Meeting Phrases for Software Engineers

Updated:
Shun Kushigami

Meeting Phrases for Software Engineers

A comprehensive guide to essential English phrases for software engineers in meetings, complete with IPA pronunciation guides. Covers progress updates, technical discussions, and professional communication.

Starting a Meeting

Greetings and Introductions

  • Good morning/afternoon, everyone /ɡʊd ˈmɔːrnɪŋ/ˌæftərˈnuːn ˈevriˌwʌn/

    • Standard greeting for meetings
  • Let me introduce myself /let miː ˌɪntrəˈduːs maɪˈself/

    • Beginning a self-introduction
  • I'm responsible for /aɪm rɪˈspɒnsəbl fɔːr/

    • Describing your role
  • I work on the /aɪ wɜːrk ɒn ðə/

    • Explaining your team/project

Opening the Meeting

  • Let's get started /lets ɡet ˈstɑːrtɪd/

    • Informal meeting start
  • Shall we begin? /ʃæl wiː bɪˈɡɪn/

    • Polite meeting start
  • The purpose of today's meeting is /ðə ˈpɜːrpəs əv təˈdeɪz ˈmiːtɪŋ ɪz/

    • Stating meeting objectives
  • Our agenda includes /aʊər əˈdʒendə ɪnˈkluːdz/

    • Outlining discussion points

Progress Updates

Current Status

  • I'd like to update you on /aɪd laɪk tuː ʌpˈdeɪt juː ɒn/

    • Beginning a status update
  • We're currently working on /wɪər ˈkʌrəntli ˈwɜːrkɪŋ ɒn/

    • Describing ongoing work
  • The implementation is /ðiː ˌɪmplɪmenˈteɪʃən ɪz/

    • Implementation status:
    • in progress /ɪn ˈprəʊɡres/
    • completed /kəmˈpliːtɪd/
    • on hold /ɒn həʊld/
    • blocked /blɒkt/
  • We've achieved /wiːv əˈtʃiːvd/

    • Reporting accomplishments

Timeline and Schedule

  • We're on track /wɪər ɒn træk/

    • Meeting deadlines
  • We're ahead of schedule /wɪər əˈhed əv ˈʃedjuːl/

    • Progressing faster than planned
  • We're behind schedule /wɪər bɪˈhaɪnd ˈʃedjuːl/

    • Running late
  • The deadline is /ðə ˈdedlaɪn ɪz/

    • Specifying due dates
  • We need an extension /wiː niːd ən ɪkˈstenʃən/

    • Requesting more time
  • The estimated completion date /ðiː ˈestɪmeɪtɪd kəmˈpliːʃən deɪt/

    • Providing timeline estimates

Technical Discussions

Architecture and Design

  • From an architectural perspective /frəm ən ˌɑːrkɪˈtektʃərəl pərˈspektɪv/

    • Discussing system design
  • The system design includes /ðə ˈsɪstəm dɪˈzaɪn ɪnˈkluːdz/

    • Describing components
  • We should consider scalability /wiː ʃʊd kənˈsɪdər ˌskeɪləˈbɪləti/

    • Planning for growth
  • The API endpoint /ðiː eɪpiːˈaɪ ˈendpɔɪnt/

    • Discussing interfaces
  • Microservices architecture /ˈmaɪkrəʊˌsɜːrvɪsɪz ˈɑːrkɪtektʃər/

    • Service-oriented design
  • Database schema /ˈdeɪtəbeɪs ˈskiːmə/

    • Data structure

Performance and Optimization

  • Performance bottleneck /pərˈfɔːrməns ˈbɒtlnek/

    • Identifying slowdowns
  • We need to optimize /wiː niːd tuː ˈɒptɪmaɪz/

    • Improving efficiency
  • The latency is /ðə ˈleɪtənsi ɪz/

    • Response time
  • Memory consumption /ˈmeməri kənˈsʌmpʃən/

    • RAM usage
  • CPU utilization /ˌsiːpiːˈjuː ˌjuːtɪlaɪˈzeɪʃən/

    • Processor usage
  • Throughput /ˈθruːpʊt/

    • Processing capacity

Debugging and Troubleshooting

  • I've identified the bug /aɪv aɪˈdentɪfaɪd ðə bʌɡ/

    • Found the problem
  • The root cause is /ðə ruːt kɔːz ɪz/

    • Underlying issue
  • We're debugging /wɪər diːˈbʌɡɪŋ/

    • Investigating issues
  • The issue has been resolved /ðiː ˈɪʃuː hæz biːn rɪˈzɒlvd/

    • Problem fixed
  • Stack trace shows /stæk treɪs ʃəʊz/

    • Error details
  • Exception handling /ɪkˈsepʃən ˈhændlɪŋ/

    • Error management

Expressing Opinions

Making Suggestions

  • I suggest /aɪ səˈdʒest/

    • Proposing ideas
  • How about /haʊ əˈbaʊt/

    • Informal suggestion
  • We could try /wiː kʊd traɪ/

    • Proposing alternatives
  • My recommendation is /maɪ ˌrekəmenˈdeɪʃən ɪz/

    • Formal advice
  • It might be worth /ɪt maɪt biː wɜːrθ/

    • Tentative suggestion
  • Have we considered /hæv wiː kənˈsɪdərd/

    • Bringing up options

Agreeing

  • I agree with /aɪ əˈɡriː wɪð/

    • Supporting an idea
  • That makes sense /ðæt meɪks sens/

    • Logical agreement
  • Good point /ɡʊd pɔɪnt/

    • Acknowledging validity
  • Exactly /ɪɡˈzæktli/

    • Strong agreement
  • I'm on board with that /aɪm ɒn bɔːrd wɪð ðæt/

    • Full support
  • That's a valid approach /ðæts ə ˈvælɪd əˈprəʊtʃ/

    • Technical agreement

Disagreeing or Expressing Concerns

  • I have concerns about /aɪ hæv kənˈsɜːrnz əˈbaʊt/

    • Polite disagreement
  • I'm not sure if /aɪm nɒt ʃʊər ɪf/

    • Expressing doubt
  • The potential risk is /ðə pəˈtenʃəl rɪsk ɪz/

    • Highlighting dangers
  • We should be careful about /wiː ʃʊd biː ˈkeərfəl əˈbaʊt/

    • Cautioning
  • That might cause issues with /ðæt maɪt kɔːz ˈɪʃuːz wɪð/

    • Technical concerns
  • I see it differently /aɪ siː ɪt ˈdɪfərəntli/

    • Alternative viewpoint

Questions and Clarification

Checking Understanding

  • Do you follow? /duː juː ˈfɒləʊ/

    • Ensuring comprehension
  • Is that clear? /ɪz ðæt klɪər/

    • Confirming clarity
  • Does that make sense? /dʌz ðæt meɪk sens/

    • Verifying understanding
  • Any questions so far? /ˈeni ˈkwestʃənz səʊ fɑːr/

    • Inviting queries
  • Are we all on the same page? /ɑːr wiː ɔːl ɒn ðə seɪm peɪdʒ/

    • Confirming alignment

Asking Questions

  • Could you elaborate on /kʊd juː ɪˈlæbəreɪt ɒn/

    • Requesting details
  • What's the status of /wɒts ðə ˈsteɪtəs əv/

    • Checking progress
  • How long will it take? /haʊ lɒŋ wɪl ɪt teɪk/

    • Time estimates
  • What are the dependencies? /wɒt ɑːr ðə dɪˈpendənsiz/

    • Understanding requirements
  • Can you walk me through /kæn juː wɔːk miː θruː/

    • Step-by-step explanation
  • What's the impact on /wɒts ðiː ˈɪmpækt ɒn/

    • Understanding effects

Task Assignment

Clarifying Responsibilities

  • Who's responsible for /huːz rɪˈspɒnsəbl fɔːr/

    • Assigning ownership
  • I'll take care of /aɪl teɪk keər əv/

    • Volunteering
  • Can you handle /kæn juː ˈhændl/

    • Delegating
  • Let's assign this to /lets əˈsaɪn ðɪs tuː/

    • Task allocation
  • Who has bandwidth for /huː hæz ˈbændwɪdθ fɔːr/

    • Checking availability
  • I can pick this up /aɪ kæn pɪk ðɪs ʌp/

    • Taking ownership

Action Items

  • Action items /ˈækʃən ˈaɪtəmz/

    • Tasks to complete
  • Next steps /nekst steps/

    • Forward planning
  • Follow-up tasks /ˈfɒləʊ ʌp tɑːsks/

    • Subsequent actions
  • Deliverables /dɪˈlɪvərəblz/

    • Expected outputs
  • Sprint backlog /sprɪnt ˈbæklɒɡ/

    • Iteration tasks
  • User stories /ˈjuːzər ˈstɔːriz/

    • Feature requirements

Technical Terminology Pronunciation

Development Terms

  • Repository /rɪˈpɒzɪtəri/

    • Code storage
  • Algorithm /ˈælɡərɪðəm/

    • Problem-solving procedure
  • Authentication /ɔːˌθentɪˈkeɪʃən/

    • Identity verification
  • Authorization /ˌɔːθəraɪˈzeɪʃən/

    • Access control
  • Asynchronous /eɪˈsɪŋkrənəs/

    • Non-blocking operations
  • Kubernetes /ˌkuːbərˈnetiːz/

    • Container orchestration
  • Deployment /dɪˈplɔɪmənt/

    • Release process
  • Continuous /kənˈtɪnjuəs/

    • Ongoing process

Database Terms

  • Query /ˈkwɪəri/

    • Data request
  • Schema /ˈskiːmə/

    • Data structure
  • Migration /maɪˈɡreɪʃən/

    • Database changes
  • Cache /kæʃ/

    • Temporary storage
  • Index /ˈɪndeks/

    • Data lookup
  • Transaction /trænˈzækʃən/

    • Atomic operation

Framework and Tool Names

  • Angular /ˈæŋɡjʊlər/

    • Frontend framework
  • React /riˈækt/

    • UI library
  • Vue /vjuː/

    • Progressive framework
  • Django /ˈdʒæŋɡəʊ/

    • Python framework
  • PostgreSQL /ˈpəʊstɡresˌkjuːˈel/

    • Database system
  • Redis /ˈredɪs/

    • In-memory store

Closing a Meeting

Summarizing

  • To summarize /tuː ˈsʌməraɪz/

    • Recap main points
  • In conclusion /ɪn kənˈkluːʒən/

    • Final thoughts
  • Key takeaways /kiː ˈteɪkəweɪz/

    • Important points
  • We've agreed on /wiːv əˈɡriːd ɒn/

    • Confirmed decisions
  • The main outcomes are /ðə meɪn ˈaʊtkʌmz ɑːr/

    • Meeting results
  • To recap /tuː ˈriːkæp/

    • Brief summary

Next Meeting

  • Our next meeting is /aʊər nekst ˈmiːtɪŋ ɪz/

    • Scheduling follow-up
  • I'll send the meeting minutes /aɪl send ðə ˈmiːtɪŋ ˈmɪnɪts/

    • Documentation promise
  • Thank you for your time /θæŋk juː fɔːr jɔːr taɪm/

    • Polite closing
  • I'll follow up with /aɪl ˈfɒləʊ ʌp wɪð/

    • Post-meeting action
  • Let's sync up again /lets sɪŋk ʌp əˈɡen/

    • Planning reconnection

Common Acronyms and Pronunciation

  • ASAP /ˌeɪesˌeɪˈpiː/

    • As Soon As Possible
  • ETA /ˌiːtiːˈeɪ/

    • Estimated Time of Arrival
  • POC /ˌpiːəʊˈsiː/

    • Proof of Concept
  • MVP /ˌemviːˈpiː/

    • Minimum Viable Product
  • CI/CD /ˌsiːˈaɪ ˌsiːˈdiː/

    • Continuous Integration/Deployment
  • QA /ˌkjuːˈeɪ/

    • Quality Assurance
  • UAT /ˌjuːeɪˈtiː/

    • User Acceptance Testing
  • SLA /ˌeseˈleɪ/

    • Service Level Agreement
  • KPI /ˌkeɪpiːˈaɪ/

    • Key Performance Indicator
  • ROI /ˌɑːrəʊˈaɪ/

    • Return on Investment

Remote Meeting Phrases

Technical Issues

  • Can you hear me? /kæn juː hɪər miː/

    • Audio check
  • You're on mute /jʊər ɒn mjuːt/

    • Common reminder
  • Can you share your screen? /kæn juː ʃeər jɔːr skriːn/

    • Screen sharing request
  • I'm having connection issues /aɪm ˈhævɪŋ kəˈnekʃən ˈɪʃuːz/

    • Network problems
  • Let me restart my video /let miː ˌriːˈstɑːrt maɪ ˈvɪdiəʊ/

    • Camera troubles

Remote Etiquette

  • Sorry, go ahead /ˈsɒri ɡəʊ əˈhed/

    • After interruption
  • Can everyone see my screen? /kæn ˈevriˌwʌn siː maɪ skriːn/

    • Sharing confirmation
  • I'll drop a link in the chat /aɪl drɒp ə lɪŋk ɪn ðə tʃæt/

    • Sharing resources
  • Let's take this offline /lets teɪk ðɪs ˈɒflaɪn/

    • Defer discussion
  • I'll be right back /aɪl biː raɪt bæk/

    • Brief absence

Practical Tips

Pronunciation Guidelines

  1. Stress patterns: Pay attention to syllable emphasis
  2. Linking sounds: Connect words naturally
  3. Intonation: Rise for questions, fall for statements
  4. Rhythm: English has a stress-timed rhythm

Meeting Best Practices

  1. Be prepared: Review technical terms beforehand
  2. Be concise: Get to the point quickly
  3. Be clear: Use simple language when possible
  4. Be respectful: Allow others to finish speaking
  5. Be proactive: Ask for clarification when needed

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • ❌ "Please teach me" → ✅ "Could you explain"
  • ❌ "I have a doubt" → ✅ "I have a question"
  • ❌ "Revert back" → ✅ "Revert" or "Get back"
  • ❌ "Do the needful" → ✅ "Please take care of this"
  • ❌ "Prepone" → ✅ "Move up" or "Reschedule earlier"

Cultural Considerations

  • Direct communication: Be straightforward but polite
  • Time awareness: Start and end on time
  • Documentation: Follow up with written summaries
  • Inclusivity: Ensure everyone has a chance to contribute