👥 Meetings English中文版
30 useful English phrases for meetings
In a meeting, the hard part is often not understanding people. It is knowing what to say, and when: how to open, how to jump in, and how to disagree without sounding rude.
These 30 phrases follow the order of a real meeting, on Zoom, Teams or in person. Each one is something people actually say at work today, with a short note on when to use it.
Starting the meeting
Shall we get started?
A friendly way to start the meeting on time.
Thanks, everyone, for joining.
A polite opening line, in person or online.
Can everyone hear me okay?
A quick sound check at the start of a video call.
We'll start at nine sharp tomorrow, so please log on a few minutes early.
Tells people the start time is exact, not roughly nine. 9 o'clock sharp: Full explanation →
The agenda
Let's quickly go through the agenda.
Used at the start to show what the meeting will cover.
There are three things I'd like to cover today.
Gives the meeting a clear shape from the start.
The main goal today is to agree on the launch date.
States the one result the meeting needs.
Is there anything you would like to add to the agenda?
Invites others to raise topics before you begin.
Giving opinions
From my point of view, the timeline is a bit tight.
Shares a concern in a calm, personal way.
I think we should focus on the mobile app first.
A clear but soft way to make a suggestion.
What are your thoughts, Karen?
Brings a quiet person into the discussion.
Just to throw an idea out there, what if we ran a small trial first?
Offers an idea without pushing it too hard.
Agreeing and disagreeing politely
That's a good point.
Shows you value what someone just said.
I'm with you on that.
A relaxed, natural way to agree.
I see where you're coming from, but I'm not sure it'll work.
Disagrees gently by first showing you understand.
I'm not sure I agree. Could we look at the numbers again?
Pushes back politely and moves the talk to facts.
Interrupting and asking to clarify
Sorry to jump in, but can I just add something?
The polite way to interrupt someone.
Sorry, could you say that again? You cut out for a second.
Use it when the call drops for a moment.
Just to clarify, do you mean this month or next month?
Checks a detail so nobody gets it wrong.
Sorry, go ahead.
Use it when two people start talking at once.
Parking a topic and moving on
Let's circle back to this at the end.
Parks a topic so the meeting can move on. circle back: Full explanation →
Let's take this offline.
Moves a side topic out of the meeting.
In the interest of time, let's move on.
Keeps the meeting on schedule without sounding rude.
Action items and deadlines
So, who's going to take care of this?
Makes sure every task has an owner.
Do we have the bandwidth to take this on before Christmas?
Asks if the team has time and people for more work. bandwidth: Full explanation →
Can we aim to have this done by Friday?
Sets a deadline in a soft, team-friendly way.
Let's touch base again next Tuesday to see where we are.
Plans a short check-in on progress. touch base: Full explanation →
Closing the meeting
I'll follow up with an email summarising the action items.
Promises a written summary after the meeting. follow up: Full explanation →
Please keep everyone in the loop if anything changes.
Asks people to share updates with the whole team. keep me in the loop: Full explanation →
Thanks, everyone. I think that's all for today.
A simple, friendly way to end the meeting.
Phrases explained in full
Common mistakes
✗ Let's discuss about the budget.
✓ Let's discuss the budget.
"Discuss" takes the topic directly, with no "about". You can say "talk about the budget" instead.
✗ I am agree with Peter.
✓ I agree with Peter.
"Agree" is already a verb, so you don't need "am" before it.
✗ Can you repeat again?
✓ Could you say that again?
"Repeat" already means "say again", so "repeat again" doubles it. "Say that again" sounds more natural.
✗ Let's open a meeting tomorrow.
✓ Let's have a meeting tomorrow.
In English you "have", "hold" or "set up" a meeting. "Open a meeting" is a direct translation from Chinese.
✗ Please revert to me by Friday.
✓ Please get back to me by Friday.
"Revert" means "go back to an earlier state". Most native speakers say "get back to me" for "reply to me".
✗ I have a question want to ask.
✓ I have a question.
This mixes two sentences. Say "I have a question" or "Can I ask something?"
Tips
- Soft words make a big difference. Could we…?, I think… and Just to clarify… sound much friendlier than direct orders.
- To disagree, first show you understand: I see your point, but…
- Bad connections are normal online. Just say Sorry, you cut out for a second.
- Before you finish, check who does what, and by when. That matters more than anything else said in the meeting.
- Learn one section at a time. Try one new phrase in your next meeting and it will stick.
FAQ
How do I interrupt politely in a meeting?
Say Sorry to jump in, but… or Can I just add something here? Starting with "sorry" keeps it light. In an online meeting you can also use the raise-hand button or the chat.
How do you pronounce "agenda"?
It is /əˈdʒendə/, with the stress on the second part: a-GEN-da. The first "a" is very short and soft.
What should I say if I can't hear someone on a call?
Try Sorry, you cut out for a second. Could you say that again? You can also say You're breaking up a bit.
What does "let's take this offline" mean?
It means "let's talk about this later, outside the meeting." People say it when a topic only involves a few people or is taking too long.
What is the word for meeting notes?
They are called minutes, always plural: Who's taking the minutes today? The tasks people agree to do are action items.
DictionifyChrome extension
Found an English word you don’t know?
Double-click any word on any website. Dictionify reads the whole sentence and explains what the word means in that sentence, in plain English, with pronunciation and examples. Go Pro for unlimited lookups and translations, plus Summary and Polish.
Add to Chrome- Pro: unlimited lookups
- Summary and Polish
- 7-day Pro trial