Can't understand phone message phone numbers!
Hola:
I have an outgoing message in Spanish for Spanish speaking clients who don't understand my English message. In my message I ask them to speak very slowly when leaving their message and of course they don't! Or maybe THEY think it is slow. But in any event, I cannot believe how garbled the phone numbers sound. I always get the area code and the first 3 digits, but after that WHO KNOWS''?
I don't know WHAT they could be speaking. For example, if the number's last 4 digits are 2052, that should be easy to understand. But they are doing something to these numbers that I cannot 'hear'. I play it over and over and i can't understand and have to call someone to ask me what they said.
Is there some special treatment they may be giving these numbers? i mean I know what dos-cero-cinco-dos sounds like and that ain't it!! Even if it were viente cincuente y dos, I could understand but he said neither of these. the last digit sounds like dido'? If it weren't for caller ID, I'd never have gotten it.
Can anyone give me some advise on this? Its looking hopeless to ever understand .
Rachel
9 Answers
Hola all and thanks for the suggestions. I will study your message Heidta and take some of the suggestions.
Thanks!
Rachel
Hola. Por favor, deje su nombre y su número de teléfono.
Solo hablo un poco de español, así que** hable muy lentamente para que yo pueda entenderle**.
por favor, diga su número de teléfono lentamente y cada número por separado. Por favor diga el número como yo digo el mío: nueve uno, dos cinco siete tres cuatro ocho (your number of course)
Si viene a una cita, tengo un traductor español disponible.
Hi again Rachel, I would change the above. I would say número, not *cifra *like Sam suggests. Not everybody understands that word. It depends who your patients are.
What do you think of the changes'
Hola!
Okay, this is my new outgoing message:
*
Hola. Por favor, deje su nombre y el número.
Yo sólo hablar un poco español, así que hablar cada palabra por separado y lentamente para que yo pueda entender.
Cuando usted dice en su número de teléfono, por favor, decir cada número por separado. Por ejemplo, digamos cinco- dos, y no cincuenta y dos
Si viene en una cita, tengo un tradúctor español disponible. *
What do you think of that?
Thanks,
Rachel
If I were saying/writing it, I'd use "cada cifra" instead of "cada numero". I hate it when people say "number" instead of digit in English. A number/numero can consist of any number of digits/cifras.
Hola!
Okay, this is my new outgoing message:
*
Hola. Por favor, deje su nombre y el número.
Yo sólo hablar un poco español, así que hablar cada palabra por separado y lentamente para que yo pueda entender.
Cuando usted dice en su número de teléfono, por favor, decir cada número por separado. Por ejemplo, digamos cinco- dos, y no cincuenta y dos
Si viene en una cita, tengo un tradúctor español disponible. *
What do you think of that?
Thanks,
Rachel
099328279
y lo pronuncio así "cero nueve nueve, tres dos, ocho dos, siete nueve"
o a veces así "cero noventa y nueve, treinta y dos, ochenta y dos, setenta y nueve"
o así "cero nueve nueve, trecientos veintiocho, doscientos setenta y nueve".
yes, unfortunately for rachel this is the same case in Spain.
Why don't you make that clear in your message? May be it works, at least you can try.
Por favor, deje su número de teléfono de la siguiente manera:
....and then you give your number as an example.
What do you think? May be somebody has a better idea. 
In Madrid, for example, the first two digits and always given as a "pair"
noventayuno, siete tres cuatro......
this is a common number where I live
099328279
y lo pronuncio así "cero nueve nueve, tres dos, ocho dos, siete nueve"
o a veces así "cero noventa y nueve, treinta y dos, ochenta y dos, setenta y nueve"
o así "cero nueve nueve, trecientos veintiocho, doscientos setenta y nueve".
Rocco - They're from all round, South America , Mexico..
Yes, they always start out simple but then they do the last four numbers in pairs and I cannot hear how the number is what it is. Like the number today, he lost me after the first 3 digits. I couldn't understand the last 4. I'm hopeless!! How can you help Rodrigo? You'd have to hear the message.
I think some of these people pronounce numbers different than what i'm learning.
Rachel
Send them an email asking for their number!!
And if you want some help just ask me!!!
Rachel,
Where are your clients from?
Most Spanish speakers that I have encountered give the numbers in pairs, with an odd number thrown in by itself anywhere (beginning, end, middle). For example, the number (I'm making it up out of nowhere) (593) 431-8764 may be given as "cinquenta y nueve, treinta y cuatro, treinta y uno, ochenta y siete, sesenta y cuatro" (59-34-31-87-64). Usually the last four are given as two, two-digit numbers. I have heard a local number like "555-3410" given as many ways as you can imagine ... "55-5-34-10," "quinientos cincuenta y cinco ... 555-34-10," 5-55-34-10," 55-53-41-0," on and on.
One other twist ... I have heard them give a number, then give the area code afterward, like an afterthought. (Using the first number above, "43-18-7-64, código 5-93.")
