top of page

Business English Phrasebook

Natural phrases for real workplace situations.

Read it. Hear it. Practice it.

Busy at work

Busy at Work

Woman on the phone reviewing paperwork with the Business English phrase catch up, used in a short workplace dialogue with audio practice.

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.

catch up
00:00 / 00:16
catch up
Business English phrase “we hit a snag” with a stressed office worker, used in a workplace dialogue with audio practice.

HIT A SNAG

At a trade show

– Are the samples at the booth yet?
– Some of them are. We hit a snag earlier — the boxes with the new labels got sent to the wrong hotel.

We hit a snag
00:00 / 00:10
hit a snag
Business English phrase graphic about burnout with a stressed office worker and the text You’re going to burn yourself out.

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.

You're going to burn yourself out
00:00 / 00:14
burn out
Business English image with the word swamped next to a tall stack of paperwork, alongside a short dialog and audio so learners can see and hear how the word is used in real conversation.

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.

swamped
00:00 / 00:10
swamped
Business English Phrase graphic with a desk, chair, laptop, wall clock, and the phrase She’s out today.

BE OUT 

- Hey Jess, do you know where Melissa is? I’ve been trying to reach her, but she’s not answering.


- Oh, she’s out today. She should be back tomorrow.

She's out today
00:00 / 00:08
be out
Business English phrase image showing This week’s been a little crazy over a busy office background, with a short example dialog and an audio recording to help learners hear the phrase in context.

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.

This week's been a little crazy
00:00 / 00:08
This weeks been a little crazy

ADVERTISEMENT

Progress and Improvement

Progress and Improvement
Business English phrase level up shown with colorful upward arrows, representing growth, progress, and improving skills at work

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.

level up
00:00 / 00:12
level up
Decisions, Risks, and Impact

Decisions, Risks, and Impact

Business English Phrases square (1).png

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.

a blessing in disguise
00:00 / 00:12
a blessing in disguise
Business English vocabulary image for the phrase What’s the trade-off? showing a workplace conversation about making decisions at work.

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's the trade-off?
00:00 / 00:16
Whats the tradeoff
Business English graphic featuring the phrase In the long run with chess pieces in the background.

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?

in the long run
00:00 / 00:09
in the long run
be bound to
Man looking stressed at a desk with paperwork and laptop, representing the business English phrase thats bound to backfire

BE BOUND TO

– Just tell them we’re almost done. Maybe it buys us another day or two.


– I wouldn’t do that. That’s bound to backfire.

be bound to
00:00 / 00:08

ADVERTISEMENT

Drag drop done - English 300x250.png

Explaining and Communicating

Explaining and Communicating
Business English image with the phrase boil down to over a target with an arrow hitting the center, alongside a short dialog and audio so learners can see and hear how the phrase is used in real conversation.

BOIL DOWN TO

- 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.

boil down to
00:00 / 00:12
boil down to

Updates and Changes

Changes and Cancellations
Business English phrase call off on a calendar background, meaning to cancel a meeting or plan

CALL OFF

– Are we still meeting with them this afternoon?

– No, we had to call it off.

– What happened?

– I don't know. They just asked to reschedule.

call off
00:00 / 00:08
call off
Business English phrase “We’re back to square one” shown over a workplace meeting scene with professionals reviewing documents.

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 to square one
00:00 / 00:18
back to square one
Two coworkers talking, illustrating the Business English phrase touch base.

TOUCH BASE

– Can we touch base after lunch about the refund?
– Yeah, sure. Around one?
– Yeah, I just want to check one thing.

touch base
00:00 / 00:09
touch base
Business English phrase image with the text Keep me in the loop on a woman taking notes during a phone call.

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.

Keep me in the loop
00:00 / 00:12
keep me in the loop

About REAL Business English

Terms of Use

Privacy Policy

Contact Us

Cookies

  • alt.text.label.Facebook
  • alt.text.label.Instagram

Copyright ©2026 REAL Business English, LLC. All rights reserved.

​

This website is owned and operated by REAL Business English, LLC (Illinois). All content is created and published under the pen name Erin West.

bottom of page