Learn New Business Expressions

 

 

In today’s episode we learn what Brainstorming means, we also learn the phrases such as, think outside the box, all hands on deck and learning curve. Enjoy :)

Transcript

Hola amigos, you are listening to the English Made Simple Show, this is episode number 1-0-9, numero ciento nueve.

Hello hello, what’s up amigos? How’s it hanging? Hope everyone is fine and dandy.

Welcome amigos, you are listening to the Short and Sweet episode of the EMS Show, this is your host …..Mmmmmmilena from www.englishmadesimple.net.

Meñique is not here, it’s just Milena. Milena today.

And today we are going to learn more English expressions – how exciting! Exciting stuff! Yes more English expressions that you would typically hear spoken around offices or during business meetings or maybe your colleagues might use them as well.

I hope the expressions we learnt in episode 107 were useful to you and I hope you learnt something new there.

And now it’s time we learn something new. Bear in mind, these expressions can be used in any situation not just in business, but they are often used in businesses.

So the expressions that you are going to learn today, you can use in any situation.

Are you ready to start amigos? Awesome! And if you are not ready to start, I don’t really care! So, listen carefully.

I want to begin with a simple expression, the one I use often. Let’s start off with an example.

When it comes to learning English, I encourage you to think outside the box.

To think outside the box – to think freely and beyond the traditional way of thinking. Come up with imaginative ideas, develop creative and unusual ideas, that’s what it means. It’s a figure of speech, box.

Normally used when brainstorming ideas in a meeting, trying to find different solutions to a problem for example.

I said something new here, brainstorm!

Brainstorm is 1 word, this one is good one know! The best way to describe this in Spanish is planificar, cranear, Tirar ideas. Brainstorm is like…you know let’s dump all the ideas we have in our heads, every possible idea you can think, let’s put that on the paper, let’s write them down and then make a decision. You can brainstorm as a group or by yourself, I like to brainstorm ideas for my show. I like to brainstorm the topics that I think would be useful to you.

That’s what I do every month, I brainstorm ideas for the show.

Cool, easy peasy japanesy.

The next expression that I want to teach you is to Reach out or reaching out.

You can use it when you write emails or when you are talking with somebody.

For example: I just wanted to reach out to you and introduce myself.

For example: Thanks for reaching out.

This is a phrasal verb, To Reach Out To Someone

Literally speaking, to reach out means to open your arms as if you were going to hug somebody. You can also reach for something like nutella for example. You extend your arm far enough to touch nutella on the top shelf. Haha To reach out. That’s a literal meaning.

In Spanish – Llegar a o alcanzar

When said as a phrasal verb, To Reach out To Someone – means to initiate contact with someone, to really make effort to communicate with someone.

I used to hear this expression used a lot in the offices, in the office environment. I really don’t like when people use this expression, I think it’s been over-used. But anyway, it is my opinion and nobody cares what I think.

That’s what my husband says at least, nobody cares what you think Milena.

You know what? Whatever!

The next expression I’d like you to know is

Learn the ropes

I am just learning the ropes.

To learn the ropes – 3 words – To Learn the ropes – is to learn how a particular job is done. Basically learning. To learn, that’s what it means.

Hey Carlos, how is your new job going? It’s ok, I am still learning the ropes.

Learning the ropes expression is actually a nautical term – relacionado con la marina o nautica – and it comes from the time when ships had sails and didn’t run by fuel or steam – ships meaning barcos here. I am not talking about sheep – domesticated animals. A Short ‘I’ sound, ship or ships in plural. Barcos o naves.

Any new recruits that join the crew on the ship had to learn to tie the ropes. Hence the phrase learning the ropes. It’s something that beginners had to do on their first day on the ship.

Ha, that’s a bit of history trivia for you!

Another two nautical expressions that are used in the business world are:
Welcome aboard and All hands on deck.

Welcome aboard – just means welcome.

All hands on deck – this is said when everyone in the team is needed to help with a project or a situation at hand.

For example: It was all hands on deck to get the project completed in time.

Okey dokey.

Before you start learning the ropes at the company, you must first get your foot in the door.

A-ha! Your next expression here amigos.

Get your foot in the door.

Let me explain with an example. I can tell my friend. Hey Ana, I got a job in marketing as a marketing co-ordinator, it doesn’t pay much but at least I got my foot in the door.

Meaning, an initial step towards an opportunity or towards a goal. In the example I gave you earlier, I said, I got a job in marketing that doesn’t pay a lot but at least I got my foot in the door. But at least the job will help me gain new skills so that I can become a Chief Marketing Officer one day. I can become an important person one day. That’s what it means in a nutshell. Just an example.

In order to become a Chief Marketing Officer, I’d have to go through a big learning curve.

Learning curve! Another expression for you, I think it’s similar in Spanish, curva de aprendizaje.

So was that enough for you? Is your head spinning from too much info today?
I hope so!

Thank you for joining me in today’s short and sweet episode. Thank you for listening, more expressions coming next week. Get ready to learn.

You’ve been jamming with Milena Chilena, until next time amigos, hasta la proxima!

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