‘Small world’ is a commonly used phrase. Occasionally by chance/coincidence, your paths cross or as we say ‘you bump into sb’ at a trade fair/exhibition, industry conference, meeting, seminar and the like.

My seminar participants often ask/worry about such meet ups, what to say, how to react etc. More often though, you know/expect somebody to be there and you can prepare for it in advance.

Check out the following ice breaker phrases:

“Long time, no see!”

“Great to see you again!”

“I thought I might see / bump into you here!”

“I was wondering if I might see / bump into you here!”

“Well, who would have thought it, (you here) (be careful – more joking!)”

Then there’s the common general ‘how are you’ phrases?

“How are you keeping?”

“How have you been?”

“How long’s it been now (since the last time we met)?”

What’s more you can do your homework – be proactive, if you know so and so will be there, get ready with some questions/: Here are a few I would prepare if I knew I was going to meet myself.

“How’s the bairn (boy) i.e. your son / missus / the better half?”

“How’s Liverpool getting on?” better still, know how Liverpool is getting on by checking the results & league table so you don’t put your foot in it.

“What’s business like?” And always try to be positive and sensitive to the other, and WHATEVER you do, don’t launch into a 2 minute ‘O woe is me` rant.

by chance/coincidence (Zufall), to bump into sb (jdm zufällig begegnen), to put your foot in it (ins Fettnäpchen treten), “O woe is me” ( Wehe mir), rant (Wutrede)

8 Gedanken zu „

  1. Jenny Antworten

    Additionally, you should include a good escape plan in your preparation just in case you gonna meet someone you don’t want to meet. 😉 Thus, when the going gets tough you have a convincing excuse at hand and you avoid ringing hollow and an embarrassing babble. 😉

    BTW: Thank you for your kind words in your newsletter.

    • Dave Preston Autor des BeitragsAntworten

      you mean something like „Oh is that the time, I have to dash – got to see a man about a dog“? Just Google the term „I have to see a man about a dog“.

      As for the BTW – credit where credit is due!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!Thank you.

      P.S: Check your mail inbox later

      • Jenny Antworten

        It was such a nice surprise to find your mail in my inbox! Thank you so much for your WED, can’t wait to read it. 🙂

        • Dave Preston Autor des BeitragsAntworten

          Your welcome, don’t expect sophisticated layout, pretty Pictures, fillers and fluff,just cover to cover content which cuts to the chase (zum Kern der Sache kommen)

          • Jenny

            Pictures & Co are only for those who have nothing to say but still need to fill the pages somehow… 😉 what matters is valuable content and that’s what you have a lot of in your WED.

          • Dave Preston Autor des Beitrags

            Thanx for the kind words. As a stellar English speaker, it would be cool, if you could keep track of how many new titbits you pick up in the WED.

  2. Jenny Antworten

    [new thread as answering the former replies isn’t possible anymore]

    Amazing! Edutainment at its best! I really like your WED: straight to the point, drawn from life, helpful, and written with amusing wit that wants you to keep on reading and fancy you to learn more.

    Yes, I kept track of new titbits: 5 subchapters plus the Bonus Chapter were new to me, for instance „Sickie“ (BTW: be careful with links, the Telegraph link to an article published in 2015 doesn’t work anymore). Nevertheless, it’s cool to have all the information gathered at one place and it’s still fun to read even all the already known articles again. Besides, a good tale is none the worse for being told twice – repetition never hurts and consolidates acquired knowledge.

    So, I have to say THANK YOU and please keep on writing!

    • Dave Preston Autor des BeitragsAntworten

      Thanx for the Feedback !!!!!!! WED 2 (Tuesday Teaser book) is on it’s way and 3/5/9 ….. 25 – the journey to Walking English Dictionary is long, very Long !!!!!!

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