Most English mistakes at work are not grammar disasters. They are small choices that make a capable person sound rude, unsure or strange: a request with no softener, until Friday instead of by Friday, I will control the process when you mean monitor. Colleagues rarely correct these out loud, so they stay for years. Below are 25 that Uzbek and Russian speakers make in meetings, calls and chats, each with the correction and a phrase that sounds natural in an international team.
Quick win for today: before your next request in English, add Could you… at the start and when you get a chance at the end. That one change fixes the most common problem on this page.
Sounding too direct (1–5)
Uzbek and Russian both allow short, direct requests between colleagues, and politeness is carried by tone, iltimos or пожалуйста. In English, a bare instruction sounds like an order from a boss, even with please. The fix is a softener: a question form, a modal verb or a "maybe".
| # | What people say | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Send me the report. | Could you send me the report when you get a chance? | A bare imperative sounds like an order, even between equals. |
| 2 | I want a day off on Friday. | Would it be possible to take Friday off? | I want sounds like a demand; ask about possibility. |
| 3 | You are wrong. | I see it a bit differently. / I'm not sure that's the case. | Disagree with the idea, not the person. |
| 4 | You must check it again. | Could you double-check it? / It might be worth checking again. | Must from a colleague sounds like a rule or a reprimand. |
| 5 | Why didn't you answer my message? | Did you get a chance to look at my message? | The why question sounds like an accusation; the second version gives the other person a way out. |
A useful test: would you say this sentence to your manager's manager? If not, soften it for everyone. International teams usually expect the same politeness up and down the hierarchy.
Meetings (6–10)
| # | What people say | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Let's make a meeting. | Let's set up a meeting. / Can we schedule a call? | You have, set up, schedule or arrange a meeting; you don't make one. |
| 7 | We discussed it on the meeting. | We discussed it in the meeting. / at the meeting | Russian на совещании pushes learners towards on. |
| 8 | I have a question to you. | I have a question for you. | A question is for someone (вопрос к вам → to is a calque). |
| 9 | I suggest to postpone the meeting. | I suggest postponing it. / I suggest we postpone it. / Shall we push it back? | Suggest is never followed by to + verb. |
| 10 | Let me explain you the plan. | Let me explain the plan to you. / Let me walk you through the plan. | Explain doesn't take a person directly after it. |
Number 10 has a bonus: walk you through is how English speakers introduce a step-by-step explanation in meetings. More meeting verbs like it are in phrasal verbs for work.
Deadlines and tasks (11–15)
| # | What people say | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | I'll send it until Friday. | I'll send it by Friday. | Uzbek -gacha covers both words. By = no later than; until = continuing up to that time (I'm in the office until six). |
| 12 | I'll do it after two days. | I'll do it in two days. / in two days' time | From now into the future is in; ikki kundan keyin is not after two days here. |
| 13 | I will try to do it. | I'll have it done by Thursday. / I can do it by Thursday if I get the data tomorrow. | I'll try sounds like "probably not". Give a date or a condition. |
| 14 | I will control the process. | I'll monitor the process. / I'll keep track of it. / I'll oversee it. | Russian контролировать is a false friend; English control sounds like power over people. |
| 15 | Please check the actual version. | Please check the current version. / the latest version | Актуальный means current; English actual means real (the actual cost was higher). |
Mistake 11 is the one managers notice most, because it changes the meaning of a deadline. When you promise something, say by + day, and if you are not sure, say what it depends on.
Phone calls and work chats (16–20)
| # | What people say | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 | I am Aziz. (answering the phone) | Aziz speaking. / Hi, this is Aziz from the finance team. | On the phone, English uses this is, not I am. |
| 17 | Who is it? (to a caller) | May I ask who's calling? / Sorry, who am I speaking to? | Who is it? is for a knock on the door at home. |
| 18 | Okay, I understood. | Got it. / Understood. / Noted, thanks. | Russian понял is past tense; in English the natural short reply is present or a set phrase. |
| 19 | Can you give me your contacts? | Can I have your contact details? / your number and email | Contacts are people you know; контакты = contact details. |
| 20 | Hi. (then nothing, waiting for a reply) | Hi Madina, quick question about the invoice: is the total with VAT? | In work chats, put the request in the first message so the other person can answer in one go. |
Job titles, greetings and false friends (21–25)
| # | What people say | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | I work on the position of manager. | I work as a manager. / I'm a project manager at a logistics company. | На должности doesn't translate word for word. |
| 22 | He is a specialist of marketing. | He's a marketing specialist. / He specialises in marketing. | Put the field before the job word, or use in. |
| 23 | Congratulations with the new position! | Congratulations on your new role! | С новой должностью → with is a calque; English uses on. |
| 24 | I'm on the sick. / I'm on sick list. | I'm off sick today. / I'm on sick leave. | Fixed phrases; больничный has no word-for-word match. |
| 25 | Good morning, dear colleagues! (in a daily stand-up) | Morning, everyone. / Hi all. | Hurmatli hamkasblar is right for a formal speech, too ceremonial for a 10-minute call. |
Five softeners that fix half of these
You don't need fifty polite phrases. These five cover most situations at work:
- Could you… ? Turns any instruction into a request: Could you update the slide?
- Would it be possible to… ? For asking permission or a favour: Would it be possible to move the call to three?
- I was wondering if… Even softer, good with senior people: I was wondering if you had time to review my draft.
- It might be worth… For suggestions that are really corrections: It might be worth adding the 2025 figures.
- I see your point, but… For disagreement: I see your point, but the client asked for the shorter version.
Say each one aloud with a sentence from your real job. Softeners feel long at first; in a week they feel normal.
These are workplace habits. The grammar slips that follow Uzbek speakers everywhere (articles, he/she, word order) are covered in English mistakes Uzbek speakers make, and written requests and follow-ups in business email phrases. If an English interview is your next step, see English job interview in Uzbekistan.
Exercise: fix the message
Each line comes from a real-sounding day in a Tashkent office. Rewrite it so it is correct and sounds natural.
- 1. Give me the numbers for the presentation.
- 2. I will prepare the contract until Monday.
- 3. We talked about it on the last meeting.
- 4. I suggest to invite the client too.
- 5. Hello, I am Jasur from the IT department.
- 6. Please look at the actual price list.
- 7. Congratulations with your promotion!
- 8. She is a specialist of logistics.
- 9. Can you explain me how the new system works?
- 10. I will try to finish it.
Answers
- 1. Could you send me the numbers for the presentation? A request, not an order (mistake 1).
- 2. I'll prepare the contract by Monday. A deadline takes by (mistake 11).
- 3. We talked about it in the last meeting. (mistake 7)
- 4. I suggest inviting the client too. / I suggest we invite the client too. (mistake 9)
- 5. On the phone: Hello, this is Jasur from the IT department. (mistake 16)
- 6. Please look at the current price list. Actual means real, not current (mistake 15).
- 7. Congratulations on your promotion! (mistake 23)
- 8. She's a logistics specialist. / She specialises in logistics. (mistake 22)
- 9. Can you explain how the new system works? / Could you walk me through the new system? (mistake 10)
- 10. I'll finish it by tomorrow afternoon. Or give the condition: I can finish it by Friday if I get the files today. (mistake 13)
If you got 8 or more, your workplace English is in good shape; focus on saying the softeners faster. If you missed 2, 6 or 10, those are the ones colleagues notice first, so start there.
Practising work conversations with Bandi
Knowing by Friday is easy on paper; saying it in a stand-up while someone is waiting is harder. In BandMate you can role-play workplace situations by voice with Bandi, such as asking for a deadline extension, disagreeing politely in a meeting or answering a call, and get feedback on grammar, word choice and pronunciation with explanations in Uzbek, Russian or English. Treat it as rehearsal before the real call, not as a replacement for feedback from your colleagues.
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