How to Say You're Busy Without Sounding Rude | Business English Speaking Practice
5 Minute English Talk

How to Say You're Busy Without Sounding Rude | Business English Speaking Practice

B1IntermediateOctober 18, 20267 min
  • Language lesson
  • Language learning

Too busy at work but don't know how to say it politely in English? In this episode of 5-Minute English Talk, Chris and Jane teach you how to say you're busy without sounding rude, unfriendly, or unprofessional. Learn natural Business English expressions to manage your workload, decline requests politely, ask for more time, and set professional boundaries while maintaining good relationships with coworkers and managers. Important Sentences & Expressions “I'm a bit tied up right now.” — Politely explain that you're busy.“I've got a lot on my plate.” — Say you have several responsibilities.“I'm working on...

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Sentence 1 of 12 · 0:00

, ?

Uhh, Chris, I've got about five things to finish before lunch.

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  • B20:32
  • B21:06
  • B22:27
  • B23:11
  • C14:15
  • B25:08
  • B25:53
  • C17:03

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B1 · Intermediate

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A1 50%A2 40%B1 11%B2 0%C1 0%
  • 100% of the words are B1 or easier.
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  • 17 harder words (B2 and up) in the whole episode.

Transcript

The opening of the episode. The whole transcript is in the player.

0:00

Hey Jane, got a minute? Uhh, Chris, I've got about five things to finish before lunch. Oh, okay. So is that a yes or a no?

0:18

Haha, sorry. That came out a little rude, didn't it? Well, just a little. Okay, let me try again.

0:26

I'm a bit tied up right now. Should we talk after lunch? Absolutely! See?

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