jump on a call
/dʒʌmp ɒn ə kɔːl/
to join a phone or video call quickly, usually a short one arranged at short notice
In the video
The client is waiting, and the boss asks Peter to jump on a call. Peter takes it literally: he runs, leaps onto the desk and lands on the phone, BOING, BOING, CRUNCH, squashing it flat. The boss walks in and shouts, “You’re standing ON my phone!”
What it really means
Here “jump” does not mean leaping into the air. It means doing something quickly and straight away, as in “jump in”. So “jump on a call” means joining a call quickly.
It is very common at work, usually for a short, unplanned phone or video call on Zoom or Teams. It sounds more relaxed and friendly than “have a meeting”.
When to use it
Use it to ask someone to talk with you soon, as in “Can you jump on a call?” or “Let’s jump on a call to discuss it.” “Hop on a call” means the same. It is mostly used between colleagues, in speech or chat messages.
Examples
- Can you jump on a call at three?
- Let’s jump on a call and sort this out.
- Sorry, I have to jump on a call with a client.
Common mistake
✗ I jumped on a call for two hours with the whole company.
✓ Can you jump on a call for five minutes?
“Jump on a call” is for a quick, informal call. For a long, formal meeting with many people, say “attend a meeting” or “join a conference call”.
Similar phrases
- hop on a call join a call quickly, just as casual
- get on a call join a call, more neutral, without the sense of “right now”