The Business of English - Episode 15: Until next time

The Business of English - Episode 15: Until next time

Business English - australianetwork

Episode 15 - Transcript
We look at ways of saying goodbye.

Waiter serves drinks…

SAM: Thankyou.

VICTOR: Well, it has been a great pleasure to meet you Sam, and Lin.

SAM: Yes, we've enjoyed meeting you too Victor.

LIN: Yes, it's been great. What a pity you have to go home.

VICTOR: Well, all good things must come to an end. But I'm sure we'll meet again.

SAM: Yes, I hope so.

LIN: And good luck with your business. I'm sure it will go well.

VICTOR: And I wish you every success too.

SAM: Well, I think we should drink a toast to the end of the conference, and to ourselves. Here's to us.
Cheers

VICTOR: Cheers

LIN: Cheers.

SAM: We should keep in touch.

VICTOR: Yes. Have I given you my card?

SAM: No - thanks very much.
Here's mine.

VICTOR: Do you have a card Lin?

LIN: Yes.

VICTOR: Thankyou. I'll send you an email. And if you're ever in Singapore, you must look me up.

SAM: We certainly will. And you have my number. When you're next in Sydney, give me a call - we'll have a drink.

WAITER: May I take these?
(takes glasses)

VICTOR: Well, I'd better get going or I'll miss my flight.

SAM: (shakes hands) Have a good flight home. Bon voyage.

LIN: Goodbye. Until next time.

VICTOR: Goodbye.
For the final programme in the series we're looking at some of the phrases you may use when you're saying goodbye to someone - either for a short time, or a long time. In our example, Victor is from another country, and he's about to go back home. At a conference, he's met Sam and Lin.
It has been a great pleasure to meet you Sam and Lin.

We've enjoyed meeting you too Victor.

Yes, it's been great. What a pity you have to go home.
There are various phrases you can use to express how enjoyable it was to meet someone. Which one you use depends on how well you got to know them. Practise some of these phrases with Victor.
It's been a great pleasure to meet you.

I have enjoyed meeting you.

I'm so glad to have met you.

Nice to meet you.
The phrase 'nice to meet you' would be used after one short meeting. You can also use this phrase when you are introduced to someone.

What about the replies? Practise them with Lin.
Nice to meet you.
You too.
It's been a pleasure to meet you.
And you.
Glad to have met you.
Glad to have met you too.
Notice that the reply should match the statement. So if someone says: 'I have enjoyed meeting you', the reply can be 'So have I'.

If someone says 'It's been a pleasure to meet you', the reply can be 'A pleasure to meet you too', or just 'And you.' Victor also says 'I'm sure we'll meet again.'

Here are some useful phrases to do with meeting again. Practise them with Victor.
I'm sure we'll meet again.

Hopefully we'll meet again.

I hope we'll meet again soon.
Notice again here - that the reply should match the statement, so if someone says: 'I'm sure we'll meet again.', then the reply also uses 'am' 'So am I'. After the statement 'I hope we'll meet again', the reply should be: 'So do I'.

Another part of saying goodbye can be wishing someone well for the future.
And good luck with your business. I'm sure it will go well.

And I wish you every success too.
Sam proposes a toast. Watch how he does this…
Well, I think we should drink a toast to the end of the conference, and to ourselves. Here's to us. Cheers

Cheers

Cheers.
This is an informal toast. Sam says 'I think we should drink a toast'.

Another phrase he could use is: 'Let's drink to' - for example… 'Let's drink to the end of the conference' or 'Let's drink to our future meeting'. Then they clink their glasses together and say 'Cheers'.

Here's another version of the toast:
Sam: Let's drink to our next meeting.

Victor: Our next meeting!

Lin: Cheers
And of course, the toast doesn't have to be alcohol - it can be any kind of drink.

The next part of their conversation is about keeping in touch - or keeping in contact.
We should keep in touch.

Yes. Have I given you my card?

No - thanks very much. Here's mine.

Do you have a card Lin?

Yes.

Thankyou. I'll send you an email.
Repeat the phrases after Sam…
We must keep in touch.

We must keep in contact.

Here's my card.

Would you like my card?

Do you have a card?
The next part of their conversation is about meeting again. Listen…
And if you're ever in Singapore, you must look me up.

We certainly will. And you have my number. When you're next in Sydney, give me a call - we'll have a drink.
To 'look someone up' just means to arrange a meeting. When Victor says 'You must look me up', he is inviting Sam and Lin to meet him if they are in Singapore. This is more of a social invitation, than a business one. Using the word 'must' is not like an order here - it suggests that Victor will be very happy if Sam sees him in Singapore.

In the same way, Sam says 'Give me a call' to Victor. It sounds like an order, but in fact it's an invitation. It's important to get the intonation - the way you say it - right - so that it sounds like an invitation, and not an order.
You must look me up when you're in Singapore.

And if I don't?

I'll never speak to you again!
Practise these kinds of invitations with Victor.
You must look me up next time you're in town.

You must come and see me.

Why don't you give me a call when you're in town?

Ring me if you're in town.
Finally let's look at how the three friends say goodbye. Remember this is a semi-formal situation.
Well, I'd better get going or I'll miss my flight.

Have a good flight home. Bon voyage.

Goodbye. Until next time.

Goodbye.
There are a few ways of saying goodbye - but the simplest and best is simply 'Goodbye'. Sam says 'Bon voyage' - a French phrase which is also quite common for someone who is travelling.

Now, let's review and practise some of the phrases we've learnt today.
It's been a pleasure to meet you.

I'm sure we'll meet again.

We must keep in touch.

Give me a call when you're in town.

I've enjoyed meeting you.

I wish you every success for the future.

May I give you my card?

Best wishes for the future.

I hope you have a good flight home.
The language you use in each situation may be slightly different depending on how well you know the other people, and how friendly you are with them. If the situation is social, and you have become quite friendly, you may use slightly less formal language. But it's important not to forget the usual expressions of good wishes - such as for a good flight home, and to say how you've enjoyed meeting the other person. But don't go too far.
Well, I'd better get going or I'll miss my flight.

I'm going to miss you Victor.

So am I. What will we do without you?

Be strong.

Will we meet again?

I know we will.

Goodbye.

Goodbye Victor - and bon voyage.

You forgot my card!
Well, I've enjoyed helping you with 'The Business of English', and I hope you've enjoyed learning some useful phrases and expressions in English - and that you'll be able to put them into practice soon.

Goodbye and good luck!