In this lesson, you’ll learn 39 natural English phrases for common workplace situations.
You’ll learn how to reschedule a meeting, ask for an opinion, explain a problem, start a difficult conversation, give yourself time to think and support a colleague.
I’ll also show you which expressions are informal and which are safer in most international workplaces.
Watch the lesson
In the video, I go through the 33 core phrases and explain how people use them in real conversations. Below, you’ll find workplace examples, tone notes and six extra phrases that are particularly useful in English meetings.
These Business English phrases are useful for meetings, calls and everyday conversations with colleagues, managers and clients.
- Changing or rescheduling plans at work
- Responding when someone changes plans
- Asking for an opinion at work
- Explaining your point clearly
- Starting difficult conversations
- Asking for time when you need to think
- Supporting a colleague
- Six extra Business English phrases for meetings
- Practice
- Frequently asked questions
English phrases for changing or rescheduling plans at work
Meetings move. Deadlines change. Something urgent comes up. These phrases help you explain that you can’t keep the original arrangement and suggest another time.
1“I’m afraid I can’t make it.”
Use it when you need to tell someone politely that you can’t attend a meeting, call or event.
Tone: Polite and suitable for most workplace situations.
At workI’m afraid I can’t make the 3 pm call. I’ve been asked to join a client meeting at the same time. Could we move it to Thursday morning?
Or add the day directlyI’m afraid I can’t make it on Wednesday. Would Friday work instead?
2“Something has come up.”
Use it when an unexpected problem means you need to change your plans, but you don’t need or want to explain all the details.
Tone: Natural and common. It deliberately keeps the reason vague.
At workSomething has come up and I need to move our one-to-one. Could we do Friday instead?
With an important client, give more information if the reason affects them or their work.
3“I’m tied up all afternoon.”
Use it when you already have meetings or other work and you aren’t available.
Tone: Natural but slightly informal. It works well with colleagues.
At workI’m tied up all afternoon, but I’m free between nine and eleven tomorrow.
To be tied up means to be busy with something you can’t easily leave.
4“Can we bring the meeting forward to…?”
Use it when you want the meeting to happen earlier than originally planned.
At workCan we bring the meeting forward to Tuesday morning? I’ll be travelling on Wednesday.
In British English, bring something forward means arrange it for an earlier time or date.
5“Can we push the meeting back to…?”
Use it when you want the meeting to happen later.
At workCan we push the meeting back to four? I need another hour to finish the figures.
Bring forward = earlier. Push back = later.
It’s always useful to give the new time or date. That removes any possible confusion.
6“I have to call off the meeting.”
To call off a meeting means to cancel it.
At workI’m afraid I have to call off tomorrow’s meeting. Two of the people we need won’t be available.
Call off is natural English, but cancel is clearer if you’re speaking to someone who may not know the phrasal verb: I’m afraid we need to cancel tomorrow’s meeting. If you intend to meet on another day, you can then suggest a new time.
7“Can we do Tuesday instead?”
Use this when the original time doesn’t work and you want to suggest a simple alternative.
Tone: Natural and useful with colleagues and people you already work with.
At workI can’t make Thursday afternoon. Can we do Friday morning instead?
You don’t always need a long explanation. If the other person only needs a new time, keep the message simple.
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How to respond when someone changes the plans
Sometimes you’re not the person cancelling or changing the meeting. Someone else tells you that they can’t come.
These expressions help you respond naturally without making a small change sound like a serious problem.
8“Oh, that’s a pity.”
Use it when you want to show mild disappointment.
Colleague: I won’t be able to come to the team dinner after all.
You: Oh, that’s a pity. I was looking forward to seeing you there.
This sounds warmer than simply saying okay.
9“Don’t worry about it.”
Use it when someone apologises and you want to reassure them that the change isn’t a problem.
At workDon’t worry about it. We can move the call to next week.
You’ll often hear this after an apology.
10“No worries.”
This has a similar meaning to no problem.
Tone: Informal. Very natural with colleagues in many workplaces.
At workNo worries. Just send me the new time when you have it.
With a formal client or someone you don’t know, no problem is usually the safer choice.
11“No problem.”
Use this when you want to make it clear that the change is fine.
At workNo problem. Thursday afternoon works for me as well.
This is one of the safest and easiest responses to remember.
12“Things happen.”
Use it when something unexpected has caused a small problem and you want to show that you understand.
Tone: Informal.
Colleague: Sorry about the late notice. My train was cancelled.
You: Things happen. Don’t worry about it.
Be careful with this phrase if the problem is serious. If somebody has caused a major delay or the client is upset, things happen may sound too casual.
Natural English phrases for asking for an opinion at work
Asking for someone’s opinion is a normal part of meetings and day-to-day work. The phrase you choose depends on the person and how formal the conversation is.
13“How do you feel about…?”
Use this when you want someone’s reaction to an idea or possible change.
At workHow do you feel about moving the launch to September?
At workHow do you feel about having the client presentation online instead?
This question often asks for more than a simple yes or no. You’re asking how the person sees the idea.
14“What do you think of…?”
This is one of the most useful ways to ask for an opinion.
At workWhat do you think of the revised proposal?
At workWhat do you think of moving the deadline to Friday?
It works naturally with colleagues and managers.
15“What do you reckon?”
Reckon means think or believe.
Tone: Informal.
At workWhat do you reckon? Is Friday realistic?
This is natural spoken English with colleagues you know well. For a client, senior manager or formal meeting, use What do you think? or What’s your view on this?
Free Business English resources
If you use English at work, you may need more than one set of phrases. You might need to ask for clarification, answer an unexpected question, check your email tone or prepare for a meeting.
I’ve put the free resources together in one place, so you can choose the one that matches the situation you need help with.
See the free Business English resources →English phrases for explaining your point clearly
You may know the facts perfectly well but still need a phrase that helps you start the explanation.
These expressions are useful when someone hasn’t understood you, when you need to explain a decision or when you want to make the main problem clear.
16“What I mean is…”
Use this when your first explanation wasn’t clear enough or you want to say the same thing more precisely.
At workThe report isn’t ready to send yet. What I mean is, the figures are complete, but we still need to check the conclusions.
This is useful when you notice that someone has understood your point differently.
17“The reason for this is…”
Use this when you want to explain why something happened or why a decision was made.
At workWe need to postpone the launch. The reason for this is that the client hasn’t approved the final design yet.
You can also use the shorter version: The reason is that the client hasn’t approved the final design yet. Both are correct.
18“The main problem is…”
Use this when there are several issues but one matters more than the others.
At workThe main problem is that we don’t have enough data to make a decision yet.
OrThe main problem is the deadline. We can do the work, but we can’t finish it properly by Thursday.
This phrase helps you get to the important point quickly.
19“Let me explain what I mean.”
Use this when you need another chance to explain your point.
At workLet me explain what I mean. I’m not suggesting that we cancel the project. I think we should delay the second stage until we have the final figures.
- Just let me explain.Let me explain what I mean.
Just let me explain can sound defensive if the conversation is already tense.
20“Well, the thing is…”
Use this when you need to explain a problem, hesitation or difficulty.
Tone: Informal and conversational.
At workWell, the thing is, we don’t have the final figures yet, so I’d rather not send the report today.
It can give you a little time to organise your thoughts, but don’t use it repeatedly in an important presentation or formal meeting.
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Listen to the lesson
Prefer listening? This lesson is also available on Speak Better English with Harry, Episode 521.
Listen to the full explanation, then come back to the workplace examples on this page and choose the phrases you could use in your own job.
English phrases for starting a difficult conversation at work
A difficult conversation is often difficult before it even begins. You know you need to discuss a problem, disagreement or concern, but you aren’t sure how to introduce it.
Start simply. You don’t need a long formal opening.
21“I have something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Use this when you need to introduce an important or sensitive subject.
At workI have something I’d like to discuss with you. It’s about the changes to the project timeline.
It tells the other person that the conversation is important without making it sound dramatic.
22“I’d like to talk about…”
This is slightly more direct.
At workI’d like to talk about the workload for the next two weeks.
At workI’d like to talk about the client feedback we received yesterday.
The other person immediately knows what the conversation is about.
23“I need your help with…”
Use this when you genuinely need another person’s knowledge, advice or support.
At workI need your help with the budget forecast. There are two figures I’m not sure about.
This is clear and natural. Asking directly for help doesn’t make you sound incapable when you also explain what you need.
24“I think we’re looking at this differently.”
Use this when you and the other person have different views or have understood the situation in different ways.
At workI think we’re looking at this differently. I’m talking about the deadline for the draft, not the final report.
- I think we have different perceptions about this.I think we’re looking at this differently.
It describes the disagreement without making the conversation more confrontational.
25“Could we go through this again and make sure we’re clear on what was agreed?”
Use this when there is a disagreement or possible misunderstanding about a decision.
At workCould we go through this again and make sure we’re clear on what was agreed? I understood that our team would prepare the figures, but not the full presentation.
This is useful because it asks both people to check the facts instead of immediately deciding who was wrong.
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English phrases for when you need time to think
One of the most useful things you can learn in Business English is how to avoid answering too quickly.
You don’t have to give an immediate answer just because someone is waiting.
26“I’m really nervous about…”
Use this when you want to tell a colleague that you’re worried about something.
Tone: Personal and conversational.
At workI’m really nervous about tomorrow’s presentation. I know the material, but I’m worried about the questions at the end.
You’re more likely to use this with a colleague you trust than during the presentation itself.
27“Give me a moment.”
Use this when you need a few seconds to think.
At workGive me a moment. I just want to check the figures before I answer.
OrGive me a moment to think about that.
This is much better than guessing because you feel you have to answer immediately.
28“Bear with me.”
Bear with me means please be patient for a short time.
At workBear with me for a moment. I just want to finish this point and then I’ll come back to your question.
It’s natural in spoken English, but it sounds better when you explain what the other person is waiting for.
29“This keeps me up at night.”
Use this when something is worrying you a lot.
Tone: Informal and quite strong.
At workThe security issue is the part that keeps me up at night. We need to be certain the client data is protected.
People sometimes use it figuratively. They don’t necessarily mean that they literally can’t sleep. Don’t use it for every minor problem.
30“I can’t stop thinking about…”
Use this when an issue has stayed on your mind.
With a colleagueI can’t stop thinking about the client’s comments yesterday. I think we may have missed something important.
This is quite personal. A calmer professional alternative is: I’ve been thinking a lot about the client’s comments yesterday.
When you need time to think in an English meeting
- Give me a moment.
- Bear with me for a moment.
- I just want to check that before I answer.
- Give me a second to think.
Natural English phrases for supporting a colleague
Business English isn’t only about presentations, meetings and formal language. You also talk to colleagues when they’re stressed, disappointed or having a difficult day.
31“How can I help?”
This is often more useful than simply saying don’t worry.
Colleague: I’ve got three deadlines this week and I don’t know which one to start with.
You: How can I help?
It gives the other person a chance to tell you what they actually need.
32“I know what you’re going through.”
Use this when you’ve genuinely had a similar experience.
At workI know what you’re going through. I had the same problem when I took over my first international project.
Don’t use this automatically. If you haven’t had a similar experience, say That sounds difficult or I can see why you’re worried about it.
33“That really sucks.”
This is natural spoken English, but it is very informal.
Close colleague: I’ve got to work all weekend again.
You: That really sucks.
Don’t use this with a client, senior manager or in formal workplace communication. A safer version is That’s really frustrating or That sounds really difficult.
Six extra Business English phrases for meetings
The phrases above work in everyday conversations as well as at work. These next six are particularly useful when you’re taking part in meetings in English.
34“Can I add something here?”
Use it when you want to join the discussion.
At workCan I add something here? We had the same problem with the German team last year.
It gives you a clear way to start speaking instead of waiting for someone to ask for your opinion.
35“Just to make sure I’ve understood…”
Use this when you want to check what someone has said.
At workJust to make sure I’ve understood, you need the revised figures by Thursday morning. Is that right?
This is one of the safest phrases to use when English isn’t your first language. Checking is better than leaving the meeting with the wrong information.
36“That’s a good question. Give me a second to think.”
Use this when someone asks you an unexpected question and you need a little time.
At workThat’s a good question. Give me a second to think.
You don’t need to fill every second of silence. This phrase gives you time to organise your answer.
37“I see your point, but…”
Use this when you understand another person’s argument but don’t completely agree.
At workI see your point, but I’m not sure we have enough time to make that change before Friday.
It allows you to disagree with the idea without sounding as if you’re attacking the person.
38“My concern is that…”
Use this when you want to raise a possible problem.
At workMy concern is that we don’t have the final figures yet.
- I don’t like this idea.My concern is that we don’t have the final figures yet.
It tells people exactly what the problem is.
39“Just to confirm, we’ve agreed to…”
Use this near the end of a discussion when you want to make sure everyone has the same understanding.
At workJust to confirm, we’ve agreed to send the draft on Tuesday and the final version on Friday.
This is particularly useful when several people have discussed dates, responsibilities or different options.
If you can follow the discussion but sometimes need longer to find the words
Speak Up in Meetings gives you practical English for the moments that cause problems in real meetings.
You’ll find phrases for joining the discussion, asking for time to think, clarifying, interrupting politely, disagreeing, raising concerns and checking what was decided.
See Speak Up in Meetings →Practise these English phrases for work
Choose the response that sounds most natural for each situation. Your score appears once you’ve answered all six.
0 of 6 answered
You can’t attend a meeting on Wednesday and want to suggest Thursday.
You want your colleague’s opinion about changing a deadline.
Someone has misunderstood part of your explanation.
You and your colleague seem to have understood a decision differently.
Your manager asks you an unexpected question during a meeting. You know the answer, but you need ten seconds to think.
You disagree because the proposed deadline looks unrealistic.
Answers
Show the answers
- I’m afraid I can’t make it on Wednesday. Could we do Thursday instead?
- What do you think of moving the deadline to Monday?
- What I mean is, the figures are ready, but the written report still needs to be checked.
- Could we go through this again and make sure we’re clear on what was agreed?
- That’s a good question. Give me a second to think.
- I see your point, but I’m not sure we can complete everything by Friday.
Frequently asked questions about natural English phrases for work
What are some natural English phrases for better communication at work?
Useful phrases include:
- I’m afraid I can’t make it.
- What do you think of…?
- What I mean is…
- The main problem is…
- I have something I’d like to discuss with you.
- Give me a moment.
- Can I add something here?
- Just to make sure I’ve understood…
- I see your point, but…
- Just to confirm, we’ve agreed to…
These phrases help with common situations such as meetings, changing plans, explaining problems and discussing different opinions.
How can I sound more natural when I speak English at work?
Don’t try to learn long sentences for every possible situation.
Choose short phrases that help you start speaking. For example:
Can I add something here? / Give me a moment. / What I mean is… / I see your point, but…
Once you’ve started, you can add the details that are specific to your work.
How can I reschedule a meeting politely in English?
You can say:
I’m afraid I can’t make it on Thursday. Could we do Friday instead?
If you want an earlier meeting:
Can we bring the meeting forward to Tuesday?
If you want a later meeting:
Can we push the meeting back to four?
Always give the new date or time clearly.
What is the difference between bringing a meeting forward and pushing it back?
Bring a meeting forward means move it to an earlier time or date.
Can we bring Friday’s meeting forward to Thursday?
Push a meeting back means move it to a later time or date.
Can we push the meeting back from two to four?
When you work with an international team, give the exact new date or time so there is no misunderstanding.
What can I say when I need time to think in an English meeting?
You can say:
Give me a moment to think about that. / That’s a good question. Give me a second to think. / Let me check that before I answer.
These phrases give you a little time without making you sound unprepared.
Is “What do you reckon?” professional?
It’s natural spoken English, but it’s informal.
You can use it with colleagues you know well:
What do you reckon? Is Friday realistic?
In a more formal meeting, use:
What do you think? / What’s your view on this?
Is “That really sucks” appropriate at work?
Only in informal conversations with colleagues you know well.
It would usually be too informal with a client, senior manager or someone you don’t know.
Safer alternatives are:
That’s really frustrating. / That sounds difficult.
Natural English phrases for work to remember
You don’t need to remember all 39 phrases at once. Start with the situations that happen regularly in your job.
- For changing plans I’m afraid I can’t make it. / Can we do Tuesday instead?
- For asking for an opinion What do you think of…?
- For explaining yourself What I mean is… / The main problem is…
- For a difficult conversation I have something I’d like to discuss with you. / I think we’re looking at this differently.
- When you need time Give me a moment. / That’s a good question. Give me a second to think.
- In meetings Can I add something here? / Just to make sure I’ve understood… / I see your point, but… / My concern is that… / Just to confirm, we’ve agreed to…
Pick a few phrases that fit the conversations you actually have at work. Practise saying them aloud and use the same ones several times. They’ll be much easier to find when you need them.
This is Harry saying thanks for reading. Join me again soon.
Related English lessons
If this lesson was useful, these will help you handle the same conversations with more confidence.
- How to Give Your Opinion in English Use it when you need to ask for someone’s view or explain your own opinion more clearly in a discussion.
- How to Ask for Clarification in English Use it when you didn’t understand part of an explanation, instruction or meeting and need the other person to explain it again.
- How to Disagree in English Politely Use it when you disagree with a colleague, manager or client but don’t want your English to sound too direct.
- Must-Have English Phrases for Online Meetings Use it for Teams and Zoom meetings when you need to join the discussion, clarify something, deal with a problem or check what was decided.