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Original poster

What phrase do you hear ALL THE TIME during your working day, that makes you want to scream?!

468 replies

Ilovemychocolate · 24/04/2026 13:33

So I’m a childminder.
Whilst out with the kids (presently four 2 year olds) I hear “you’ve got your hands full” multiple times a day!
Over and over again, and it’s SO hard to react with a smile sometimes! (But I do obviously)
When I worked in shops it was “printed it this morning!” if someone handed me a fresh note.
So what do you hear constantly whilst working, that makes you scream inside?!

OP posts:
canyouseemyhousefromhere · 25/04/2026 18:42

Oh and ‘can I get’ instead of ‘can (may) I have’.

constantly being said in coffee shops/bars etc. The temptation to ask if they are going to hop over the counter/bar and serve themselves is sometimes overwhelming.

The awful thing is I’ve heard my son say it now. 😱

canyouseemyhousefromhere · 25/04/2026 18:37

Using ‘absolutely ‘ when a simple ‘yes’ would suffice.

Holesinmesocks · 25/04/2026 18:21

PillsBox · 24/04/2026 13:54

OMG the 'reaching out' shite has hit MN in a big way this last year or so.

"I reached out to a friend recently"

"Should I reach out to my sister?"

"I'm reaching out to Mumsnetters"

Grrrrrr!! 😡🤣

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'Reaching out' and 'super' anything makes me feel stabby. Both along with the speakers can fuck right off.

4kids2cats · 25/04/2026 18:03

A member of my team prefaces every query to me with “Random question….” I want to reply “Go ahead. But it’s not random is it? It’s extremely specific, that’s why you’re asking me!”

Moii · 25/04/2026 18:00

When working in a call center and you ask anything else? and they come back with "The winning lottery numbers"

Susan7654 · 25/04/2026 17:59

I read somewhere that when shop assistants ask “Do you need a bag?”, they hear the same tired jokes and lines all day… so now I just say “No, thank you” — and you can literally see the relief on their faces :)))

JJMama · 25/04/2026 17:43

Hearing myself say “pull your trousers up and stop sagging..” X100 times a day

Being called “Bro Miss”

Also hearing myself and every other colleague say “STOP RUNNING IN THE CORRIDOR” 100 times per day.

PillsBox · 25/04/2026 17:10

Catdoorman · 25/04/2026 15:02

So it's not self service then?

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God no.

Lovely freshly cooked food.

If people want to 'get it' 😁

Smorgs · 25/04/2026 15:49

PillsBox · 24/04/2026 13:54

OMG the 'reaching out' shite has hit MN in a big way this last year or so.

"I reached out to a friend recently"

"Should I reach out to my sister?"

"I'm reaching out to Mumsnetters"

Grrrrrr!! 😡🤣

Show quote history

I am a firm believer that "reaching out" is only appropriate in a drowning/rescue situation. All other uses of the phrase are wrong.

sparrowhawkhere · 25/04/2026 15:48

Sharing is caring, on repeat from children who never share but expect (and at home get) whatever they want and are bewildered as to why they have to wait for a toy for more than a few seconds.

pinkstripeycat · 25/04/2026 15:45

I am a driving instructor so I don’t speak to people outside the car but I get fed up of people tail gating my car (with me or a pupil driving) when I/we am going the actual speed limit. They must be too stupid to know the limit despite there being repeated signs (called repeaters!) or they think we’re going slow just because we have a massive box on the top with an L in it. ALSO idiots pulling in front of me/us at the last minute because they are too stupid to estimate how fast we’re travelling. They look in their rear mirror and see a 50yr old woman driving and you can see their eyes stunned it wasn’t the learner driving.

Pippalongstocking70 · 25/04/2026 15:41

PillsBox · 24/04/2026 13:55

"There's no I in team"

No, but there's two in idiot 🙄

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I love this come back

Radyward · 25/04/2026 15:38

Id like to put "our stamp on it "

Gives me the rage

Radyward · 25/04/2026 15:37

'Out of my comfort zone "

Fgfgfg · 25/04/2026 15:35

InterestedDad37 · 25/04/2026 09:01

"Speak to" + something in meetings. As in "Jerome, can you speak to this?"
No, I bloody can't. But I can speak about it 😀

Well fgfgfg can I agenda you to speak to this report?
Yes, but I won't get a response will I???? Would you like me to speak to the other humans in the meeting about the report? Also, what's with the agenda bollocks? Apparently these observations are 'unhelpful'.

Catdoorman · 25/04/2026 15:02

PillsBox · 24/04/2026 14:02

The woman who runs the staff canteen is constantly hearing "Can I get a coffee?" or "Can I get a sandwich?"

She never tires of saying "Errrm no. I'll get it and you can pay for it, how does that sound?" 😁

So it's not self service then?

CloudPop · 25/04/2026 12:36

AI

NormasArse · 25/04/2026 12:06

Could you work X day as an extra?

NO I FUCKING CAN’T- I’VE GIVEN YOU MY AVAILABILITY- STOP FUCKING ASKING!!!!

NormasArse · 25/04/2026 12:04

Ilovemychocolate · 24/04/2026 13:33

So I’m a childminder.
Whilst out with the kids (presently four 2 year olds) I hear “you’ve got your hands full” multiple times a day!
Over and over again, and it’s SO hard to react with a smile sometimes! (But I do obviously)
When I worked in shops it was “printed it this morning!” if someone handed me a fresh note.
So what do you hear constantly whilst working, that makes you scream inside?!

I used to get that when I was fostering, that and, Don’t you have a TV?’ 🙄

Original poster
Ilovemychocolate · 25/04/2026 12:03

CuppaAndCuddles · 24/04/2026 20:08

Childminder here.
Yep that is the phrase that drives me up the wall! I just have to politely smile or if I'm feeling extra grumpy say something like if I had a pound everytime I heard that I wouldn't have to work!
Or jokingly sarcastic like have I?! I didn't realise
Or if I'm in a good mood and they're genuinely nice I'll say yes and a heart full too. I much prefer when people say something to compliment us like how well behaved they are or how happy they look or how happy they look! It really makes me want to scream sometimes though!

I sometimes say “yes and I’m being paid too!”
🤣

OP posts:
JustGotToKeepOnKeepingOn · 25/04/2026 11:49

“Can I leave that with you…?” Always said by the manager so you can t say no!

Friendlygingercat · 25/04/2026 11:49

When I worked in local government (public facing) the key phrase was "the exigencies of the service". We used to make a joke of it among ourselves although not in front of bosses.

I once has a one to one with my bos and he went through all of these

I see where your coming from
We're singing from the same hymn sheet
It is what it is
You seem to have lost your mojo
To see the broader picture
Structural changes in the profession
.....

I forget the rest.

LlynTegid · 25/04/2026 11:47

AndresyFiorella · 25/04/2026 08:28

I think this is totally reasonable. The patient was honest and said they didn't need to be seen today, but thinks 10 days is too long to wait.

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And given the reputation of GP receptionists, no wonder people try to negotiate.

LlynTegid · 25/04/2026 11:45

UpperLowerMiddleClass · 24/04/2026 18:14

We seem to have a spate of very important senior people constantly declaring in meetings that they ‘have a hard stop at 12’ or whenever.

If they turned up on time and that is the scheduled finish time of the meeting, then fair enough. Not otherwise.

sammylady37 · 25/04/2026 11:40

harrietthespi · 25/04/2026 11:08

’can you just..’ , and ‘are you busy’ when I’m CLEARLY fucking busy .

I have a colleague who rings and when I answer, she says “am I interrupting you?” . It’s a pointless question, of course she’s interrupting me. She knows she is, I know she is. She’s going to do it anyway. I used answer ‘no, it’s ok’ but now I say ‘yes, you are’ and she laughs awkwardly and launches into whatever she was ringing about. She never says “oh sorry, when would suit for a call?” so clearly her asking in the first place is a meaningless exercise.