Shadowing Practice: How to Handle International Client Calls Smoothly in English | Client Calls - Learn English Speaking with Video
Kies een oefenmodus
Elke modus opent een volledig scherm oefenruimte.
261 zinnen
Als zinnen te kort of te lang zijn, klik op Bewerken om ze aan te passen.
1
Hey everyone!
2
Welcome back to English Podcast For You, your cozy little corner of the internet to learn natural, everyday English through real conversations.
3
I'm Anna.
4
And I'm Leo.
5
Before we dive into today's topic, we just want to take a quick second to say a huge thank you.
6
Seriously, thank you for clicking on this video, for spending a part of your busy day with us, and for trusting us with your English journey.
7
It honestly means the world to us every single time you return to this space.
8
Yes, and remember, just by sitting here and listening, you are doing something incredibly powerful for your brain.
9
You're absorbing the rhythm, connect, and how real emotions sound in English.
10
So don't worry if speaking feels a bit slow or scary right now.
11
Your English is growing deeply, even if it's doing it quietly.
12
Well, speaking of things that are scary, Anna, why did you look like you had a minor panic attack when I checked my phone before we hit record?
13
Oh, God, was it that obvious?
14
Leo, I have to admit something.
15
Yesterday, I had an international Zoom call with a potential new client based in London.
16
And… I… choked.
17
Wait, you choked?
18
Anna, you literally host an English podcast.
19
I know, I know.
20
But it's different when it's a client call, right?
21
When it's casual, I'm fine.
22
But the moment that little camera light turns green and a serious -looking executive says, "Let's get started," my brain just freezes.
23
I started stuttering, my hands were sweating.
24
I felt like an absolute fraud because of the language barrier.
25
Oh, I get that.
26
I think everyone listening right now is nodding their head because we've all been there.
27
That phrase, language barrier, it sounds like a giant brick wall, doesn't it?
28
It makes you feel like you're on one side and success is on the other.
29
But honestly, most of the time, that barrier is just in our own heads.
30
But did they actually say anything, or were they nice?
31
They were perfectly nice.
32
But at one point, the audio started lagging.
33
You know that horrible robotic sound when the internet goes bad?
34
The client was explaining his budget and his voice started to break up.
35
Oh, the classic internet struggle.
36
Can you hear me now?
37
Exactly.
38
His audio began to break up so badly and instead of just calmly asking him to clarify,
39
my brain went into Perfect!
40
No way!
41
You just agreed to a budget you didn't even hear?
42
Uh, yes.
43
It was awful.
44
I was just too embarrassed to interrupt and say, "Hey, your mic is breaking up.
45
Could you repeat that?
46
I thought it would make my English look bad." See, that is such an important point for our listeners.
47
When a native speaker's audio begins to break up, or if they use a strange idiom, asking them to clarify doesn't mean your English is bad.
48
It actually shows you are professional and that you care about getting
49
"Asking someone to clarify a point is a sign of confidence, not weakness." You're right.
50
It sounds so much better to say, "Sorry, you're breaking up a bit.
51
Could you clarify that last point?" Rather than pretending to understand and then crying over your laptop later.
52
Exactly.
53
No crying over laptops allowed.
54
But hey, this is actually a perfect B2 level conversation for everyone listening today.
55
Today we're talking all about client calls.
56
Specifically, how to handle those intimidating international Zoom meetings without stuttering or losing your confidence.
57
Yes, and stick around because later in the episode we are going to do our signature calm word tour,
58
where we break down all these amazing business phrases like language barrier, clarify, and break up, so you can start using them in your own career.
59
So, Anna, how did the rest of the call go?
60
Did you manage to save it?
61
Well, thankfully, towards the end of the meeting, I remembered a tip I read online.
62
Before we hung up, I told the client, "Thank you so much for your time.
63
Let's do a quick recap of what we discussed today just to make sure we're on the same page." Oh, brilliant move.
64
A recap is an absolute lifesaver.
65
It really saved me.
66
By doing a quick recap, I listed out the main action points, and that gave the client a chance to correct me on the budget part I missed earlier.
67
They didn't even notice I had frozen earlier.
68
They just thought I was being super organized.
69
That's a pro tip right there.
70
Doing a recap buys you time, clears up misunderstandings, and makes you look like a project management genius.
71
Tuesday to finalize the contract.
72
Look at you go!
73
They want to touch base already!
74
For our friends listening, when someone says they want to touch base, it just means they want to make contact or have a brief conversation to update each other.
75
It's one of the most common corporate phrasal verbs ever.
76
It really is.
77
And you know, Leo, looking back at it now,
78
I realize that international calls aren't actually about having a flawless accent or using massive vocabulary words.
79
It's just about connection.
80
The client doesn't care if you hesitate for a second.
81
They just want to know you're listening and that you're capable of doing the job.
82
Beautifully said, Anna.
83
The goal of communication is clarity, not perfection.
84
If you can handle the tech issues smoothly, ask people to clarify when needed, and do a solid recap at the end,
85
you're already doing better than 90 % of people out there.
86
Thanks, Leo.
87
Honestly, hearing you say that makes me feel so much better.
88
Because in the moment, you don't think about the 90 % of people who also struggle.
89
You just think, "Oh my gosh, everyone else is a flawless corporate machine, and I'm just here trying to remember to breathe." Right?
90
We build it up in our minds like it's a high -stakes movie scene.
91
But the reality is the person on the other side of the screen might be sitting there in their pajama pants, hoping their internet doesn't drop.
92
Oh, absolutely.
93
My client actually had a catwalk right across his keyboard halfway through.
94
It completely broke the tension.
95
But it made me realize something.
96
When we talk about this language barrier, we forget that native speakers have their own version of barriers, too.
97
They use slang, they talk too fast, or they use weird corporate buzzwords that nobody actually likes.
98
Oh, don't get me started on corporate buzzwords.
99
Let's synergize our deliverables by the end of play.
100
What does that even mean?
101
Exactly!
102
It's like a whole different language.
103
So if a native speaker uses a phrase you've never heard before, it's not always your English that's the problem.
104
Sometimes it's just bad communication on their part.
105
That's why learning how to politely ask someone to clarify is like having a superpower.
106
It really is.
107
And you know, a lot of English learners tell me they feel incredibly awkward interrupting a client to ask for clarification.
108
They feel like it disrupts the flow of the meeting.
109
What do you think is the best way to do it naturally?
110
Well, I used to think I had to wait until the very end of the call, but by then you've forgotten what they said 15 minutes ago.
111
Now I try to use small verbal cues.
112
If their audio starts to break up or if they say something confusing, I'll just wait for a tiny pause and say, "Sorry, I didn't quite catch that last sentence.
113
Could you say that again?" or, "Just to make sure I understood,
114
did you mean…" engaged, you're actively participating,
115
not just sitting there passively.
116
Right.
117
And it prevents that awful situation I found myself in, where you're just nodding along to a budget you didn't actually hear.
118
Because eventually, you have to follow up on that call.
119
If you don't clear it up then, your next email is going to be incredibly stressful.
120
Oh, I can imagine that email.
121
"Hi, client.
122
Thanks for the meeting.
123
By the way, what did you actually say?" Literally my worst nightmare,
124
which is exactly why that recap at the very end of the call is a total game changer.
125
Even if you missed a small detail during the meeting, the recap is your safety net.
126
You can just say, "Let's do a quick recap of our next steps." It brings all the focus back to the main points.
127
It's like a reset button for the entire conversation.
128
It ensures that both sides leave the call with the exact same expectations.
129
No guessing games, Exactly.
130
And it sets things up beautifully for when you need to touch base again the following week.
131
You already have a clear list of what to talk about.
132
It makes the next call feel like a continuation of a comfortable conversation rather than a brand new mountain to climb.
133
You know, listening to you talk about this, Anna, it makes me realize how much of this is about emotional control.
134
The vocabulary, words like clarify, recap, touch base, they are just tools.
135
But the real work is managing that inner panic when things don't go perfectly.
136
It really is.
137
It's about giving yourself permission to be human.
138
International business is messy.
139
Technology fails, people get distracted, and accents can be tough to navigate.
140
But if you approach the call with a bit of warmth and a lot of honesty, people appreciate that so much more than a rigid, perfect presentation.
141
Absolutely.
142
A little bit of authenticity goes a very long way.
143
It really does.
144
Though being too authentic can backfire.
145
Like, I probably shouldn't have told him
146
that I spent the 20 minutes before our call aggressively practicing my confident corporate nod in the bathroom mirror.
147
Wait, you actually did that?
148
Maybe.
149
Look, desperate times call for desperate measures.
150
I was trying to channel my inner CEO.
151
But the second the laptop camera turned on,
152
I realized no amount of mirror practice prepares you for a real human being staring at you with a completely blank expression.
153
Oh, the blank corporate face.
154
That is the absolute worst.
155
It's so intimidating because you can't read their emotions.
156
You're sitting there pouring your heart out, using all your best English vocabulary, and they're just staring at you like a statue.
157
It makes you feel like the language barrier is a mile wide.
158
Yes!
159
You start overthinking every single syllable.
160
You think, "Oh no, did I pronounce that word wrong?
161
Do they think I'm incompetent?" But half the time, they're just trying to read an email on their second monitor or wondering what they're going to have for lunch.
162
Exactly.
163
It's rarely about you.
164
And that's a huge mental shift for English learners to make.
165
When there's a silence or a blank stare on an international call, your brain automatically blames your language skills.
166
But in reality, people are just People, they get tired, they get distracted.
167
Right.
168
And that's why if you notice them drifting off, or if the connection starts to lag and their video freezes, you just have to take control of the situation.
169
You can't just sit there in awkward silence.
170
If the audio begins to break up, that's your perfect opportunity to break the ice.
171
You can just say, "Oh, it looks like the connection is breaking up a bit.
172
Can you still hear me okay?" It snaps them back into the room.
173
That is such a good point.
174
It turns an awkward tech glitch into a moment of teamwork.
175
You're both fixing a problem together.
176
And once they answer, you can smoothly say,
177
"Great, just to clarify, were we talking about the timeline or the deliverables before the audio cut out?" Yes!
178
See how naturally that flows?
179
You've used the glitch to your advantage, you've asked them to clarify, and now you're right back on track.
180
It completely removes the pressure of trying to be a perfect speaker because you're focusing on being a perfect collaborator.
181
I love that distinction.
182
A perfect collaborator, not a perfect speaker.
183
Because at the end of the day, a business relationship isn't a university English exam.
184
Nobody is grading your grammar with a red pen while you talk.
185
They just want the project to succeed.
186
Exactly.
187
And if you show that you can handle a chaotic, lagging Zoom call with a smile and a calm attitude,
188
that actually builds more trust than if the call had been completely flawless.
189
It shows the client how you handle stress in real life.
190
Man, that is so true.
191
It's like a live demonstration of your problem -solving skills.
192
If you can handle a bad internet connection without panicking, they know they can trust you when a real problem happens on the job.
193
Exactly.
194
It sets up a really healthy dynamic for the future.
195
So by the time you wrap up the meeting with a quick recap of the details,
196
they're already thinking, "Wow, this person is really easy to work with." They aren't thinking about your accent at all.
197
And then when it's time to touch base next week, the anxiety is completely gone.
198
You're not dreading the next call because you've already proven to yourself and to them that you can handle whatever happens.
199
Right, you've broken down that imaginary wall.
200
You realize it's not you against the client, or your English against their English, it's just two people trying to get some work done.
201
It really is just two people trying to solve a problem.
202
And honestly, once you see it that way, the whole concept of a language barrier just kind of melts away.
203
It becomes a communication puzzle, not a personal flaw.
204
Exactly.
205
It shifts your energy from defense to collaboration.
206
But you know, Leo, even when you know all of this intellectually, it still helps to practice the actual phrases so they come out naturally when you're under pressure.
207
Your brain needs that muscle memory.
208
Oh, absolutely.
209
When the adrenaline kicks in during a live call, you don't want to be searching your brain for the right vocabulary.
210
You want those phrases to just sit on the tip of your tongue, ready to go.
211
Yes, which is the perfect cue for us to transition into our favorite part of the show.
212
Let's slow things down, take a deep breath, and dive right into today's word tour.
213
Welcome to our calm little word tour.
214
This is the part of the podcast where we take a closer look at the key vocabulary
215
and phrasal verbs we use naturally in our conversation today, so you can start using them confidently in your own professional life.
216
Let's start with our very first phrase.
217
Language barrier.
218
A language barrier is any difficulty in communication experienced by people speaking different languages.
219
In our conversation, we talked about how this barrier often feels like a giant wall, but it's mostly just a lack of confidence.
220
For example, once we started focusing on the project goals, the language barrier didn't seem to matter as much.
221
Repeat after me: Language barrier.
222
Language barrier.
223
Perfect.
224
Our second word is clarify.
225
To clarify means to make something clearer or easier to understand, usually by explaining it in more detail.
226
In business contexts, asking someone to clarify a point shows that you are professional and paying close attention.
227
For example, could you please clarify the deadline for the final deliverables?
228
Repeat after me.
229
Clarify.
230
Clarify.
231
Great job!
232
Now, let's look at a very common phrasal verb used in online meetings.
233
"break up." When an audio or video connection begins to "break up," it means the sound or picture becomes interrupted,
234
distorted, or patchy because of a bad internet connection.
235
For example: "Sorry, your microphone is breaking up.
236
Could you repeat that last part?" Repeat after us.
237
Break up.
238
Excellent!
239
Our fourth tool is a noun and a verb, Recap.
240
A recap is a brief summary of what has already been discussed or decided.
241
As Anna mentioned, doing a quick recap at the end of a client call
242
is the ultimate safety net to ensure everyone is on the same page.
243
For example, let's do a quick recap of our action items before we finish the call repeat after me recap recap
244
Spot on.
245
And finally, our fifth phrase is a classic corporate phrasal verb: touch base.
246
To touch base simply means to briefly make contact
247
or talk with someone to see how things are going or to get a quick update.
248
For example, let's touch base again on Thursday afternoon to check our progress.
249
Let's practice the last one together.
250
Touch base.
251
Touch base.
252
Fantastic!
253
These five phrases are incredibly simple, but using them correctly will instantly make you sound more polished, confident, and professional on your international calls.
254
Definitely.
255
Don't worry about being completely flawless next time your camera turns on.
256
Just focus on connecting, helping, and using these tools to keep the communication smooth.
257
Thank you so much for listening and learning with us today on English Podcast for You.
258
Take care of your English and take care of yourselves.
259
Bye, everyone.
260
See you in the next episode.
261
Bye -bye.
App downloaden
Alles wat je nodig hebt om vloeiend te spreken
AI UitspraakScoor elke zin
IPA OefeningBeheers elk geluid
WoordenschatBouw je woordenschat op
WoordenspelLeren terwijl je speelt
Zelfde Kanaal
FOR YOU
Aanbevolen Video
B22
590 zinnen
How to Deal with Difficult Clients in English | Business English Conversations
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B1290 zinnen
My Boss Called Me In English And I Froze But Never Again | Phone Call English Practice
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
248 zinnen
Why Experienced Professionals Still Hesitate In English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B27
354 zinnen
Learn English With Podcasts | Real-Life Listening Practice at Native Speed!
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B25
236 zinnen
59k
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B26
337 zinnen
How to Talk About Problems at Work in English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B26
357 zinnen
Job Interview Questions And Answers | English Podcast For Learning English | Daily Life Conversation
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B22
258 zinnen
How to Think in English (And Stop Translating)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B1421 zinnen
English for Work: Meetings, Emails & Office Phrases!
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B22
210 zinnen
Small Talk Success: A Simple Trick to Go From Awkward 😬 To Brilliant 😎
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
495 zinnen
How to talk about Salary Expectations in english| ✅ English podcast
Business EnglishWorking Adults
Woordenschat en spreektips bij deze les
Deze spreekles op niveau B2 is gebaseerd op de video “How to Handle International Client Calls Smoothly in English”. Deze woorden komen het vaakst terug: English, recap, clarify, barrier, language. Deze video bevat 261 zinnen en 2880 woorden om na te spreken. Het gesproken deel duurt 17:53. De spreker praat in een natuurlijk tempo van ongeveer 161 woorden per minuut, dicht bij een alledaags gesprek. 83% van de woorden hoort bij de 3.000 meest gebruikte Engelse woorden; de rest kun je beter vooraf bekijken.
Belangrijke woorden in deze video
De 15 moeilijkste woorden uit de video, met uitspraak en betekenis:
| Woord | Uitspraak | Betekenis |
|---|---|---|
| clarify werkwoord | /ˈklæɹ.ɪ.faɪ/ | klaren |
| barrier zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈbæɹi.ə/ | barrière, versperring |
| verb zelfstandig naamwoord | /vɝb/ | werkwoord |
| vocabulary zelfstandig naamwoord | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | woordenschat, vocabulaire |
| flawless bijvoeglijk naamwoord | /ˈflɔləs/ | feilloos, foutloos |
| podcast zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈpɑdˌkæst/ | podcast |
| interrupt werkwoord | /ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/ | afbreken, onderbreken |
| stare werkwoord | /stɛɚ/ | staren |
| freeze werkwoord | /ˈfɹiːz/ | bevriezen |
| accent zelfstandig naamwoord | /ækˈsɛnt/ | accent, klemtoon |
| collaborator zelfstandig naamwoord | /kəˈlæbəɹeɪtɚ/ | medewerker, medewerkster |
| intimidate werkwoord | /ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt/ | intimideren, inschuchteren |
| stutter zelfstandig naamwoord | /ˈstʌtɚ/ | stotteren |
| distract werkwoord | /dɪˈstɹækt/ | afleiden |
| choke werkwoord | /t͡ʃoʊk/ | verstikken, stikken |
Phrasal verbs die je zult horen
| Woord | Uitspraak | Betekenis |
|---|---|---|
| break down werkwoord | stukgaan, kapot gaan | |
| come out werkwoord | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | uitkomen |
| set up werkwoord | /ˌsɛt ˈʌp/ | bereiden, voorbereiden |
| wrap up werkwoord | inpakken, omhullen |
Zinnen om te herhalen
Korte, volledige zinnen uit de video die je in alledaagse gesprekken kunt gebruiken:
- When it's casual, I'm fine.
- Can you hear me now?
- You just agreed to a budget you didn't even hear?
- Did you manage to save it?
- Wait, you actually did that?
Grammatica in deze video
De structuren die de spreker het meest gebruikt, met de exacte woorden uit de video:
| Structuur | In de video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + voltooid deelwoord — iets uit het verleden dat nu nog telt | you've never heard · you've forgotten · you've asked |
| Betrekkelijke bijzinnen who / which + zin — extra informatie over een persoon of ding | people who also · Yes, which is |
Uitspraak om op te letten
De spreker gebruikt 56 samentrekkingen en verkorte vormen, zoals you're, don't, you've. Spreek ze kort uit, zoals je ze hoort.
- De “th”-klanken: smoothly /ˈsmuːðli/, authenticity /ɑθɛnˈtɪsɪti/, warmth /wɔɹmθ/, authentic /ɔˈθɛn.tɪk/, rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/
- De klanken “sh” en “zh”: emotion /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/, clarification /ˌklæɹɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/, continuation /kənˌtɪnjʊˈeɪʃ(ə)n/, gosh /ɡɑːʃ/, perfection /pɚˈfɛk.ʃən/
- Lange woorden — let op de klemtoon: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, deliverable /dɪˈlɪvɹəbəɫ/, collaborator /kəˈlæbəɹeɪtɚ/, intimidate /ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt/, beautifully /ˈbju.tɪ.fə.li/
Klanken die Nederlandstaligen lastig vinden:
- Stemhebbende eindmedeklinker — /b/, /d/, /g/, /z/, /v/ niet verscherpen: verb /vɝb/, freeze /ˈfɹiːz/, lag /læɡ/, nod /nɑd/, dive /daɪv/
- /æ/ — opener dan de Nederlandse “e”: recap /ɹiːˈkæp/, clarify /ˈklæɹ.ɪ.faɪ/, barrier /ˈbæɹi.ə/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, podcast /ˈpɑdˌkæst/
- /g/ — een harde plofklank, geen Nederlandse “g”: glitch /ˈɡlɪt͡ʃ/, lag /læɡ/, navigate /ˈnæv.ɪ.ɡeɪt/, gosh /ɡɑːʃ/, grammar /ˈɡɹæm.ə(ɹ)/
Zo oefen je met deze video
- Luister de hele video één keer zonder te spreken en noteer de woorden die je niet kent.
- Begin op 0,75× snelheid, spreek zin voor zin na en ga terug naar normale snelheid zodra het makkelijk gaat.
- Neem jezelf op en vergelijk met het origineel; let daarbij op woorden als clarify, barrier, verb.
Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?
Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.