Formal to Client
Workplace · Phone
申し訳ございません、ただいま席を外しております。折り返しお電話差し上げるようお伝えしましょうか？ — I'm sorry, they are away from their desk at the moment. Shall I tell them to call you back? (Workplace · Phone, Formal to Client, JLPT N3)
You
申し訳ございません、ただいま席を外しております。折り返しお電話差し上げるようお伝えしましょうか？
もうしわけございません、ただいませきをはずしております。おりかえしおでんわさしあげるようおつたえしましょうか？
I'm sorry, they are away from their desk at the moment. Shall I tell them to call you back?
Romaji: Moushiwake gozaimasen, tadaima seki o hazushite orimasu. Orikaeshi odenwa sashiageru you otsutae shimashou ka? / Reply Romaji: Hai, onegai itashimasu. Kochira no bangou wa…
Reply
はい、お願いいたします。こちらの番号は…
はい、おねがいいたします。こちらのばんごうは…
Yes, please. My number is…
Gesture & etiquette
Phone-based. Posture matters — sit upright. Have a pen and notepad ready before picking up the phone. Confirm the callback number by repeating it back to the caller: 'XXXX no XXXX-XXXX de yoroshii deshou ka.'
When a colleague is unavailable, offering a callback ('orikaeshi') is mandatory courtesy — saying only 'they're not here' without offering action is considered cold. 'Sashiageru' is the humble form of 'give,' used here for the call action since the colleague is 'uchi' (inside) doing it for an 'outside' caller. 'Otsutae shimashou ka' offers your service as the messenger.