business idioms Kayla

Workplace Phrases

• Cutting Corners - Doing something in the easiest, but not necessarily the most efficient or correct, way. A negative connotation.
• Walk me through it - A request for somebody to explain a process in detail, step by step. Commonly used for new tasks or technical ones.
• With all due respect - A polite phrase to add to a critique or suggestion, communicating that the speaker is trying to be respectful when offering an alternative.
• Put a pin in something - Postponing a discussion about a certain topic. Useful in meetings or when facing a time constraint.
• By the book - Following every single rule and procedure. Can refer to a person who strictly adheres to regulations.
• Let's look at the big picture - Considering the larger context or long-term goals. Helpful to avoid focusing solely on immediate details.
• Came up short - Failing to meet expectations or reach a target. Often used when discussing financial or goal-oriented situations.
• Hit the ground running - Starting an activity or project with enthusiasm and immediate action. Often associated with eagerness and efficiency.
• Think outside the box - Finding creative solutions to a problem, especially when traditional methods fail. Often valued in workplaces seeking innovative solutions.
• Back to the drawing board - Starting over completely when a previous attempt fails. A common idiom when encountering roadblocks in problem-solving.
• Have your ear to the ground - Paying close attention to what's going on and "listening" for information. Useful when seeking insights or anticipating changes.
• Moving the goal post - Changing the requirements or expectations during a project or task, making it more difficult to achieve. Considered unfair and disruptive.
• Throwing in the towel - Giving up on something after multiple attempts. Often associated with frustration or a lack of progress.
• Hit the nail on the head - Being completely correct, especially in analyzing a situation or problem. Often used as a compliment.
• Throwing a curveball - Unexpectedly changing the situation or introducing a new element. Can be disruptive or confusing.
• Keep your cards close to your chest - Maintaining secrecy about plans or tactics. Useful in negotiations to gain an advantage.
• Throwing someone under the bus - Blaming someone else for a mistake or failure. A negative and unethical practice.
• Opening a can of worms - Starting a discussion about a complex and potentially problematic topic. Can lead to lengthy discussions with no easy solutions.
• All hands on deck - Requesting everyone to contribute to a project or task. Often used in situations demanding urgent or important work.
• Another day, another dollar - An American expression that signifies the routine of working to earn money. Typically used to cope with daily work demands.
• I’ve got to get to work - It's time to start work.
• Running on time, running early, or running late - Expressions to describe how early or late a person is or expects to be for work.
• Let’s go to lunch - Time to take a break and eat lunch, can be eaten on-site or off-site.
• Let’s grab lunch together - A casual way to suggest getting a meal together.
• Light workload, heavy workload - Terms to describe the amount of work that needs to be completed.
• Today is a breeze - A day for which the tasks are easy to accomplish.
• Tied up - Busy and unable to answer questions or help.
• Up to my neck - overwhelmed with tasks or meetings.
• Put out a ton of fires - Dealing with multiple issues or problems at once.
• Let’s call it quits - Time to finish the workday.

Ending the Day

• "Let's call it a day" means it's time to stop working for the day.

Working Day Slang

• "TGIF" stands for "Thank God it's Friday" and expresses happiness about the weekend starting.
• "Happy Hump Day" is a casual, humorous phrase used on Wednesdays, acknowledging that the week's halfway point is reached.

Leaving Work & Commute

• "Bumper to bumper traffic" describes heavy traffic where cars are close together, like a parking lot on the road.
• A "detour" is a different route taken due to road closures, construction, or heavy traffic.
• "Running errands" refers to completing tasks or going out to pick up or drop off items, such as groceries, mail, or coffee.
• "Picking up groceries" means going to the grocery store to buy food.
• Saying "stopping for gas" or "getting gas" means pulling over to refuel your car.

Fuel Concerns

• "Running on empty" or "running on E" means your car is low on fuel, and "E" stands for "empty" on the fuel gauge.
• "Topping off the gas" means filling your gas tank completely, even when it's not empty.

Dinner Time

• "Grabbing a bite" or "grabbing dinner" means going out to eat at a restaurant.
• "Picking up dinner" is when you buy ready-made food from a restaurant for takeout.
• "What's for dinner" is how you ask about the dinner plans.
• "How does _______ sound?" Like, "How does Italian sound?", is a way to suggest a type of food for dinner.
• Saying "I could go for _______" Like, "I could go for pizza", means you're craving that specific food.

Evening Activities

• "Going for a run" means going out to run for exercise.
• "Taking a stroll" refers to a leisurely, enjoyable walk.
• "Turning on a movie" means starting a movie to watch.
• "Picking up the house" means cleaning and putting everything back in order.
• "Running a load of laundry" involves washing and drying clothes.
• "Loading the dishwasher" means placing dirty dishes in the dishwasher.
• "Taking out the trash" involves moving the trash can to the curb for pickup.

Going to Bed

• "Headed to bed" means preparing to go to sleep.
• "Hitting the hay" is a more informal way of saying you're going to sleep.
• "Tuckered out" or "tired out" are ways of saying you're very tired.
• "Scrolling social media" means looking through apps on your phone.
• "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bed bugs bite" is a common, playful way to say goodnight.

Phone Calls

• "Can you hear me okay" is a way to check if the other person can hear you clearly.
• "You're breaking up" means the other person's voice is cutting in and out.
• Saying "I have bad service" warns the other person about possible connection issues.
• "Can you repeat that" or "Sorry, I didn't catch that" are polite ways of asking the other person to repeat what they said.

Common Phone Call Openings

• "Hey, what's going on" is a casual way to start a phone call, asking what they're doing or how they're feeling.
• "Nothing much, what's up with you?" is a common response to "What's going on?".
• "I'm just calling to catch up" means you want to talk about each other's lives and how you've been.
• "Just calling to check in" means you want to make sure they're doing okay.
• Saying "I'm just calling to check up on you" means you want to see how they're doing, especially if they're unwell.

Starting Phone Conversations

• "What have you been up to lately?" is a friendly way to ask what they've been doing.
• "What's new?" is another casual way to start a conversation.
• "I've got a favor to ask" is a polite way to ask for help.
• "Shoot, I'm all ears" or "Totally" is a casual way to say "yes" and encourage the person to ask for their favor.

Making Plans

• "Hey, what are you up to?" or "What are you up to right now?" are informal ways to ask if they're busy.
• "What time did you have in mind?" is a way to ask what time works best for them.
• "Your place or mine?" is a casual way to ask where you should meet.
• "Could you text me the details?" means you want the person to text you the location, time, and other relevant information for the plan.
• "Do you want me to pick you up?" means asking if you should drive to their house to pick them up.

Making Plans: Additional Questions

• "How are you getting there?" is a way to ask how they plan to get to the meeting place.
• "Who's going to be there?" is a way to ask about who else will be at the meeting.
• "Have you eaten yet?" is a polite way to find out if the other person is hungry.
• "Let's grab a bite" is a casual way to suggest going out to eat.

Making Plans

• When asking someone about their preference for food, clarify that you are asking about the type of food, not the ethnicity of people.
• When offering a ride, use phrases like "Do you need a ride?" or "I'll drive."
• Three common phrases to end casual phone calls: "Well, it's a plan," "It's a date" (even if not a romantic date), and "I can't wait."

Scheduling Appointments

• Common phrases: "I need to make an appointment" or "I'm calling to schedule an appointment."
• When asked about availability, give a time range.
• "Penciling someone in" means fitting them into a tight schedule.
• Confirm information like date of birth and address.
• If the suggested time doesn't work, ask for other available times using phrases like "Do you have anything available the next week?" or "Do you have anything available in February?"
• Ask for clarification if unsure about the information.

Ending Phone Calls

• "Take care" is a polite and suitable salutation for both formal and informal conversations.
• "Have a good one" is commonly used in informal phone calls.
• "Have a good day" or "Have a great day" are suitable for formal conversations.
• "Have a blessed day" is popular in the Southern United States.
• "Thanks again" expresses gratitude and signifies a helpful conversation.
• "Thanks for calling" can be used to express gratitude to the caller or received from the caller.
• "Take it easy" is a friendly and casual way to say goodbye.
• "Talk to you soon" or "See you soon" are appropriate if you will see the person soon.
• "Keep in touch" suggests a desire to maintain contact.

Formal Communication

• Use "Good morning" and address people by name.
• In formal situations, use "It's a pleasure to meet you" instead of "nice to meet you."
• "Allow me to introduce myself" is a good icebreaker for introducing yourself to groups. 
• "I appreciate your prompt response" expresses gratitude for quick responses.
• "Thank you for considering my proposal" expresses gratitude for reviewing your proposal or idea.
• "I appreciate your assistance" conveys appreciation for help.
• "May I have a moment of your time?" politely requests someone's time.
• "I would like to express my gratitude for your support" expresses appreciation for help and support from others. 
• "I'm delighted to be working with such a talented team" is a formal compliment to a team. 
• "Please let me know if there's anything I can assist you with" offers help and assistance.

Informal Communication

• Use "Hi, how's it going?" to greet someone in an informal setting. 
• "Nice to see you again" is a welcoming greeting for someone you have met before.
• "Did you have a good weekend?" is a friendly question to ask about personal time. 
• "You bring a lot to the team" is a compliment about a teammate's contributions.
• "You are so positive" is a positive comment about a person's attitude.
• "I enjoyed working on this project together/ working alongside you" expresses appreciation for working alongside someone else.
• "You are really moving the needle" compliments a person's progress and success.
• "I couldn't ask for a better teammate/coworker" is a very complimentary statement about a teammate or coworker. 
• "What do you think about grabbing lunch sometime this week?" invites someone to have lunch together in a casual manner.
• "I'm looking forward to working with you more" expresses enthusiasm for working alongside someone else.

Navigating Meetings and Presentations

• "Good afternoon, thanks for being here" is a polite greeting for an afternoon presentation.
• "Before we begin, I'd like to acknowledge everyone's hard work" is a compliment to team members.
• "I'd like to add on to what [person's name] said earlier" is a phrase to add to a point raised in a meeting.
• "I completely agree with your perspective [person's name]" expresses agreement with someone's idea or point of view.
• "Thank you so much for bringing that to our attention [person's name]" expresses appreciation to someone for raising a point.
• "Can you elaborate on that point a bit more for me?" requests further explanation.
•   "Can you show us how you reached your conclusion?" is a formal way to ask for an explanation.
• "I appreciate your input, let's explore that further" expresses appreciation for someone's opinion.
• "Let’s take a moment to review the key points" suggests a quick review of essential information covered. 
• "If there are no further comments, let's move on to the next agenda item" keeps the meeting moving. 
• "In conclusion, I believe that this approach will lead to success" is a formal way to summarize and conclude a presentation or meeting. 

Formal Written Communication

• "Dear [person's name], I hope this email finds you well" is a polite greeting for a first email.

• "Thank you for your prompt response to my inquiry" shows appreciation for a quick response. 

• "I wanted to follow up to our recent conversation" refers to a previous discussion.

• "Here's the document you requested, it is attached" or "Please see the attached" directs the recipient to the attached document.

• "I look forward to hearing your thoughts on the matter" expresses eagerness to hear another person's opinion.

• "Your attention to detail is much appreciated" is a compliment for carefulness.

• "May I have your attention please?" politely requests attention. 

• "I apologize for any confusion, let me clarify" offers an explanation for any misunderstanding.

• "If you have any questions do not hesitate to ask" encourages the recipient to ask questions.### Common Workplace Phrases

• Best regards is a common closing for emails.

• I trust this message finds you well can be used to begin a message with a pleasantry.

• To sum up our conversation today can be used to briefly review what a conversation has covered.

• Let's reflect on what we've covered means to think about what has been discussed.

• I encourage everyone to share their thoughts before we conclude means to ask for opinions before ending a meeting or conversation.

• Thank you all for your active participation is a polite way to thank those who spoke and participated in a meeting.

• As we move forward, let's keep these key points in mind is a way to remind people about important information.

• I encourage you all to apply these concepts to your daily interactions advises people to use the information discussed.

• Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need any clarifications means that the speaker is available for questions and desires understanding.

• Keep up the fantastic work is a way to praise someone for a good job.

• I'm confident that our teamwork will lead to success is an optimistic statement about future success.

• I'm looking forward to our continued collaboration expresses enthusiasm for working together.

• Let's get you up to speed means to give someone missing information.

• We have something in the pipeline means that a project is in progress.

• We're going to pull the plug on it means to stop a project or activity.

• You'll get the hang of it means that someone will eventually learn to do something well.

• You get the picture means that someone understands something, often after a brief explanation.

• Brownie points is a phrase used for unofficial recognition of good work.

• To burn the midnight oil means to work late into the night.

• You're on the hook for something means that someone is responsible for something.

• You're off the hook for that one means that someone is no longer responsible for a mistake.

• Can you meet me halfway means to find a compromise or compromise a little.

• You were sold a bill of goods means that someone received a bad deal or product.

• Can you pencil me in means to ask someone if they can add a short meeting to their schedule.

• I need to crunch the numbers means that someone needs to do some calculations.

• Self starters are people who are motivated and do not need constant supervision.

• To move the goalpost means to change the requirements or expectations of a task.

• Cash cow refers to something that generates a lot of money.

• Is this up to date is used to ask if information is current.

• Do you want to take five means to suggest a short five-minute break.

• Let's drum up some business means to try to find new customers or sales.

• To pick someone's brain means to ask an knowledgeable person for advice or information.

• We are running short on time means that there isn't much time left.

• We are okay on time means that there is enough time to do what needs to be done.

Sample Workplace Conversations

• Take your time is a polite way to express patience while someone is doing a favor for you.
• Jump into means to start working on something without hesitation.
• Build on means to improve or add to something.
• Let's see what happens means to be patient and see what happens.
• It's a struggle means that something is difficult.
• Quality time means spending time with someone in a focused and meaningful way.
• To be honest is a formality that means the speaker is being honest and blunt.
• I didn't love it means that someone was not very impressed or satisfied.
• For the long haul means that someone is in it for the long term and is committed.

Common Phrases

• Don't be silly: A way to disagree with someone or give a compliment in a lighthearted way. It means the person is being foolish or their statement is incorrect.
• I can see that: A phrase expressing agreement. It means you understand or acknowledge what the person is saying.
• Nailed it: A phrase used to signify someone did a great job. It emphasizes success or achievement.

Expressions of Help and Support

• Thanks a million: Saying "thanks a million" signifies great appreciation for someone's help.
• You're more than welcome: Means you're happy to help someone and there's no problem doing so.
• You can handle it: This expresses confidence in someone's ability to do something on their own.
• I have faith in you: Expresses belief in someone's abilities and potential.

Other Phrases and Concepts

• Quitting time: The end of the workday, similar to "clocking out" or "getting off work."
• Chill out: Means to relax or calm down. Can be used as a command or a statement.
• That's what I need: Expresses the satisfaction of relaxing after a hard day. Can be used sarcastically if something is actually undesirable.