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Business English Phrasebook
Listen to natural Business English phrases in short workplace conversations.
Read it. Hear it. Say it out loud.
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Busy and Under Pressure
CATCH UP
– Can you call Erin back? She wants to know if she has to redo her direct deposit form.
– Not right now. I’m still catching up from yesterday. I have to deal with this paperwork first.
– Okay — should I tell her you’ll call after lunch?
– Yeah, that works.
to do work you did not have time to finish earlier
Say it out loud: I’m still catching up from yesterday.
BURN OUT
– You’re still here?
– Yeah. I need to finish this tonight. Deadline’s Thursday.
– Yeah, I know, but at this rate, you’re going to burn yourself out. You need a break.
to become physically or mentally exhausted from working too much
Say it out loud: You're going to burn yourself out.
SWAMPED
– Hey, do you have a minute?
– Sorry, I’m swamped right now. I’m trying to finish this by the end of the day.
– No worries. We can talk later. Just let me know when you’re free.
– Okay.
extremely busy with too much work to do
Say it out loud: I'm swamped right now.
THIS WEEK'S BEEN A LITTLE CRAZY
– Sorry, this week’s been a little crazy.
– I get it. I just need 20 minutes of your time, if you can make that work. It’s pretty urgent.
I’ve been very busy this week
Say it out loud: This week's been a little crazy.
Deadlines and Timelines
ALLOW FOR
to consider something when planning and make sure there is enough time, money, or space for it
– Can I schedule Daniel for 10:30, right after Elena?
– Let’s make it 10:45. We should allow for some extra time.
Say it out loud: We should allow for some extra time.
Progress and Improvement
LEVEL UP
- I'm still doing the same kind of work I was doing two years ago.
- Then level up. I don't know... Learn something new, get better at it, take more responsibility.
to improve your skills or performance
Say it out loud: Then level up. Learn something new, get better at it.
Decisions and Risks
NARROW DOWN
to reduce a larger number of choices or possibilities to a smaller number
GO WITH
to choose one option from the choices available
– We’ve narrowed it down to three options. What do you think?
– I’d go with the second one. It gives us the best balance of cost and timing.
Say it out loud: We've narrowed it down to three options.
I'd go with the second one.
IT'S A WIN-WIN.
it is good for both sides
A Better Delivery Option
– What if we let customers choose a delivery window?
– That could work. They get more control, and we get fewer support calls. It’s a win-win.
Say it out loud: It's a win-win.
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IN HINDSIGHT
At a Career Fair
– We only gave people five minutes to get from the panel to their meetings with employers. Half of them were still in the hallway when those meetings started.
– Yeah. In hindsight, we should’ve built in at least fifteen minutes.
after seeing what happened, looking back
Say it out loud: In hindsight...
WE NEED TO ACT ON THIS TODAY.
– Should we call them tomorrow?
– No, tomorrow’s too late. We need to act on this today. If we wait, they may contact someone else.
We need to do something about this today.
Say it out loud: We need to act on this today.
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A BLESSING IN DISGUISE
– I still can’t believe we had to delay the launch.
– Yeah, but maybe it’s a blessing in disguise. We found that billing issue. Imagine the mess if people got charged twice.
something that seems bad at first but later leads to a good result
Say it out loud: It's a blessing in disguise.
WHAT'S THE TRADE-OFF?
– The commercial oven from Westside Equipment would cost a lot less.
– What’s the trade-off?
– Well, we’d save money now, but the thing is they don’t have local technicians. So if something goes wrong, we could be stuck for days.
What do we lose or give up to get this benefit?
Say it out loud: What's the trade-off?
IN THE LONG RUN
– If we keep lowering prices every time business slows down, in the long run that’s going to hurt us.
– Maybe, but what else are we supposed to do?
over a long period of time; in the future
Say it out loud: In the long run, that's going to hurt us.
Explaining and Summarizing
BOIL DOWN TO
1.
– When you look at the whole situation, what do you think matters most to the client?
– At the end of the day, it all boils down to trust. If they don’t trust us, the rest doesn’t really matter.
to be mainly about one important thing
Say it out loud: It all boils down to trust.
2.
– Is the price the issue?
– No, it all boils down to timing. If we can start next week, they’ll probably say yes.
Say it out loud: It all boils down to timing.
Problems, Meetings, and Updates
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COME UP WITH
to think of or create an idea, plan, or solution
WORKAROUND
another way to deal with a problem when the usual way isn’t possible
– Every downtown hotel that Finance approved is sold out for the trade show. They won’t reimburse a stay anywhere else.
– Okay, then we’ll have to come up with a workaround. Maybe we can book that hotel near the airport and arrange transportation into the city.
Say it out loud: Then we'll have to come up with a workaround.
GET UP TO SPEED
1. to learn the latest information about something;
2. (get someone up to speed) to give someone the information they need
– So, the opening’s delayed again? Can you get me up to speed?
– The fire department says we need a second emergency exit.
Say it out loud: Can you get me up to speed?
BACK TO SQUARE ONE
– So, what’s going on with Daniel? Did he accept?
– I thought he was going to, but he emailed me this morning. Looks like his company matched our offer, and he says he’s staying.
– Seriously? After all those interviews?
– Yeah. We’re pretty much back to square one.
back at the beginning after an attempt or plan has failed
Say it out loud: We're pretty much back to square one.
KEEP ME IN THE LOOP
– Jenna just texted. She’s running late. Mike is already at the front desk.
– Right. I’ll ask him if he can wait.
– Thanks. Keep me in the loop, okay? I’ll see if Paul can start the meeting.
to continue giving me updates about what is happening
Say it out loud: Keep me in the loop, okay?
