You join the Zoom. British client says: “Lovely weather we’re having, isn’t it?”
You say: “Yes. OK, so agenda today…”
Silence. You just failed the test.
In British business culture, small talk is NOT small. It’s the interview before the interview. If you can’t do 2 minutes of weather, traffic, and weekend, they don’t trust you with the contract.
Here are 5 phrases that make you sound British-natural, not awkward.
1. “Did you have a good weekend?” / “Any nice plans for the weekend?”
Monday and Friday essential. Never skip.
Don’t answer: “Yes, good.”
Do answer: “Yes, we went to the Mazury lakes, really relaxing. How about you?”
Always return the question.
2. “How was your journey in?” / “Did you get here OK?”
Perfect for Warsaw office meetings when client came from UK or across city.
3. “Have you been to Warsaw before?”
If yes, let them talk. Brits love to be asked.
4. The weather line — master it:
British: “Bit chilly today, isn’t it?”
You: “It is a bit! I thought summer was coming back.”
That “isn’t it?” — agree + add a little. Don’t just say “Yes.”
5. “What keeps you busy outside work?”
Much better than “What is your hobby?” — sounds natural, not textbook.
What to avoid translating from Polish:
- “Zapraszam” → Don’t say “I invite you” for coffee. Say “Please, help yourself” or “Shall we grab a coffee?”
- “Nara…” — never say “Bye bye” in business. Say “Lovely to chat” or “Speak soon”
Small talk is practice, not talent. We practice exactly this in our first Business English class — 10 minutes of British small talk until it feels natural.
We make small talk feel natural, not translated. Your next British client will feel the difference in the first 2 minutes.
Want to practice? Book a set of classes: Contact Alex
