Hello friends! Welcome back.
In this video lesson, we will learn ten Business
English idioms you can use when
you're speaking about business or doing business in English.
Together we will go through what this ten Business
English idioms mean, we'll go through
a few example sentences, so that you can use them
when speaking in English and when speaking
and doing business in English.
Friends, before we begin this video lesson, I would love
to hear from you. One common phrase we use in
Business English is: "What do you do for a living?"
This is a phrase we use to ask
somebody in English: "What's your job?" It's a very natural
and common expression. I would love to hear
from you: What do you do for a living?
Tell me in the comments below this video.
Fantastic! Back on topic, and let's start with the first idiom.
The first idiom
we have for today is: to be back at square one
this is a very common idiom used in Business English
if you have to start something over again.
An example of this business idiom in use
could be: Mary has been drafting ideas
for a new marketing plan for her boss.
Her boss wasn't happy with the marketing plan,
and unfortunately, Mary has to go back to square one.
Friends, here the idiom to be back to square one
is being used because Mary has to re-do the whole project,
because her boss wasn't happy with her ideas.
The second idiom we have for today is: to call it a day.
Friends, if somebody calls it a day, it means
that they decide to stop working.
Friends, this is a very commonly used idiom.
We'll hear this idiom being used in the workplace.
Somebody tells you they've decided to call it a day,
they're telling you that they've decided to stop working.
An example of this in a sentence could be:
You really need to call it a day! You've been working
for 10 hours straight.
The third business idiom we have for today is: to cut one's losses.
Friends, if you cut your losses, it means that you stop doing something
that's not productive, and something
that's not generating any results.
Withdrawing yourself from a situation where you're going to lose.
An example of this in a sentence could be:
They decided to close down that unprofitable store and cut their losses.
Friends, here the idiom to cut their losses
is being used because they're trying to avoid unprofitable
situations. So, situations where
they will lose, and they will not generate any income,
or any profits.
The fourth business idiom is: to get down to business.
Friends, this is also a very commonly used idiom,
and we use it to stop
mocking around, to start working.
So, if you're telling somebody to get down to business, you're telling them:
Hey, let's stop the small talk, let's start
working on the serious points we have to get through.
An example of this in use could be:
I got to work today, and I started talking about what I did yesterday.
My boss wasn't too happy with me. He said:
Adriana, let's get down to business already.
Here friends, what my boss was telling me, he was basically telling me:
Adriana, I don't care what you did yesterday,
stop having small talk with me, let's do
some work. Let's get down to business.
The fifth business idiom is: to learn the ropes.
Friends, this is also a very commonly used business
English idiom, in the workplace,
as if somebody learns the ropes, it means that they
are learning how to do new activities.
We use this idiom, to learn the ropes, with new co-workers,
who need to be taught and shown how
to do their tasks.
An example of this in a sentence could be:
We've recently taken on 5 new employees.
We need to show them the ropes ASAP.
Friends, here we're using the idiom to show them the ropes to say that
we need to teach them, show them
what they need to do. Also,
ASAP is an acronym, also
commonly used, and it stand for as soon as possible.
You may've noticed that I've said
ASAP, we do say it very fast
when we are speaking in English.
The sixth idiom is: to get off the ground.
Friends, if somebody tells you to get off the ground,
they are not telling you to get up because you're lying down
on the ground. We use this idiom, to get off the ground,
to describe starting or doing a project after
a lot of discussion. So, you may have been planning,
talking about starting a new project, or doing
something, but you need to get off the ground. You need
to start doing that. This is
when you can use this idiom. An example of this in a sentence
could be: We've spent three months
doing this project. Can we get it off the ground already?
Friends, here the idiom to get off the ground is being used
because we want to say that we want to start
the project. Try using this idiom
when you would like to talk about starting
or doing a project
after you've talked about it for a long time.
The seventh idiom is: at the eleventh hour.
Friends, we use this idiom to describe that something is being done
at the last minute. So, if you've done
something at the last minute, we can use the idiom at the eleventh hour.
An example of this in a sentence could be: Our project
manager won't be pleased that the plan has been changed at the eleventh hour.
Friends, here the eleventh hour is being used instead of
saying the last minute.
Friends, you can use this idiom to describe plans or projects
being changed, and other things, at the last minute.
The eight idiom is: to cut corners.
Friends, I hope you're not cutting corners when you're learning English.
If you cut corners, it means that you take the easy path.
You don't do the hard work, you look for the easy option.
This is also a very commonly used idiom in
the workplace
and also among friends. You can use it when you're talking about projects,
plans and other things. An example of this in a sentence
could be: If Mary cuts corners, she won't
meet her sales targets for the first financial quarter.
The ninth idiom, the ninth Business
English idiom is: in a nutshell.
You may hear this idiom also being used in meetings.
If somebody says in a nutshell, they are saying: in summary.
So, they as summarising something
in as few words as possible.
An example of this in a sentence could be:
In a nutshel, Mary's business is blooming.
The tenth, and final Business English idiom for today
is to go the extra mile.
Friends, if you're looking for a job, if you're working for somebody,
they may expect you to go the extra mile.
Friends, if you're expected to go the extra mile, it means
that they expect more from you.
They expect more than what's already expected from you.
An example of this in a sentence could be:
Mary's such a great team player! She always goes the extra mile.
Friends, here, Mary always does more than
what's expected from her.
There you have it, friends! Ten business English idiom you can use
when speaking in English. Remember friends,
in order for you to be improving your English, to be improving
your spoken English, you have to be using your English.
Use your English with us
in the Using English TP classroom.
Watch this video lesson here to learn more about the Using English TP classroom.
You'll also find a great playlist
here, to help you gain the confidence
to speak in English. Remeber friends, if you like
this video lesson, make sure to like it and share
this video with a friend learning English.
Thanks for being here and see you next time.
Bye for now.