How do I tell Spanish callers, "The office is closed, this is the after hours answering service"?

Question

I work for an answering service and we get several Spanish speaking callers. When they call in after hours I want to be able to tell them "The office is closed. This is the after hours answering service." Also, I'd like to ask them if it's an emergency where I need to page the Dr on call. It doesn't have to be in that exact format, just in a context they would best understand. Any information would be much appreciated so I can start helping those in emergency medical situations get in touch with their physician! Thank you!

Answer 1

la oficina esta cerrada. Abrimos a las 9:00 de la manana, cerramos a las 5:00 por la tarde. Si tiene una emergencia, por favor llamanos a...tal numero.

Good suggestion, Juan. Anyway, mBachet, let's phrase exactly what you want to say, so we can supply a better answer.

"The office is closed. This is the after hours answering service." Also, I'd like to ask them if it's an emergency where I need to page the Dr on call.

What does this paging the doctor mean? Do they have to leave a number or something? Or the name of the doctor? Or do you have to call the doctor? I dont quite get this.

Anyway, if it is just asking if it is an emergency I would go with this:

Esta oficina está cerrada. Los horarios de apertura son de 9 de la mañana a 5 de la tarde. Si su llamada es una emergencia llame a .....

Now the end I am just guessing. Do they have to call a different number? Well, you tell me and I will see how we end this

As you can see, your "la oficina está cerrada" as ok and Juan gave a good suggestion

• Paging the doctor is an old term we used before the cell phone explosion. I guess doctors still use pagers, but it's long dead in general population. It was a form of communicaton - ChamacoMalo Sep 19, 2009
• There was a wee small black box, rectangular in shape, that one wore on the belt. One would call a number, enter the number of the pager, as they called it, and then the pager would beep. Ahi en la pantalla presenta el numero que llamar. - ChamacoMalo Sep 19, 2009

Answer 2

Lo que le digo a todos es no moleste tanto la orden de tus palabras. Tu sabes a alguen que hable ingles perfecto? Claro que no. La mas importante es communicarse. Bueno....la oficina esta cerrada. Abrimos a las 9:00 de la manana, cerramos a las 5:00 por la tarde. Si tiene una emergencia, por favor llamanos a...tal numero. Eso es una de muchas maneras para explicar que quieres decir. Si ya es importante aprender tal cosa en la forma correcta, pero tambien no te molestas tantisimo. Cuidate!

• Thank you that was very helpful. Especially the phrases about informing them when the office open and closes! Instead of saying to call such # in an emergency, how do I say leave your name and # with me & I'll contact the o/c dr? - mBarchet Sep 19, 2009
• Oh, perfection is a long way away, for me at least, but I agree with you and Heidita, learn the language--completely. - Jason7R Sep 19, 2009

Answer 3

En caso de emergencia (si es una emrgencia / si se trata de una emergencia) deje como mensaje su nombre y número de teléfono y los comunicaremos al médico.

is a possibility.

Answer 4

Just a notation- I did take 5 years of Spanish and understand it when it is spoken to me much better than I can actually speak it myself. I can struggle my way through phone calls now, I just want to make sure I'm making sense. I've been telling Spanish callers "La oficina esta cerrada" which I'm sure is probably incorrect. I always tend to put words in the wrong order and wrong tense.

• "La oficina está cerrada" is correct. - --Mariana-- Sep 19, 2009

Answer 5

I believe the first part is "La oficina es cerrado" "Si este es de urgencia llamaremos el doctor ahora y se tiene llamarte ahora." I think that is how the second part of your question will go. The gurus will weigh in soon. Hey, I gave it a shot.

• The gurus sentence is funny stuff. I usually have the exact same thougt. - Nicole-B Sep 19, 2009
• Jason, the adjective "cerrada" must agree in gender with the noun "oficina." - --Mariana-- Sep 19, 2009
• The sad thing is...I should've know that one!! Crud, I get so intent on trying to get the words right I forget about the agreement. :) Thanks!! - Jason7R Sep 19, 2009
• Nicole, at least I am not the only one to think this!! jaja... Thanks for the affirmation. ;) - Jason7R Sep 19, 2009

Answer 6

Yes, he was very helpful! I think I have "the office is closed" down. I'm not sure if "answering service" is a phrase that translates well and is understood? I just want to say if it is an emergency I'll take your name and number and call the dr. If it's not an emergency, then I can use the phrases to inform them when to call the office back. I can get names and numbers fine in spanish, I just want to make sure they know what I'm doing when I'm asking for the information

Answer 7

Tal vez se pueda decir 'servicio mensajero' for messaging service?

No estoy completamente seguro do esto

Answer 8

I believe the first part is "La oficina es cerrado"

another attempt

Esta oficina está cerrada.

I believe that we have a previous thread contrasting these two uses with Ser/ Estar, but I can't find it.

La oficina está cerrado. Cerrada is an [predicate] adjective describing its state in time: cerrada .vs. abierta)

La oficina es cerrada. (Spanish passive voice-cerrada is a verb) Ser+past participle

The school is closed by the district because of falling enrollment and subsequent lack of government funding. (Reads like a newspaper article, if not saying "fue cerrada", but still grammatically acceptable.) auxillary + main verb

The school is closed (not open). adjective