👥 Meetings English中文版
What does “bandwidth” mean?
have the bandwidth (to do sth)
/ˈbændwɪdθ/
＝ the time and energy you have to take on more work
It started as an internet word. At work it describes how much more a person can handle. Managers use it when giving out work, and people use it to say no politely.
In plain English
Internet bandwidth is like a pipe: the wider the pipe, the more data can flow through at once.
At work, people are the pipe. Do you have the bandwidth? means “do you have room for one more task?” I don’t have the bandwidth means “I’m full, I can’t take it.”
It sounds more neutral than “I’m busy”. It is about how much work you have, not whether you want to help, so it is a polite way to say no.
5 meanings of bandwidth
- bandwidth (for work)the time and energy to take on more workWork
Do you have the bandwidth to take on this project?
- don't have the bandwidthto be too busy to take on anything elseWork
I'd love to help, but I don't have the bandwidth this month.
- mental / emotional bandwidththe energy your mind has left for thinking or feelingEveryday
After that week, I have no mental bandwidth left for decisions.
- team bandwidthhow much work a team can handle with its peopleWork
We don't have the bandwidth for a second launch in March.
- bandwidth (technical)how much data a network can send in a given timeTech
Video calls use a lot of bandwidth.
Sentence patterns
| Pattern | Example |
|---|---|
| have the bandwidth to do sth | Does anyone have the bandwidth to review this report? |
| have (no / some / limited) bandwidth for sth | I only have limited bandwidth for new requests until June. |
| free up bandwidth | Hiring an intern will free up bandwidth for the senior staff. |
| be short on / low on bandwidth | We're short on bandwidth while Joyce is on leave. |
Real-life examples
👥 A manager giving out work
Manager: The client wants a new proposal by Friday. Do you have the bandwidth to take this on?
Karen: I can, if I push the training deck to next week. Is that OK?
💬 Saying no to a colleague
Eric: Could you help me check these 200 invoices?
Fiona: Sorry, I don't have the bandwidth today — I'm on the audit. Maybe ask Sam?
📧 An update to a client
Our team is short on bandwidth during the year-end rush, so we suggest starting phase two in January.
Common mistakes
✗ I don't have bandwidth to do it.
✓ I don't have the bandwidth to do it.
The work phrase usually has “the”: have the bandwidth to do something.
✗ My bandwidth is very busy.
✓ I'm very busy. / I don't have much bandwidth.
Bandwidth is an amount, so it cannot be “busy”. Talk about having more or less of it.
✗ Do you have bandwidths for this?
✓ Do you have the bandwidth for this?
In the work meaning, bandwidth is uncountable. No “s”.
✗ I don't have the bandwidth.（對上司說完就停）
✓ I don't have the bandwidth this week, but I could start on Monday.
Just saying no can sound like you are avoiding work. Add a reason or another option.
Before and after ✨
Replying to a manager who gives you more work, rewritten with Dictionify’s Polish: removed words are crossed out and new words are highlighted.
Hi Peter, sorry I cannot do this new project, I am very full now and too many works. Maybe you find other people.
Hi Peter, sorry I cannot do this new project, thanks for thinking of me. I am very full don't have the bandwidth right now and too many works. Maybe you find other people. because the tender is due on the 30th. I could take it on after that, or Daisy might be free sooner.
- I am very full now and too many works → I don’t have the bandwidth right now: “work” is uncountable, so never “works”; “bandwidth” is short and neutral.
- The reason, because the tender is due on the 30th, shows you are not just avoiding the task.
- Maybe you find other people sounds rude; I could take it on after that, or Daisy might be free sooner offers a solution.
Similar and opposite phrases
| Phrase | Meaning | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| capacity | how much a person, team or system can handle | More formal. Often used for teams and factories: “We’re at full capacity.” |
| have time for | to have free time to do something | The simplest way. Only about time, not energy. |
| have a lot on my plate | to have many things to deal with | Casual. Says you are already busy, often used to say no. |
| stretched thin | trying to do too many things with too few people or too little time | Stresses that energy or staff are spread too far. |
Opposite: have time to spare (to have extra time); free / available (not busy and able to take on new work)
Quick quiz
Pick an answer to check it straight away.
Your manager asks “Do you have the bandwidth for this?” She wants to know…
Answer: C. At work, bandwidth means the time and energy to do more.
Which sentence sounds most natural?
Answer: C. Bandwidth is uncountable. We usually say “have / don’t have the bandwidth”.
“Streaming 4K video needs a lot of bandwidth.” Here bandwidth means…
Answer: A. In a tech context, bandwidth is how much data can be sent.
FAQ
Is it rude to use “bandwidth” to say no to my boss?
No. It is actually one of the more neutral ways to say no at work, because it is about workload, not willingness. Add a reason and another option: “I don’t have the bandwidth until the audit is done, but I can start next Monday.”
Is “bandwidth” countable?
In the work meaning it is uncountable. Don’t say “bandwidths” or “a bandwidth”. Say “the bandwidth”, “some bandwidth”, “more bandwidth” or “limited bandwidth”.
“Bandwidth” vs “capacity”: what is the difference?
Both can mean how much work you can handle. “Bandwidth” is more casual and often about one person. “Capacity” is more formal and used for teams, factories or systems: “The factory is running at full capacity.”
What does “mental bandwidth” mean?
It means the brain power or energy you have left to think about things: “I don’t have the mental bandwidth to plan the party.” People use it at work and in everyday life.
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