在辦公室裡，同事臨時請病假常常打亂原本的計劃。
今天就要教你最實用的 covering for sick colleague English 表達方式，從日常對話到常用句型，讓你即使臨時代班也能淡定應對。
🎧Apple Podcast | Spotify
💬 Dialogue 對話
場景設定：地點在辦公室的茶水間。主管剛通知一位同事因病請假，臨時請另一位員工代班。
English Dialogue
Manager: Hey Alex, Sarah just called in sick today.
Alex: Oh, I see. Do you need me to cover for her?
Manager: Yes, could you please handle the client meeting at 3 PM?
Alex: Sure, I can take care of it. Has she sent over the documents?
Manager: She left everything in the shared folder.
Alex: Perfect. I’ll review them before the meeting.
Manager: Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it.
Alex: No problem. Should I also send the follow-up email after the meeting?
Manager: That would be great. Please keep me updated.
Alex: Got it. Hope Sarah gets well soon.
Manager: Yeah, I’ll let her know you said that.
中文
主管: 嘿，Alex，Sarah 今天打電話請病假了。
Alex: 了解，需要我幫她代班嗎？
主管: 是的，麻煩你 處理 下午三點的客戶會議。
Alex: 沒問題，我可以處理。她有把文件交出來嗎？
主管: 她把所有東西放在共享資料夾裡了。
Alex: 太好了，我會在會議前先看過。
主管: 謝謝你，我真的很感謝。
Alex: 不用客氣。會議後需要我寄後續郵件嗎？
主管: 太好了，請隨時更新我。
Alex: 明白了。希望 Sarah 早日康復。
主管: 嗯，我會轉告她的。
📚 Vocabulary Boost 重點單字
| 單字 / 片語 | 詞性 | 中文意思 | 英文例句 | 中文翻譯 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| cover | v. | 代班、代理 | Can you cover for me tomorrow? | 你明天可以幫我代班嗎？ |
| handle | v. | 處理 | She will handle the presentation. | 她會處理這場簡報。 |
| appreciate | v. | 感激 | I really appreciate your help. | 我真的很感謝你的幫忙。 |
| follow-up email | n. | 後續郵件 | Don’t forget to send a follow-up email. | 別忘了寄後續郵件。 |
| client | n. | 客戶 | The client asked for a quick update. | 客戶要求快速更新。 |
| review | v. | 檢查、審閱 | I’ll review the files before the meeting. | 我會在會議前先檢查文件。 |
| sick leave | n. | 病假 | She’s on sick leave this week. | 她這週在請病假。 |
🔍 Sentence Patterns 重點句型
| 句型結構 | 中文意思 | 英文例句 | 中文翻譯 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Could you please + V…? | 請你幫忙… | Could you please handle the meeting? | 你可以幫忙處理會議嗎？ |
| Do you need me to + V…? | 你需要我做…嗎？ | Do you need me to cover for her? | 你需要我幫她代班嗎？ |
| I’ll take care of… | 我會處理… | I’ll take care of the client presentation. | 我會處理客戶簡報。 |
| Should I also + V…? | 我是否也需要…？ | Should I also send the follow-up email? | 我是否也需要寄後續郵件？ |
| Keep me updated. | 隨時更新我 | Please keep me updated on the progress. | 請隨時告訴我進度。 |
| I hope (someone) gets well soon. | 希望某人早日康復 | I hope Sarah gets well soon. | 希望 Sarah 早日康復。 |
📖 Transcript 逐字稿
M: Welcome to this session of MJ English.
M：歡迎來到這一集的 MJ English。
J: Hello, everyone.
J：大家好。
M: Today,we’re focusing on something super common, right? A colleague calls in sick, suddenly, what do you say?
M：今天我們要討論一個超常見的情況，對吧？同事突然請病假，你該怎麼說？
J: Yeah, that moment of, okay, now what?
J：對啊，那種「好吧，那現在怎麼辦？」的時刻。
M: Not flustered, just capable. We’ve got a short office exchange, a scenario between a manager and an employee, Alex.
M：不慌亂，而是有條理的表現。我們準備了一段辦公室情境對話，是主管跟員工 Alex 之間的對話。
J: And it’s a great example. Let’s listen to how Alex handles this. It’s pretty smooth.
J：這是一個很棒的範例。來聽聽看 Alex 是怎麼處理這個情況的，處理得很流暢喔。
地點在辦公室的茶水間。主管剛通知一位同事因病請假，臨時請另一位員工代班。
English Dialogue
Manager: Hey Alex, Sarah just called in sick today.
Alex: Oh, I see. Do you need me to cover for her?
Manager: Yes, could you please handle the client meeting at 3 PM?
Alex: Sure, I can take care of it. Has she sent over the documents?
Manager: She left everything in the shared folder.
Alex: Perfect. I’ll review them before the meeting.
Manager: Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it.
Alex: No problem. Should I also send the follow-up email after the meeting?
Manager: That would be great. Please keep me updated.
Alex: Got it. Hope Sarah gets well soon.
Manager: Yeah, I’ll let her know you said that.
中文
主管: 嘿，Alex，Sarah 今天打電話請病假了。
Alex: 了解，需要我幫她代班嗎？
主管: 是的，麻煩你 處理 下午三點的客戶會議。
Alex: 沒問題，我可以處理。她有把文件交出來嗎？
主管: 她把所有東西放在共享資料夾裡了。
Alex: 太好了，我會在會議前先看過。
主管: 謝謝你，我真的很感謝。
Alex: 不用客氣。會議後需要我寄後續郵件嗎？
主管: 太好了，請隨時更新我。
Alex: 明白了。希望 Sarah 早日康復。
主管: 嗯，我會轉告她的。
M: Okay, so if we,break down Alex’s part there,
M：那我們現在來解析一下 Alex 剛才說的部分。
M: The first thing that jumps out, I think, are those action verbs, really strong.
M：我覺得最明顯的就是那些動作動詞，都很有力。
J: Yeah, like “cover.” He immediately asks, “Do you need me to cover for her?”
J：對，像是 “cover（代班）”。他馬上問說：「你需要我幫她代班嗎？」
M: Right. And cover is just, well, it’s the perfect word for substituting, for filling in, standard professional term.
M：沒錯，”cover” 就是代替某人、補位的最佳用詞，是很標準的職場用語。
J: Then the manager uses “handle.” “Could you please handle the client meeting?” That feels a bit more significant than just “do.”
J：接著主管用的是 “handle（處理）”。「你可以幫忙處理一下跟客戶的會議嗎？」這聽起來比單純的 “do” 更有份量。
M:When your manager asks you to handle something, they’re giving you responsibility for it. You know, manage it, deal with whatever comes up. It’s not just about being there.
M：當主管說 “handle”，就是把責任交給你了，要你管理整件事，應對所有狀況，不只是單純出席。
J: The accountability.
J：也就是責任感的展現。
M: And notice Alex’s response regarding the documents. I’ll review them.
M：而且注意 Alex 對文件的回應：「我會 review 它們。」
J: He didn’t just say, “I’ll look at them” or “I’ll check them.”
J：他不是說 “我看看” 或 “我檢查一下” 而已。
M: Review implies a proper look, like examining them carefully to prepare. It just sounds more diligent, more professional.
M：”review” 表示是仔細檢閱、認真準備，比起 check 或 look，更專業、也更細心。
J: Shows he’s taking it seriously.
J：展現出他是認真看待這件事的。
J: Okay, so those are the verbs. What about other key bits? Alex mentions the follow-up email.
J：好，那是動詞的部分。其他重要的細節呢？Alex 有提到後續的 email。
M: That’s such a good move. Proactive. “Should I also send the follow-up email?”
M：那是一個很棒的做法，很主動。他問說：「那後續的 email 也要我來發嗎？」
J: Why is that so effective, do you think?
J：你覺得這樣為什麼那麼加分？
M: It shows he’s thinking ahead, right? He understands the whole process isn’t just the meeting itself, but the communication after it too. It signals he gets the bigger picture.
M：因為他在展現前瞻性。他知道整個流程不只是開會，會議後的聯絡也很重要。他看得到整體架構。
J: Completes the loop. It makes him seem less like just a temp filler and more like a reliable partner, almost.
J：這樣整個流程就完整了。他不只是來頂班，更像是一個可靠的工作夥伴。
M: And the manager’s response, “I really appreciate it.”
M：然後主管說：「我真的很感謝你。」
M: Using “appreciate,” it feels stronger than just “thanks.”
M：用 “appreciate”，感覺比單純說 “thanks” 更有分量。
J: It does. It’s a more formal, professional way to express gratitude. It adds a bit more weight.
J：的確，這是一種更正式、更專業的感謝方式，語氣也更重一點。
M: So let’s shift to the actual sentence patterns Alex uses. These are super useful. His first offer, “Do you need me to + verb?” as in, “Do you need me to cover for her?”
M：那我們來看看 Alex 用的句型。超實用的。他一開始的提議就是 “Do you need me to + 動詞”，像是 “Do you need me to cover for her?”（你需要我幫她代班嗎？）
J: That’s a great structure. It’s polite, it offers help clearly, but it lets the manager confirm the need. Very useful phrase.
J：這個句型很棒。禮貌、明確地表達要幫忙，還保留讓主管確認的空間，非常實用。
J: And then when he accepts the task, “I can take care of it.” Or you could say, “I’ll take care of the client presentation.” Is “take care of it” always okay? Does it ever sound too casual?
J：然後他接受任務時說：”I can take care of it.” 或是 “I’ll take care of the client presentation.” 這句 “take care of it” 一直都 OK 嗎？會不會有時聽起來太隨便？
M: That’s a fair question. Generally, in most office situations, “I’ll take care of it” is perfectly fine. It implies ownership, like, “Don’t worry, I’ve got this handled.” Now, if it was, you know, managing a multi-million dollar deal, maybe you’d use slightly more formal language. But for a standard client meeting, “take care of it” shows confidence and efficiency. Gets the job done.
M：這問題很好。一般辦公室情況下，”I’ll take care of it” 是完全沒問題的，代表你主動負責，像在說「放心，我搞定它」。當然如果是處理幾百萬美金的大案子，可能就要用更正式的說法。但一般客戶會議的話，這句很有自信，也很有效率。
M: Got it. So context matters, but usually it’s a strong choice.
M：了解。所以要看情境，但通常這是一個很穩的用語。
M: Then there’s the manager’s instruction, “Keep me updated,” or the slightly longer, “Please keep me updated.” We hear this all the time.
M：接著是主管常說的 “Keep me updated”，或長一點的 “Please keep me updated”。這句超常聽到。
J: It’s short, it’s clear. It means, “I need ongoing information, but I don’t need every single tiny detail right now.”
J：短短的卻很清楚，意思是：「我要知道後續情況，但你不用報告每個小細節。」
M: So, it avoids micromanaging, but keeps them in the loop.
M：這樣可以避免管太細，但又能讓主管掌握進度。
J: Efficient delegation and monitoring, really.
J：這就是有效的委派與監督。
M: And finally, that little touch at the end. I hope someone gets well soon.
M：最後那個小細節也很重要：「希望某人快點好起來。」
J: Alex says, “I hope Sarah gets well soon.”
J：Alex 說的是 “I hope Sarah gets well soon.”
M: Essential, isn’t it? Just basic professional courtesy. Shows empathy, maintains goodwill. It’s the human element.
M：這句很基本但必須，是職場上的基本禮貌，展現關心、維持好感，也是很重要的人情味。
J: Rounds everything off nicely.
J：讓整段對話有個完美的結尾。
M: Shows competence and collegiality.
M：既展現能力，也展現同事情誼。
M: So, in just a few lines, Alex steps up, sounds totally capable, and keeps the team vibe positive. That’s skillful communication.
M：短短幾句，Alex 就展現了主動、專業、還有團隊精神。這就是高段的職場溝通。
J: Because knowing these phrases isn’t just about filling in for someone. It’s about using those unexpected moments to, you know, show what you can do, to signal you’re reliable and maybe ready for more responsibility.
J：因為學會這些句子不只是為了「頂替別人」，而是善用這種突發機會，讓你展現能力、證明你可靠，也可能讓你接到更多責任。
M: That really is the key takeaway here. Be ready to step up and sound good doing it. Okay, thanks for joining us for this session of MJ English.
M：這才是今天最大的重點：準備好跳出來幫忙，還要表現得很到位。好啦，感謝收聽這一集的 MJ English！
J: Thanks, everyone.
J：大家謝謝收聽～
✅ Quick Check 小測驗
📌 延伸閱讀建議
- 【Business English】如何寫專業的 sick leave English email？
- 【Workplace English】和客戶開會的必備 professional English expressions
- 【Daily Business English】處理臨時任務的 substitute at work English
