Words (Core Vocabulary)
- chequing account / savings account
- debit card / credit card / credit limit / APR (interest)
- statement / due date / minimum payment / balance
- e-Transfer (Interac) / Autodeposit / security question
- void cheque / direct deposit / pre-authorized debit (PAD)
- institution number / transit number / account number
- pending / posted / hold period / NSF (non-sufficient funds)
- overdraft / overdraft protection / fee
- ATM / surcharge / withdrawal / deposit
- chargeback / dispute / fraud alert
Phrases (Open → use → fix issues)
Opening/changes
- I’d like to open a chequing and savings account.
- Could you set up direct deposit for my pay?
- I need a void cheque with my institution, transit, and account numbers.
Day-to-day
- Can I increase my e-Transfer limit?
- Please enable Autodeposit so funds go directly into my account.
- Could you waive this ATM surcharge/fee?
Issues
- There’s a pending charge I don’t recognize—how do I dispute it?
- A cheque is on hold—what’s the release date?
- I missed the credit card due date—what are my options to avoid extra interest?
Contextual Examples (Natural, everyday)
- Payroll: Here’s my void cheque for direct deposit setup.
- Transfer: I sent an e-Transfer—did you get the Autodeposit confirmation?
- Dispute: I’d like to open a dispute for this duplicate charge—case number, please.
Collocations & Phrases (bold the key words)
Accounts & pay
- set up direct deposit
- authorize a pre-authorized debit
- transfer between accounts
- download a statement
Cards & limits
- increase a credit limit
- freeze a card
- replace a lost card
- enable tap/online payments
e-Transfers
- send/receive an e-Transfer
- enable Autodeposit
- cancel a pending transfer
- resend a notification
Issues
- file a chargeback
- report fraud
- lift a hold
- reverse an NSF fee (if bank agrees)
Canadian Cultural Context (How to sound natural & polite)
- Interac e-Transfer is widely used; Autodeposit reduces phishing and failed answers.
- Holds on cheques or large deposits are common; ask for the expected release.
- Keep an eye on due dates—credit cards accrue interest on carried balances.
Extra Mini-Patterns (plug-and-play)
- Limits: “Could you increase my daily e-Transfer limit and enable Autodeposit?”
- Hold: “This deposit is on hold—when will it post to available funds?”
- Dispute: “I need to dispute a duplicate charge—please provide a case number.”