Your Monday is neatly planned out, time dedicated to work on projects, a couple of meetings and telephone calls are scheduled. A few minutes into Monday the phone rings – the boss needs you to put out a fire a.s.a.p. Knowing your boss, you know you can punt everything else for the morning, at least.
Working for an international company, your working language is English. You grab your mobile and start sending out the texts. Here are a bunch of more informal texts you may need to send:
Standard English: “Something (urgent) has just come up. I can’t attend/come to the meeting today.” (of course, “I’m sorry” or “I’m afraid” wouldn’t go a miss).
Informal English: “Something (urgent) has just cropped up. I can’t make the meeting today.”
Standard English: “Something (urgent) has just come up. I have to cancel our meeting today.”
Informal English: “Something (urgent) has just cropped up. I have to call the meeting off today.”
Standard English: “Something (urgent) has just come up. I’d rather postpone the meeting until later. I will call you when I know more”
Informal English: “Something (urgent) has just cropped up. Let’s put the meeting off until later. I’ll give you a ring/call when I know more”.
Standard English: “I’ve been delayed (in another meeting / in traffic). I will be there as soon as I can.”
Informal English: “I’ve been held up (in another meeting/ in traffic). I’ll be there as quickly as I can”
neat (hier: schön), to schedule sth (etw ansetzen), to put out a fire (hier: eine Sache wieder ins Lot bringen), to punt (stoßen), to come/crop up (dazwischenkommen), „wouldn’t go a miss“ (wäre nicht verkehrt), to cancel/call a meeting off (absagen), „I’d rather“ (etw vorzeihen), to postpone/put a meeting off (etw verschieben)
Hope your Monday runs a little smoother. Dave