Summary

Rob's spotted Feifei having lunch with the boss – what is she up to? He thinks she's after something and has a phrase to describe this – but what's it got to do with curry? Listen to The English We Speak and all will be clear.

Transcript

Feifei
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I'm Feifei… 

Rob
…and hello, I'm Rob. Erm, Feifei, why were you in the cafe with the boss earlier? 

Feifei
Was I? 

Rob
Come on. I saw you having lunch with the boss. Nobody ever has lunch with him. 

Feifei
OK, I admit it. I was having lunch with the boss. What's wrong with that? 

Rob
Well, we all know there is a promotion in the department on offer – and you are obviously trying to curry favour with the boss so that you get the job. Honestly! 

Feifei
Hold on. I can assure you I was NOT having curry with the boss – it was just a sandwich. 

Rob
Feifei, if you 'curry favour with someone' you are not eating curry. It means you are trying to get someone – the boss – to like you or even give you something. Something like a promotion. 

Feifei
I was not! But I like the expression. 

Rob
OK. Well, let's hear some examples of people currying favour with someone else… 

Examples
I know what you're up to! You're trying to curry favour with the manager by telling her what a great job she's doing! 

The company tried to curry favour with its employees by giving them all a pay rise. 

He's trying to get free tickets to the gig by currying favour with the tour manager – it won't work! 

Feifei
This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we're talking about the phrase 'to curry favour (with someone)' which means 'to try and get someone to like you or give you something'. 

Rob
Another way of saying it is you are 'trying to keep in with' someone. 

Feifei
It's all a bit false, Rob, trying to make someone like you - which is why I was NOT trying to curry favour with the boss. 

Rob
You won't get the promotion anyway. 

Feifei
We were actually talking about you! 

Rob
Oh yes? 

Feifei
He wanted my advice on whether he should give the promotion to you. 

Rob
To me! Well, come on then, what did he say? 

Feifei
You'll need to curry favour with me, if you want to know that! 

Rob
How about dinner? I know a nice little curry house just round the corner. 

Feifei
Bye. 

Rob
Bye bye.