At the Post Office

80 words and phrases for confident communication at a post office.

Study materials

WordTranslationTranscription
post officeA public place where letters and parcels are sent, collected, and processed.
postal workerA person employed to accept, sort, deliver, or manage mail.
parcelAn item wrapped or boxed for delivery by post./ˈpɑːrsəl/
letterA written message sent in an envelope./ˈletər/
envelopeA flat paper container used for a letter or document./ˈenvəloʊp/
stampA small label showing that postage has been paid./stæmp/
addressThe details showing where mail should be delivered./əˈdres/
senderThe person or organization that sends a letter or parcel./ˈsendər/
recipientThe person or organization intended to receive something./rɪˈsɪpiənt/
postcodeA group of letters or numbers identifying a delivery area./ˈpoʊstkoʊd/
labelA piece of paper or material showing delivery information./ˈleɪbəl/
boxA rigid container used to protect items during delivery./bɑːks/
weightA measurement of how heavy something is./weɪt/
scaleA device used to measure the weight of an object./skeɪl/
sendTo arrange for something to be delivered to another place./send/
receiveTo be given or delivered something./rɪˈsiːv/
deliveryThe act or process of taking something to its destination./dɪˈlɪvəri/
collectionThe act of picking up mail from a stated location./kəˈlekʃən/
mailLetters and parcels handled by a postal service./meɪl/
queueA line of people waiting for service./kjuː/
counterA service desk where postal transactions are handled./ˈkaʊntər/
formA document with spaces for required information./fɔːrm/
receiptA record confirming payment or acceptance of an item./rɪˈsiːt/
tracking numberA unique code used to follow an item through the delivery network.
How much does it cost to send thisA question asking the price of posting a particular item.
When will it arriveA question asking for the expected delivery time.
domestic mailLetters and parcels sent within the same country or postal territory.
international mailLetters and parcels sent to another country or postal territory.
return addressThe sender's address used if an item cannot be delivered.
fragileEasily broken or damaged and therefore needing careful handling./ˈfrædʒəl/
sign hereAn instruction asking someone to place a signature in a marked space.
first classA postal service intended to deliver more quickly than a slower standard class.