Mastering Office Small Talk: Common Phrases for Non-Native English Speakers
Small talk is a crucial part of office culture, and it can help you build relationships with your coworkers and managers. It might seem simple, but small talk can sometimes be difficult to navigate, especially if you are not a native English speaker. You might almost feel like an alien on a strange planet, painfully trying to comprehend the intricate social dance of “water cooler talk.” In this blog post, we’ll go over some common small talk topics and phrases that you might encounter in the office.
Checking in about your day
One of the most common small talk topics in the office is checking in about your day. This can be a great way to start a conversation and show your coworkers that you are interested in their well-being. Here are a few phrases you can use:
- How’s your day going?
- How’s your morning so far?
- Busy day?
- Slow day?
- Can’t complain, I’m doing alright.
- Could be worse.
Weekend obsession
Another common small talk topic is the weekend. People love to talk about their weekend plans, so this can be a great way to break the ice with your coworkers. Here are a few phrases you can use:
- What you got going on this weekend?
- How was your weekend?
- Got any weekend plans?
- I’m just going to stay local.
- Bumming around town.
Cliches
There are also some small talk cliches that you might encounter in the office. While these phrases might seem a bit overused, they can be a great way to start a conversation. Here are a few examples:
- Working hard or hardly working?
- TGIF!
- Case of the Mondays.
- The grind.
- The rat race.
- Can I pick your brain?
Bragging about being busy
Finally, some people like to brag about how busy they are at work. While this might seem a bit strange, it can be a way for people to show that they are important and have a lot of responsibility. Here are a few phrases you might hear:
- I’m swamped.
- I’m up to my eyeballs in work.
- I’ve got a full plate.
- I’ve got balls in the air.
- I’m slammed.
- I’ve got back-to-back meetings/conference calls.
- My schedule is packed.
- I have a tight deadline.
Small talk is an important part of office culture, and it can help you build relationships with your coworkers and managers. While it might seem a bit daunting at first, with practice, you’ll be able to navigate these conversations with ease. Check out our English for Professionals course, which includes even more fantastic language for work.
Check out our video below to see small talk in practice! Remember to be friendly, show interest in others, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Good luck!
