你有沒有遇過這種情況：正在專心工作，老闆突然走過來說 “Hey, do you have a minute?”——然後你整個人僵住，開始在腦中快轉最近有沒有犯什麼錯？
美式職場有一層「禮貌包裝」，表面聽起來輕鬆，但有時暗藏玄機。這集我們用一段真實對話，帶你解碼那些讓人摸不著頭緒的職場英文，還有怎麼回應才能看起來沉穩又專業。
Apple Podcast｜Spotify
情境對話 Dialogue
Alex 是台灣工程師，在美國公司工作第三個月。某天下午，主管 Jamie 突然出現在他的座位旁。
English Dialogue
Alex: (typing) Almost done with the report…
Jamie: Hey Alex, do you have a minute? I just want to touch base with you about the project.
Alex: Sure, of course. Should we grab a conference room?
Jamie: Oh, it’s nothing formal. We can just chat here. So, how are you feeling about the timeline?
Alex: Honestly? I’m a little behind schedule. I ran into some issues with the data.
Jamie: I figured. Look, I’m not here to put pressure on you—I just want to make sure you have what you need.
Alex: Actually, I’ve been meaning to ask—could you clarify what the priority is between the two tasks?
Jamie: Great question. Let’s say the analysis comes first. The other one can wait till next week.
Alex: That helps a lot. I’ll adjust my plan and send you an update by EOD.
Jamie: Perfect. And hey—don’t hesitate to reach out if you get stuck, okay?
Alex: Will do. Thanks, Jamie.
中文翻譯
Alex：(打字中) 報告快完成了⋯
Jamie：嘿 Alex，你現在方便嗎？我只是想跟你針對這個專案簡單聊一下。
Alex：當然沒問題。我們要去借會議室嗎？
Jamie：不用那麼正式啦，就在這裡聊就好。那你覺得時間表進行得怎麼樣？
Alex：說實話？我有點落後進度，資料那邊遇到一些問題。
Jamie：我就猜到了。我來這裡不是要給你壓力——我只是想確認你有沒有需要什麼資源。
Alex：其實我一直想問你——你可以幫我釐清這兩個任務哪個優先嗎？
Jamie：問得好。這樣說吧，分析報告優先，另一個下週再說。
Alex：這樣清楚多了。我來調整一下計劃，今天下班前傳更新給你。
Jamie：完美。還有——卡住的話隨時找我，知道嗎？
Alex：好的，謝謝 Jamie。
重點單字 Vocabulary Boost
- touch base / tʌtʃ beɪs / 片語動詞 → 快速聯絡、確認進度
Let’s touch base before the meeting starts. （會議開始前我們先確認一下。） - formal / ˈfɔːrməl / 形容詞 → 正式的
This is a formal dinner, so dress nicely. （這是正式晚宴，請穿著得體。） - behind schedule / bɪˈhaɪnd ˈskɛdʒuːl / 片語 → 落後進度
The construction is two weeks behind schedule. （工程落後了兩週。） - run into / rʌn ˈɪntuː / 片語動詞 → 遇到（問題）
We ran into some technical issues yesterday. （我們昨天遇到一些技術問題。） - put pressure on / pʊt ˈprɛʃər ɑːn / 片語 → 施壓
I don’t want to put pressure on you, but the deadline is tomorrow. （我不想給你壓力，但明天就截止了。） - clarify / ˈklærɪfaɪ / 動詞 → 釐清、說明
Can you clarify what you mean by that? （你可以解釋一下你的意思嗎？） - priority / praɪˈɔːrɪti / 名詞 → 優先事項
What’s the priority this week? （這週的優先工作是什麼？） - EOD / iː oʊ diː / 縮寫 → End of Day，下班前
Please send me the file by EOD. （請在今天下班前把檔案傳給我。） - reach out / riːtʃ aʊt / 片語動詞 → 主動聯絡
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you need help. （需要幫忙的話隨時找我。） - adjust / əˈdʒʌst / 動詞 → 調整
We need to adjust our strategy based on the results. （我們需要根據結果調整策略。）
重點句型 Sentence Patterns
- Do you have a minute? → 你現在方便嗎？
Do you have a minute? I need to show you something. （你現在方便嗎？我有東西想讓你看。）| 替換詞：a second（一秒鐘）/ some time（一些時間）
💡 課本說法是 “Are you free?”，但美國職場更常說這句——語氣更隨意，不會讓對方有被正式召見的壓力。
- I’ve been meaning to ask— → 我一直想問你⋯
I’ve been meaning to ask—how did your presentation go? （我一直想問你——你的簡報進行得怎麼樣？）| 替換詞：to tell you（跟你說）/ to bring this up（提這件事）
💡 這句是很自然的開場白，表示「我等這個機會很久了」，比突然問更有禮貌。
- Could you clarify what the priority is? → 你可以幫我釐清優先順序嗎？
Could you clarify which version we should use? （你可以說清楚我們要用哪個版本嗎？）| 替換詞：explain（解釋）/ confirm（確認） - I’ll send you an update by EOD. → 我今天下班前傳更新給你。
I’ll send you an update by Friday. （我週五前傳更新給你。）| 替換詞：EOD / end of week / tomorrow morning - Don’t hesitate to reach out. → 隨時都可以找我。
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions. （有問題的話隨時找我。）| 替換詞：contact me（聯絡我）/ let me know（告訴我）
💡 這句美國人講得非常頻繁，台灣人第一次聽可能覺得很客套、不是真心的——但在美式文化裡這是真誠表達支持的方式，不是敷衍。
逐字稿 Transcript
J: Welcome back to MJ English—I’m Jason, and today we’re diving into something that makes a lot of people nervous: the office “quick chat.”
J: 歡迎回到 MJ English，我是 Jason，今天我們要聊一個讓很多人緊張的場景：辦公室裡的「快速聊一下」。
M: Hey everyone, I’m Mary. Jason, be honest—you’ve definitely frozen up when a boss said “do you have a minute?” before, right?
M: 大家好，我是 Mary。Jason，說實話——你一定也有過被主管說「你現在有空嗎」然後整個人僵住的經驗吧？
J: One hundred percent. And I think a lot of our listeners in Taiwan—especially if you’re working in a foreign company or planning to—have this exact experience.
J: 百分之百有。我想我們很多在台灣的聽眾，特別是在外商公司工作、或是有這個計劃的，一定有這種感受。
M: Today we have a dialogue between Alex—a Taiwanese engineer working in the US—and his manager Jamie. And there are so many good teaching moments in here.
M: 今天我們有一段對話，主角是 Alex，一個在美國公司工作的台灣工程師，和他的主管 Jamie。裡面有好多值得學的地方。
M: The very first thing Jamie says is “do you have a minute?”
M: Jamie 說的第一句就是「do you have a minute?」。
J: Right. This is the classic “soft opener.” It sounds casual, but it’s actually a professional way to ask for someone’s time without being demanding.
J: 對。這是經典的「軟開場」。聽起來很隨意，但其實是一種不強迫對方的專業表達。
M: Compare that to just walking up to someone and saying “I need to talk to you”—that would sound much more intense.
M: 對比直接走過去說「I need to talk to you」——那聽起來就很嚴肅，會讓人緊張。
J: Then Jamie says “touch base”. This is super common in American offices. It just means a quick check-in.
J: 然後 Jamie 說「touch base」。這在美國辦公室超常見，意思就是快速確認一下狀況。
M: If your boss says “let’s touch base later”—don’t panic, it’s usually just routine. It doesn’t mean you’re in trouble.
M: 如果你的老闆說「let’s touch base later」——不要慌，通常只是例行性的確認，不代表你有麻煩。
J: Alex then asks “should we grab a conference room?”. This is a really natural response. “Grab” here means “quickly get or use.”
J: Alex 接著問「should we grab a conference room?」。這個回應很自然。這裡的「grab」是「快速去拿/借用」的意思。
M: And Jamie says “it’s nothing formal”. This is the boss signaling: relax, this isn’t a performance review. I just want to chat.
M: Jamie 說「it’s nothing formal」。這是主管在暗示：放輕鬆，這不是正式考核，只是聊一下。
J: Then comes my favorite part. Jamie asks “how are you feeling about the timeline?”. Notice she doesn’t say “are you on schedule?” which would be direct and a little confrontational.
J: 然後是我最喜歡的部分。Jamie 問「how are you feeling about the timeline?」。注意她沒有說「are you on schedule?」——那樣太直接，有點像在質問。
M: “How are you feeling about” is a softer way to open the conversation. It invites the other person to share honestly instead of being defensive.
M: 「How are you feeling about」是更溫和的開場，讓對方可以誠實分享，而不是馬上進入防禦模式。
J: And Alex is honest—he says “I’m a little behind schedule”. This phrase is essential. “Behind schedule” = not on track, running late on a task.
J: Alex 很誠實地說「I’m a little behind schedule」。這個片語非常重要。「behind schedule」就是進度落後的意思。
M: The opposite would be “ahead of schedule”—超前進度。And “on schedule” is right on track—準時進行中。
M: 相反就是「ahead of schedule」——超前進度。而「on schedule」就是準時進行中。
J: Then Jamie says “I’m not here to put pressure on you”. This is what I call “reassurance language.” Bosses use it to lower tension.
J: Jamie 說「I’m not here to put pressure on you」。這是我稱之為「安撫語言」的表達。主管用它來降低緊張感。
M: It’s also a cultural thing. American managers often try to frame feedback as support, not criticism. Very different from what some of us are used to!
M: 這也是文化差異。美國主管通常會把反饋包裝成支持，而不是批評。跟很多人習慣的方式很不一樣！
J: Here’s a key move from Alex. He says “I’ve been meaning to ask.” This phrase is gold. It means “I wanted to ask this for a while, and now I finally have the chance.”
J: 接著是 Alex 的一個關鍵動作。他說「I’ve been meaning to ask」。這句話超實用，意思是「我一直想問這個，現在終於有機會了」。
M: It’s the perfect way to bring up something you’ve been holding back. It doesn’t sound aggressive—it sounds thoughtful.
M: 這是提出你一直憋著的問題的完美方式。聽起來不衝，而是有點深思熟慮的感覺。
J: Then Alex asks about the priority. And notice how he says “could you clarify”—not “what do you mean” or “I don’t understand.” Much more professional.
J: Alex 問到了優先順序。注意他說的是「could you clarify」——而不是「what do you mean」或「I don’t understand」，專業很多。
M: Jamie wraps up with “don’t hesitate to reach out”. And okay, I want to address this. Taiwanese listeners sometimes think this is just something people say—like empty words.
M: Jamie 最後說「don’t hesitate to reach out」。我想特別說一下這句。台灣聽眾有時候會覺得這只是客套話。
J: But in American work culture, it’s usually genuine. If your manager says this, they do mean it—especially in a one-on-one context like this.
J: 但在美式職場文化裡，這通常是真心話。特別是在這種一對一的場合，主管說這個是認真的。
M: Alright, let’s hear the dialogue one more time. This time, try to catch how Alex handles being behind schedule—without sounding defensive or making excuses.
M: 好，我們再聽一遍對話。這次，試著注意 Alex 怎麼面對落後進度——沒有防禦，也沒有找藉口。
J: Great. So here’s your takeaway: American workplace English is often indirect and “warm on the surface.” But once you understand the patterns, it’s actually very manageable.
J: 好，今天的重點是：美式職場英文常常表面溫和、話中有話。但只要你懂得這些模式，其實非常好應對。
M: And if you’re ever unsure what your boss really means—use the phrases we taught today. “Could you clarify?” and “I’ve been meaning to ask” are your best friends.
M: 如果你不確定老闆真正的意思——用今天教的句型。「Could you clarify?」和「I’ve been meaning to ask」是你最好的朋友。
J: Thanks for listening to MJ English. If this episode was useful, share it with a coworker who could use some office English survival tips. See you next time!
J: 感謝收聽 MJ English。如果這集對你有幫助，分享給身邊需要職場英文的朋友吧。我們下集見！
M: Bye everyone!
M: 大家掰掰！
