‘Sliding In On A Shrimp Sandwich’: The Best International Business Jargon
“Thanks for reaching out.”
“I just wanted to touch base with you.”
“Let’s circle back on these action items once I get my ducks in a row.”
If you’ve ever worked in an office in the United States, you’ve probably heard at least one of these examples of corporate jargon. They’re overused, banal and essentially meaningless, but they can also be fun to think about.
If you run out of American expressions, it turns out other countries have their own business jargon in their own languages. We spoke with representatives from 10 international chambers of commerce in the U.S., who shared one or two of the most common expressions from their countries. These corporate idioms provide a window into the business culture and communication of nations around the world.
Indonesia
Phrase: “Asal bapak senang”
Literal translation: “Keeping Father happy”
Meaning: Hiding bad news from the boss; being a ‘yes-man’
Phrase: “Jam karet”
Translation: “Rubber time”
Meaning: Flexible timing or expected tardiness for meetings
Source: American Indonesian Chamber of Commerce
Belgium
Phrase: “Hij heeft zijn schaapjes op het droge”
Literal translation: “He has his sheep on dry land”
Meaning: He doesn’t need to worry – he has a lot of money
Phrase: “De kogel is door de kerk”
Translation: “The bullet is through the church”
Meaning: The decision has been made
Source: Belgian-American Chamber of Commerce
Brazil
Phrase: “Brilho no olho”
Literal translation: “Gleam in the eye”
Meaning: Dedication to work; great passion about what one does
Source: Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce
The Netherlands
Phrase: “Water naar de zee dragen”
Literal translation: “Carrying water to the sea”
Meaning: A futile activity
Source: Dutch American Chamber
France
Phrase: “Vouloir le beurre et l’argent du beurre”
Literal translation: “Wanting the butter and the butter’s money”
Meaning: Wanting to keep everything for oneself without leaving anything for others
Phrase: “Avoir du pain sur la planche“
Translation: “To have bread on the cutting board”
Meaning: We’ve got work to do
Source: French-American Chamber of Commerce
Germany
Phrase: “Die Milchmädchenrechnung”
Literal translation: “Milkmaid calculation”
Meaning: A naive calculation or reasoning
Phrase: “Jetzt‘s geht’s um die Wurst!”
Translation: “Now it is about the sausage!”
Meaning: The final stages of a project/the moment when it counts
Source: German American Chamber of Commerce
Greece
Phrase: “Του έψησε το ψάρι στα χείλη”
Literal translation: “He cooked the fish on his lips”
Meaning: He made his life difficult
Phrase: “πού πας ξυπόλητος στα αγκάθια”
Translation: “Where are you going, barefoot on thorn?”
Meaning: Why are you taking over such a hard task?
Source: Hellenic-American Chamber of Commerce
Norway
Phrase: “Det gikk litt fort i svingene”
Literal translation: “The speed was too high in the turns”
Meaning: Making mistakes by rushing to get a task done
Source: Norwegian-American Chamber of Commerce
Poland
Phrase: “Co ma piernik do wiatraka?”
Literal translation: “What does gingerbread have to do with a windmill?”
Meaning: What does one task have to do with another?
Phrase: “Łatwiej pałac skrytykować niż psu budę postawić”
Translation: “It’s easier to criticize a palace than to build a doghouse”
Meaning: It’s easier to criticize than to help build something small
Source: Polish American Chamber of Commerce
Sweden
Phrase: “Glida in på en räkmacka“
Literal translation: “Sliding in on a shrimp sandwich”
Meaning: To have things easy; to succeed without having to work hard
Phrase: “Peka med hela handen”
Translation: ”Pointing with the whole hand”
Meaning: To forcefully instruct someone
