Can I speak to someone?

Can I speak to someone?
Could I speak to someone? & Can I speak to someone? & May I speak to someone?
the phrase used to request to talk to a particular person, usually on the telephone. (Also used with

talk

in place of

speak

.) •

Tom (answering the phone): Good morning, Acme Air Products. With whom do you wish to speak? Bill: Can I speak to Mr. Wilson? Tom: One moment.

Sally: May I speak to the manager, please? Clerk: Certainly, madam. I'm the manager.


Dictionary of American idioms. 2013.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • speak for someone — speak for (someone/something) to express the opinions or wishes of someone. I can t speak for my boss on something that is so personal. Tokarczyk believed that her poetry could speak for the nation …   New idioms dictionary

  • speak — W1S1 [spi:k] v past tense spoke [spəuk US spouk] past participle spoken [ˈspəukən US ˈspou ] ▬▬▬▬▬▬▬ 1¦(in conversation)¦ 2¦(say words)¦ 3¦(language)¦ 4¦(formal speech)¦ 5¦(express ideas/opinions)¦ 6 so to speak 7 speak your mind …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • speak - talk — Speak and talk have very similar meanings, but there are some differences in the ways in which they are used. When you mention that someone is using his or her voice to produce words, you usually say that they are speaking. He hadn t looked at me …   Useful english dictionary

  • speak — [ spik ] (past tense spoke [ spouk ] ; past participle spo|ken [ spoukən ] ) verb *** ▸ 1 talk about something or to someone ▸ 2 use voice to talk ▸ 3 talk particular language ▸ 4 give formal speech ▸ 5 express ideas/thoughts ▸ 6 talk on… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • speak for something — speak for (someone/something) to express the opinions or wishes of someone. I can t speak for my boss on something that is so personal. Tokarczyk believed that her poetry could speak for the nation …   New idioms dictionary

  • speak for — (someone/something) to express the opinions or wishes of someone. I can t speak for my boss on something that is so personal. Tokarczyk believed that her poetry could speak for the nation …   New idioms dictionary

  • speak — [[t]spi͟ːk[/t]] ♦ speaks, speaking, spoke, spoken 1) VERB When you speak, you use your voice in order to say something. He tried to speak, but for once, his voice had left him... He speaks with a lisp... [V to/with n] I rang the h …   English dictionary

  • can — can1 [ weak kən, strong kæn ] modal verb *** Can is usually followed by an infinitive without to : I can speak French. Sometimes it is used without a following infinitive: Come and help us, if you can. Can does not change its form, so the third… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • can — I strong UK [kæn] / US weak UK [kən] / US modal verb *** Summary: Can is usually followed by an infinitive without to : I can speak French. Sometimes it is used without a following infinitive: Come and help us, if you can. Can does not change its …   English dictionary

  • speak for — verb be a spokesperson for (Freq. 6) He represents the Government s position • Hypernyms: ↑represent • Verb Frames: Somebody s something Something s somebody * * * 1 …   Useful english dictionary

  • speak — [c]/spik / (say speek) verb (spoke or, Archaic, spake, spoken or, Archaic, spoke, speaking) – …  

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