Curry favour: The English We Speak - YouTube

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...

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.