English for the Post Office: Sending, Tracking, Collecting
A stamp, a parcel and a tracking number cover most trips to a post office in English: I'd like a book of stamps, please. I want to send this parcel to Spain. How much is tracked delivery? I've got a delivery notice. A visit is a short sequence of set exchanges, each with its own polite frame.
Below: stamps, parcels, tracked post, customs forms, collecting a delivery and two dialogues. Level: A2 to B1.
Buying stamps at the counter
The opening line names what you want and adds please.
| Situation | What to say |
|---|---|
| Buying a few stamps | I'd like a book of stamps, please. |
| Choosing a type | Two first class and two international stamps, please. |
| Checking the size | Does this count as a large letter or a parcel? |
| Asking the price | How much is postage to Australia? |
Use I'd like or could I rather than I want, which sounds like an instruction. The shopping phrases use the same frames; the banking phrases show why a fixed charge is a fee.
Sending a parcel
Parcels add two questions: how much it weighs, and how fast it should arrive.
| Question | What it asks |
|---|---|
| I'd like to send this parcel to Spain. | Names the item and the destination |
| Could you weigh it, please? | The price depends on weight |
| How much is airmail? | The faster, more expensive option |
| What's the cheapest option? | Usually surface mail, by ship and road |
Airmail goes by plane and takes about a week; surface mail goes by ship and can take four to six weeks.
Registered, tracked and signed for
These three words sound alike but promise different things.
| Word | What it gives you | Example |
|---|---|---|
| registered post | Recorded and insured against loss or damage | I'd like to send it registered, please. |
| tracked delivery | A tracking number you can follow online | Could I get a tracking number? |
| signed for | The recipient must sign on arrival | It needs to be signed for, so someone should be home. |
Filling in the form
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| sender | Your own name and address; the parcel comes back to you if it cannot be delivered. |
| recipient | The person the parcel is going to. |
| postcode | The postal area code for the address. |
| customs declaration | A short description of what is inside, such as books, gifts or clothing. |
| value | The cost of the contents, used for insurance and customs. |
Describe the contents honestly and give a realistic value.
Collecting a parcel
If nobody was at home, the postman leaves a notice and the parcel waits at a depot or a local counter.
| Situation | What to say |
|---|---|
| Showing the notice | I've got a delivery notice. Can I collect the parcel here? |
| Explaining what happened | Nobody was at home when the postman called. |
| Offering ID | I'll bring my ID and the notice. Here's my passport. |
| Asking about a charge | Is there a fee to pay before I collect it? |
Keep the notice until the parcel is in your hands; it carries the reference number.
Tracking and changing your address
| Problem | What to say |
|---|---|
| Tracking a parcel | Where can I track it? The tracking says it left the depot on Tuesday. |
| An item that is late | It hasn't arrived yet. Could you check what happened? |
| Moving house | I'd like to redirect my mail to my new address. |
| Going away | Could you hold my mail while I'm away? |
Read a tracking number one digit at a time, in groups of three; the rhythm and stress guide covers pausing clearly.
Words that trip learners up
| Pair | What separates them |
|---|---|
| parcel / package / packet | A parcel is wrapped and posted; package is the American word for the same thing; a packet is a small container, like a packet of biscuits. |
| postcode / ZIP code | Postcode is used in Britain, Ireland and most countries; ZIP code is used in the United States. |
| send / deliver / post | You send or post a letter; the postman or courier delivers it. |
| by post / in the post | I'll send it by post names the method; it's in the post means it has already been sent. |
The small talk phrases keep the counter exchange friendly without slowing the queue.
Dialogue 1: sending a parcel at the counter
| Clerk | You |
|---|---|
| Good morning, next please. | I'd like to send this parcel to Spain, please. |
| Certainly. Let me put it on the scales. It's just under two kilos. | How much is airmail? |
| Airmail is nineteen pounds; surface mail is nine pounds and takes about five weeks. | I'll take airmail, please. Could I also have a tracking number? |
Dialogue 2: collecting a parcel that needs a signature
| Clerk | You |
|---|---|
| Hello. How can I help you? | I've got this delivery notice. Can I collect the parcel here? |
| Thank you. There's a small customs charge to pay. | That's fine. Could I have a receipt? |
| Certainly. Sign here, please, and the parcel is yours. | Thanks very much. Have a good day. |
British and American differences
| British | American |
|---|---|
| post | |
| postcode | ZIP code |
| postbox or pillar box | mailbox |
| first class | priority mail |
| postman or postie | mail carrier |
| parcel | package |
| I'll post it | I'll mail it |
Common mistakes to correct early
- Postcode and ZIP code swapped. Use the term for the country you are in.
- In the post for an unsent letter. It's in the post means it has gone.
- A packet where a parcel is meant. A packet of biscuits is a small container, not a wrapped parcel.
- How much is the stamp? for a parcel. The price you pay is the postage; a stamp is the sticker for a letter.
- I want to send with no please. The polite frame I'd like to send opens the exchange more smoothly.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between post and mail?
They mean the same thing. Post is the usual word in Britain, Ireland and Australia; mail is the usual word in the United States. I'll post it and I'll mail it are equally correct.
How do I ask to send a parcel abroad?
Say I'd like to send this parcel to Spain, please. The clerk will weigh it and offer options. Ask How much is airmail? Then add Could I have a tracking number? if you want to follow it.
What does signed for mean?
Signed for means the recipient has to sign when the item arrives, so someone should be at the address. If nobody is in, a delivery notice is left and the item waits at the depot.
What should I write on a customs declaration?
Describe the contents briefly and honestly, for example books, gifts or clothing, and give the value of what is inside. An accurate description and value help the parcel clear customs without a delay.
How do I collect a parcel if I missed the delivery?
Take the delivery notice and some ID to the address printed on it and say I've got a delivery notice. Can I collect the parcel here? Keep the notice until you have the parcel, because it carries the reference number.