Found yourself in a work situation whilst you are still learning the English you need to get by? Or maybe you have an English-speaking colleague that you would like to get closer to.

　　当你仍然坚持学习英语时，你是否发现虽处于工作环境，但仍需学习英语?或者你可能有一位能说一口流利英文的同事，你想靠近与其交流。

　　At the coffee machine

　　咖啡机旁聊天

　　Latte in hand, spreadsheets on hold: these are a few phrases you are more than likely to hear amongst your work colleagues as you relax. They’re easy to pick up and use, too.

　　一手拿着拿铁咖啡，一手握着报表：这里有几个短语，在你放松的时候你可能会从同事那里听到。这些短语也非常容易学习和使用。

　　1.(to) play catch up – to be late starting something so you make a big effort to overcome it; it doesn’t mean you have been lazy!– more often it refers to when something comes in last minute, or you are working to a tight deadline.

　　(to) play catch up –开始做某件事情有点晚，使你不得不花大力气去完成它;这并不是指你懒惰!-它经常更多的是指做某事到最后关头了，或者你临近截止日期，尽力追赶的意思。

　　e.g.“We’re playing catch-up on that commission from France.”

　　例如，“我们要尽力追赶法国来的任务”

　　Meaning: we’re working overtime to get everything ready for the commission from France.

　　意思是：我们在尽力加班为完成法国的任务做好充分准备。

　　When might you use it?

　　什么时候使用这个短语呢?

　　To express being a bit stressed out or under pressure to deliver a project; to express the effort required to overcome something for which you are currently behind schedule. You might also use the phrase to motivate or drive your own team to complete something – “we’re playing catch-up here, guys” – as it can add an air of competition.

　　一般是表达承受着巨大的压力或是顶着压力去实现一项任务;可用于表达你需要努力去完成已经落后于进度的事情。你可能也用这个词组去激励或者驱使你的团队去完成某项任务—“同伴们，我们快实现目标啦”—它可能增加竞争的气氛。

　　2.(to) pay a premium– meaning you pay a higher price for something because the quality or reputation is better

　　–是指你要花费更高的价格购买某物，因为它的质量或名声更好

　　e.g.“We’re paying a premium for the plug from X Box, but it’s worth it”

　　“我们花了高价的XBox插头，但是它值这个价。”

　　When might you use it?

　　什么时候使用这个词组呢?

　　This can be used in coffee machine conversation very easily – it just refers to a deal you’ve made where the company (or yourself) has paid a price that is above the normal market price. You might use it to gain a bit of prestige/boast about your purchase.

　　这可以很轻易的在闲聊时使用—它可以用于提到你刚完成的一笔交易，交易价格高于市场价格。你可能用它去吹嘘你购物的物品。

　　3.an uphill struggle/battle– meaning it’s a big obstacle to overcome

　　意思是要克服的大的障碍

　　If you’re in an American business you are more likely to hear ‘uphill battle’; ‘uphill struggle’ is the UK equivalent.

　　如果你处在美国商业环境中，你可能更多的听到的是‘uphill battle’; ‘uphill struggle’在英国是同等的意思。

　　e.g.“Getting this new construction under budget is an uphill struggle, but we have to make it happen.”

　　“在现有预算下做好这个新工程很难，但是我们也要让其实现。”