How to Say “I have a client call” in Chinese
Work and study · HSK 3
"I have a client call" in Chinese is 我要跟客户开会 (Wǒ yào gēn kèhù kāi huì). Chinese doesn't really distinguish 'call' from 'meeting' the way English does; 开会 covers both in-person and video calls, since Tencent Meeting 腾讯会议 and DingTalk 钉钉 are where most client work happens anyway. If you need to specify a phone call, say 跟客户打电话; for a video call, 跟客户视频.
Primary translation
我要跟客户开会
Wǒ yào gēn kèhù kāi huì
Traditional: 我要跟客戶開會
Variants by register
Formal
我要和客户开会
Wǒ yào hé kèhù kāi huì
Casual
我要跟客户开个会
Wǒ yào gēn kèhù kāi gè huì
When to use it
Chinese doesn't really distinguish 'call' from 'meeting' the way English does; 开会 covers both in-person and video calls, since Tencent Meeting 腾讯会议 and DingTalk 钉钉 are where most client work happens anyway. If you need to specify a phone call, say 跟客户打电话; for a video call, 跟客户视频. 跟 (gēn) and 和 (hé) both mean 'with'; 跟 is more colloquial and common in Beijing speech, 和 is slightly more formal and safer in writing. Adding 个 before 会 (开个会) makes it sound casual, like saying 'hop on a quick call'.
Example sentences
不好意思，我要跟客户开会，晚点再聊。
Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ yào gēn kèhù kāi huì, wǎn diǎn zài liáo.
Sorry, I have a client call, let's talk later.
我五点要跟客户开会，别打扰我。
Wǒ wǔ diǎn yào gēn kèhù kāi huì, bié dǎrǎo wǒ.
I have a client call at five, don't interrupt me.
客户会开完我就回你。
Kèhù huì kāi wán wǒ jiù huí nǐ.
I'll get back to you as soon as the client call is done.