Using English idioms in business emails can go terribly wrong.
Just ask Brian.
Brian, a French professional, gets an email from his American manager.
“We need to get our ducks in a row and hit the ground running next week. If we don’t, we’ll be in hot water with the client. Keep me in the loop, and let’s make sure everyone is pulling their weight.”
The email had only five idioms. Not a lot, right?
But for Brian, they were enough to cause confusion.
Here are the 5 tricky idioms:
🐥 “Get our ducks in a row” → To get everything organized and prepared
🔥 “In hot water” → In trouble
📩 “Loop me in” → Keep me informed
🏃♂️”Hit the ground running” → Start a task or project immediately with energy
⚖️ “Pulling their weight” → Contributing fairly to a team effort
Imagine these in a professional email. Would you understand them instantly?
💬 What’s an idiom in your language that would completely confuse someone if used in an email? Share the funniest one. I’m ready for a good laugh! 😆
P.S. Where is Brian? (French people, you know exactly why this question is hilarious! If you’re curious, feel free to ask.)
♻️ Share this post to help your network avoid idiom mishaps in emails.
