Pratique du Shadowing: How to Talk About Problems at Work in English - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo
Choisissez un mode d'entraînement
Chaque mode ouvre une salle d'entraînement en plein écran.
337 phrases
Si les phrases sont trop courtes ou trop longues, cliquez sur Edit pour les ajuster.
1
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Daily Business English Talk.
2
I am Anna.
3
And I am Jack.
4
We are so happy to have you here with us today.
5
If you are learning English for your job or if you want to feel more confident speaking at work, you are in the perfect place.
6
That is so true, Jack.
7
In this podcast, we share easy, practical tips to help you speak professional English naturally.
8
Before we start, if you enjoy our episodes and find them helpful, please take a moment to subscribe.
9
It really helps our channel grow, and you will never miss a new lesson.
10
Exactly.
11
Today, we are going to talk about a topic that everyone has to deal with at some point.
12
No matter where you work or what your job is, you will experience this.
13
We're talking about how to describe problems at work in English.
14
Yes, workplace problems.
15
They happen to all of us.
16
But speaking about them in a foreign language can be very scary.
17
You might worry about sounding unprofessional, or maybe you're afraid of making the problem sound worse than it actually is.
18
That is a very common feeling, Jack.
19
When we do not have the right words, we tend to use very direct, strong language.
20
Or even worse, we say nothing at all because we are too afraid.
21
Today, we want to help our listeners feel relaxed and ready.
22
We will show you how to talk about these situations calmly, politely, and professionally.
23
I love that.
24
We want our listeners to feel guided and confident.
25
So, Anna, let us start with a little warm -up.
26
Have you had any funny or stressful problems at work recently?
27
Oh, yes.
28
Just last week, I was preparing for a very important presentation with our big clients.
29
Five minutes before the meeting started, my computer decided to install a major update.
30
The screen went completely black.
31
I couldn't open my slides, and I couldn't join the online meeting call.
32
I felt my heart beating so fast.
33
Oh no, that sounds like a total nightmare.
34
What did you do?
35
Did you panic?
36
Well, a few years ago, I definitely would have panicked.
37
I probably would have sent a message saying, My computer is dead.
38
I cannot do the meeting.
39
But this time, I breathed in deeply.
40
I used my phone to send a quick, professional message to my manager.
41
I explained that I was having a minor technical issue and that I would be online in five minutes.
42
That's a great way to handle it.
43
You used the phrase minor technical issue.
44
That sounds so much better than my computer is dead.
45
Yes, exactly.
46
It sounds professional and in control.
47
My manager replied immediately and said, no problem, we'll wait for you.
48
And everything turned out fine.
49
What about you, Jack?
50
Have you faced any challenges lately?
51
Well, yesterday, I realized I had a bit of an oversight.
52
I forgot to send an important spreadsheet to our department head.
53
The deadline was at noon, and I realized my mistake at 1 o 'clock.
54
I felt so bad.
55
Oh, that's a tough situation.
56
A missed deadline is always stressful.
57
How did you talk to your manager about it?
58
I didn't want to make excuses.
59
I just went to her office and said, I'm so sorry.
60
There was a slight oversight on my part, and I missed the noon deadline.
61
I have the files ready now, and I'm sending them to you immediately.
62
That was excellent, Jack.
63
You owned up to the mistake, but you used very professional words.
64
You said, a slight oversight on my part.
65
That sounds polite and responsible.
66
Thanks, Anna.
67
She was actually very nice about it.
68
She thanked me for telling her directly and told me not to worry too much.
69
See?
70
That's the power of using the right words.
71
It changes how people react to you.
72
Today, we're going to explore how to do this step by step.
73
Don't worry if this feels new to you right now.
74
By the end of this episode, you will have some really great tools to use.
75
Yes, do not worry at all.
76
We are here to guide you.
77
Let us start by talking about how to soften bad news.
78
Anna, why is it important to soften the way we talk about problems?
79
In business English, we want to avoid sounding too negative or panicked.
80
If we use strong words, it can make people feel stressed.
81
So we use softeners.
82
These are small words that make a problem sound smaller and easier to manage.
83
Ah, softeners.
84
Can you give us some examples of these words?
85
Sure.
86
Instead of saying there is a big problem, we can say there seems to be a slight issue.
87
The word seems and the word slight are excellent softeners.
88
They make the situation sound calm.
89
That makes a lot of sense.
90
So instead of saying, we have a problem, we can say, there seems to be a slight issue.
91
Let me practice that.
92
There seems to be a slight issue.
93
How was my pronunciation, Anna?
94
That was perfect, Jack.
95
Very natural.
96
Another great softener is the word minor.
97
For example, instead of saying, we have a broken system, you can say, we're experiencing a minor technical difficulty.
98
Oh, I like that.
99
We are experiencing a minor technical difficulty.
100
It sounds like something you hear at an airport or in a big office.
101
It makes me feel like the team is already fixing it.
102
Yes, it sounds very professional.
103
Another useful word is challenge.
104
In business English culture, we often prefer the word challenge over the word problem.
105
A problem sounds like a dead end, but a challenge is something we can overcome
106
that is a really nice way to think about it
107
so instead of we have a problem with this project we
108
can say we are facing a challenge with this project exactly
109
Jack you are facing a challenge it sounds proactive it shows
110
you are ready to work on it let us think about another common situation what about
111
when we are late with our work this happens to everyone maybe you have too much work
112
or you were waiting for someone else how do we say
113
that we are late without sounding lazy That is a very important question.
114
If you say, I'm late, it can sound a bit irresponsible.
115
Instead, we can use phrases that explain the situation gently.
116
For example, you can say, I'm running a bit behind schedule.
117
I'm running a bit behind schedule.
118
That sounds really professional.
119
It shows that you respect the schedule, but you just need a little more time.
120
Yes.
121
Another good phrase is, we are experiencing a delay.
122
This is very helpful when the delay is not your fault.
123
For example, maybe you're waiting for a supplier to send you materials.
124
You can say we are experiencing a slight delay due to shipping.
125
Oh, that's perfect.
126
It explains the reason clearly.
127
Let me try using that in a sentence.
128
We are experiencing a slight delay, but we should have the report ready by tomorrow morning.
129
How does that sound?
130
That sounds excellent, Jack.
131
It's polite, clear, and you also gave a time when it will be finished.
132
That's actually the next step we should talk about.
133
In business, when you share a problem, you should always try to offer a solution, or at least a next step.
134
Yes, the golden rule.
135
My old boss used to say, don't just bring me problems, bring me solutions.
136
At first, I thought that was mean, but now I understand why it's so important.
137
It is extremely important.
138
It shows that you're thinking ahead and that you're responsible.
139
Even if you don't have the perfect solution, you can share what you're doing to fix it.
140
How can we phrase that?
141
What are some good words to start sharing a solution?
142
You can use phrases like, to resolve this, I suggest, or what we can do is, you can also say, I'm currently working on a fix.
143
Let us try to connect the problem and the solution together.
144
This will help our listeners see how it works in real life.
145
Let's imagine this situation.
146
You're working on a website and there's a bug.
147
The login page is not working.
148
How would you say this to your team?
149
I would say we're experiencing a minor issue with the login page.
150
To resolve this, I suggest we ask the IT department to restart the server.
151
That's wonderful.
152
It's so clear.
153
You stated the problem using a softener, and then you immediately offered a suggestion to fix it.
154
Now, let us try another one, Jack.
155
Imagine you were working on a budget, but you do not have all the numbers from the sales team.
156
You cannot finish the budget on time.
157
How would you explain this to your manager?
158
Let me try.
159
I would say, there seems to be a slight delay with the budget because we're waiting on the sales numbers.
160
What I can do is send them a reminder email right now to speed things up.
161
That was fantastic, Jack.
162
You explained why there is a delay, and you showed that you were taking action to solve it.
163
Your manager would be very happy to hear that.
164
Thanks, Anna.
165
It really is about choosing the right words.
166
Let's share some more practical examples.
167
Here's how this usually sounds in real life.
168
We can do some short dialogue so our listeners can hear these phrases in action.
169
That is a great idea.
170
Let's do a simple office situation.
171
Imagine we are colleagues, and I need to tell you that I cannot attend our meeting because of an urgent client call.
172
Listen to how we talk.
173
Hi, Anna.
174
Are we still meeting at 2 o 'clock to discuss the marketing plan?
175
Hi, Jack.
176
I'm so sorry, but I'm running a bit behind schedule today.
177
I have an urgent client call that is taking longer than expected.
178
Would it be possible to reschedule our meeting to 3 o 'clock?
179
No problem at all, Anna.
180
Client calls are important.
181
3 o 'clock works fine for me.
182
See you then.
183
Thank you so much, Jack.
184
I appreciate your flexibility.
185
That was so smooth.
186
It was simple, polite, and we solved the scheduling conflict in just a few seconds.
187
Yes, and notice how I proposed a new time immediately.
188
I didn't just say, I can't make it.
189
I offered a solution by asking to move it to 3 o 'clock.
190
This makes it very easy for the other person to agree.
191
Let's do another situation.
192
This time, let's imagine a technical problem during an online video call.
193
This is a very common issue nowadays.
194
Let's say you can't hear me or see my screen.
195
How do we handle that?
196
Let us try it.
197
I'll start.
198
Jack, I'm trying to share my screen, but I think there's a connection issue.
199
Can you see my presentation?
200
Actually, Anna, it seems to be taking a moment to load.
201
I can see your video, but your screen sharing is blank.
202
Ah, I see.
203
We seem to be having a minor technical glitch.
204
Let me try stopping the share and starting it again.
205
Sometimes that does the trick.
206
Take your time.
207
Oh, yes, now it's working perfectly.
208
I can see your slides clearly now.
209
Perfect.
210
Thank you for letting me know, Jack.
211
Let's proceed.
212
That was a very realistic situation.
213
We used the words connection issue and minor technical glitch.
214
Those are perfect words to use during online meetings.
215
They really are.
216
And notice how we kept our voices calm.
217
When technology doesn't work, it is easy to feel stressed.
218
But keeping a calm voice and using clear phrases makes everyone feel relaxed.
219
Before we move on, let me ask you, Anna.
220
What if we make a mistake that affects a customer?
221
That can be very scary.
222
How do we talk to a customer about a problem?
223
That is a very important situation.
224
When talking to clients or customers, we must be extra polite, professional, and honest.
225
We should avoid blaming anyone else.
226
We should take responsibility as a company and offer a solution quickly.
227
Right.
228
No one likes to hear excuses.
229
So what phrases can we use with clients?
230
You can start by saying, please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.
231
This is a very professional way to say sorry then you
232
can explain what you are doing to correct the situation oh please accept our apologies for the inconvenience
233
that is a beautiful phrase it sounds very respectful let us try a quick dialogue where I am a customer
234
and you are helping me with a shipping delay let us do it hello I'm calling
235
because I ordered some office chairs last week they were supposed to arrive yesterday
236
but I have not received them yet hello thank you for calling let me check that for you.
237
Ah, yes, I see your order.
238
Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.
239
There was a slight shipping delay at our warehouse.
240
Oh, I see.
241
When can I expect them to arrive then?
242
We have resolved the issue, and your order is now on its way.
243
To make up for the delay, we have upgraded your delivery to express shipping.
244
You should receive them tomorrow by noon.
245
Well, thank you.
246
I appreciate you fixing this so quickly.
247
You are very welcome.
248
Thank you for your patience and have a wonderful day.
249
Wow, Anna.
250
If I were that customer, I would feel very valued and happy.
251
You apologized politely, explained the situation without too much detail, and offered a wonderful solution.
252
Thank you, Jack.
253
That is the goal.
254
When you handle a problem well, you can actually build a stronger relationship with your client.
255
They see that they can trust you to fix things when they go wrong.
256
That is a great point.
257
Problems are not always bad.
258
There are also opportunities to show how professional you are.
259
Now, let us take some time to review the key words and phrases we use today.
260
This will help our listeners remember them and feel confident using them in their own conversations.
261
Great idea.
262
Let us go through them one by one.
263
The first one is a slight issue or a minor issue.
264
We use this to describe a problem without making it sound too big or scary.
265
Anna, can you give us a quick example? Of course.
266
You can say, there is a slight issue with the printer today, but we're looking into it.
267
Perfect.
268
The second phrase is, a minor technical difficulty or a technical glitch.
269
This is perfect for computer or internet problems.
270
For example, we are experiencing a minor technical difficulty with our online system.
271
Yes, and it sounds so much better than, the system is broken.
272
Our third phrase is a slight oversight.
273
This is a polite way to talk about a mistake, especially a small mistake, like forgetting to send an email or file.
274
Jack, how would you use that?
275
You could say, there was a slight oversight in the report, but I've corrected it now.
276
Exactly.
277
It shows you made a mistake, but you have already fixed it.
278
Our fourth phrase is running behind schedule.
279
This is a polite way to say you're late.
280
For example, I'm sorry, I'm running a bit behind schedule today.
281
That is so much more professional than just saying I'm late.
282
The fifth phrase is experiencing a delay.
283
This is very useful when you want to explain why something is not ready.
284
For example, we are experiencing a short delay with the final design.
285
It sounds very clear and objective.
286
The sixth phrase is to resolve this, I suggest this is a great way to introduce your solution.
287
For example, to resolve this, I suggest we schedule a quick call.
288
Yes, it immediately moves the conversation to a positive action.
289
The seventh phrase is, please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.
290
As we discussed, this is the perfect formal way to apologize to clients or customers.
291
And our eighth phrase is, Keep you in the loop.
292
This means to keep someone informed about what is happening.
293
For example, I'll check on the delivery and keep you in the loop.
294
Oh, I love that phrase, keep you in the loop.
295
It's very common in modern business settings.
296
It shows that you will continue to communicate.
297
It really does.
298
All of these phrases are so useful.
299
I hope our listeners are writing them down or repeating them aloud.
300
Remember, you don't have to memorize all of them today.
301
Just choose two or three that you really like and try to use them this week.
302
That is wonderful advice, Jack.
303
Start small.
304
Practice makes progress.
305
Now, it is time for our question of the day.
306
This is a simple question we ask in every episode to help you practice your writing and thinking skills in English.
307
Yes, answering our question is a fantastic way to active your
308
English today's question is what is a common problem you face at work
309
and how would you explain it to your team using one of today's phrases
310
that is a great question Jack to help our listeners let us give them two quick example answers
311
that they can copy
312
or adapt sure here is one example answer at my job our internet is sometimes very slow
313
if this happens during a meeting I can say I am experiencing a minor technical difficulty with my connection.
314
That is a perfect answer.
315
Here's another one.
316
I often have too many projects, so sometimes I miss deadlines.
317
Next time, I will write, I am running a bit behind schedule with the report, but I will send it by Friday.
318
Those are excellent examples.
319
Listeners, please share your answers in the comments section
320
or write them down in your notebook we would love to read your answers
321
and support your learning yes please do we enjoy reading your comments
322
so much before we finish let us do a very brief
323
recap of what we learned today today we learned how to talk about workplace problems calmly
324
and professionally we talked about softening bad news using words like slight
325
and minor we also learned how to explain delays and tech issues
326
and most importantly how to always offer a solution and we learned some wonderful phrases to apologize to clients politely.
327
Remember, everyone makes mistakes and every job has problems.
328
The important thing is how you communicate about them.
329
Absolutely.
330
With these phrases, you will look professional, responsible, and confident, even when things go wrong.
331
Thank you so much for listening to today's episode.
332
We hope you found it helpful and that you feel more confident about speaking English at work.
333
Yes, thank you all.
334
Don't forget to practice, repeat the phrases, and return for our next episode.
335
Have a great day at work, and see you next time.
336
Goodbye, everyone.
337
Have a wonderful week.
Télécharger l'application
Tout pour parler couramment
Prononciation IAChaque phrase notée
Phonétique (IPA)Maîtrisez chaque son
VocabulaireEnrichissez votre lexique
Jeu de vocabulaireApprenez en jouant
📺 Même chaîne
B211
How to Talk About Project Budgets & Cost Estimation in English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B125
How to Talk About Project Management in English at Work | English for Work | Business English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B13
Business English for Meetings | 7 Project Management Phrases You Must Know
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B22
How to Talk About Deadlines & Timelines in English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B17
How to Talk About Your Responsibilities in English | English Conversation Practice
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B22
How to Talk About Your Daily Work Routine in English | Business English Talk
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B2How to Discuss Budgets, Costs & Expenses at Work In English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B2Real Business English Conversation 💼 Talking About Project Problems & Updates
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
✨ Vidéo recommandée
B21
261 phrases
How to Handle International Client Calls Smoothly in English | Client Calls
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B165
14 phrases
How to Talk About Work - 2 Minute English Mini Podcast
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B24
543 phrases
How to Explain a Problem at Work in English | Business English Practice
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B21
60 phrases
How to Speak Better at Work | Professional English Communication Skills
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B24
122 phrases
Change How You See Problems | B1/B2 English Listening Practice | Podcast For Learn English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
226 phrases
Talking About Financial issues | Business English Conversation (B1–B2)
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
269 phrases
03.e Solve a Problem Commentary - Effortless Business English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B11
290 phrases
我剛抱怨完工作，一轉身才發現老闆全都聽見了｜Real Life Office English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B1421 phrases
English for Work: Meetings, Emails & Office Phrases!
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
248 phrases
Why Experienced Professionals Still Hesitate In English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B22
207 phrases
Stop Saying "I'm Fine" 😮 Say THIS Instead to Sound Like a Native | Talk About Feelings in English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Vocabulaire et conseils d’expression pour cette leçon
Cette vidéo contient 337 phrases et 3182 mots à répéter en shadowing. La partie parlée dure 17:44. Le locuteur parle à un rythme naturel d’environ 179 mots par minute, proche d’une conversation courante. 84 % des mots font partie des 3 000 mots les plus courants en anglais ; le reste mérite d’être vu avant de commencer.
Vocabulaire clé de cette vidéo
15 mots de la vidéo à retenir, avec leur prononciation et leur sens :
| Mot | Prononciation | Sens |
|---|---|---|
| phrase nom | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | expression |
| slight adjectif | /slaɪt/ | insignifiant, léger |
| delay nom | /dɪˈleɪ̯/ | délai, retard |
| listener nom | /ˈlɪs(ə)nɚ/ | auditeur, auditrice |
| polite adjectif | /pəˈlaɪt/ | poli |
| clock nom | /klɑk/ | indicateur de vitesse, compteur de vitesse |
| difficulty nom | /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/ | difficulté |
| resolve verbe | /ɹɪˈzɑlv/ | résoudre |
| oversight nom | /ˈəʊvəˌsaɪt/ | oubli |
| deadline nom | /ˈdɛdˌlaɪn/ | date butoir, date limite |
| apology nom | /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/ | excuse |
| inconvenience nom | /ɪnkənˈvinjəns/ | dérangement, désagrément |
| helpful adjectif | /ˈhɛlp.fl̩/ | utile, serviable |
| scary adjectif | /ˈskɛə.ɹi/ | sinistre, terrifiant |
| loop nom | /luːp/ | boucle |
Les verbes à particule que vous entendrez
| Mot | Prononciation | Sens |
|---|---|---|
| go through verbe | traverser | |
| turn out verbe | se finir, se terminer | |
| warm up verbe | /ˌwɔː(ɹ)m ˈʌp/ | se réchauffer, se chauffer |
Prononciation à surveiller
Le locuteur utilise 42 contractions et formes réduites, comme I'm, you're, we're. Prononcez-les sous leur forme courte, telles que vous les entendez.
- Les sons « th »: smooth /smuːð/, sixth /sɪksθ/, breathe /bɹiːð/, seventh /ˈsɛvənθ/, eighth /eɪtθ/
- Les sons « sh » et « zh »: presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, suggestion /səˈd͡ʒɛst.ʃən/, patience /ˈpeɪ̯.ʃəns/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/, spreadsheet /ˈspɹɛd.ʃit/
- Mots longs — placez bien l’accent: difficulty /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/, apology /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/, inconvenience /ɪnkənˈvinjəns/, apologize /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/
Comment s’entraîner avec cette vidéo
- Écoutez la vidéo en entier une fois sans parler et notez les mots que vous ne connaissez pas.
- Commencez à la vitesse 0,75×, répétez phrase par phrase, puis revenez à la vitesse normale quand cela devient facile.
- Enregistrez-vous et comparez avec l’original, en faisant attention à des mots comme phrase, slight, delay.
La grammaire de cette vidéo
Les structures que le locuteur utilise le plus, avec les mots exacts de la vidéo :
| Structure | Dans la vidéo |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + participe passé — une action passée qui compte encore maintenant | Have you had · Have you faced · have not received |
| Voix passive be + participe passé — l’accent est mis sur ce qui arrive, pas sur qui le fait | will be finished · is broken |
Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?
Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.