemails. It's essential for clear communication in phone messages.
Looking forward to hearing from you. Talk soon!
This positive closing expresses hope for a reply with 'looking forward to hearing from you.' 'Talk soon!' is a casual goodbye. Use it to end voicemails warmly, building rapport in personal calls.