Daily Standup phrases in English
A standup is fifteen minutes at most, and each person gets about one. What you did, what you're doing, what's in your way. These phrases keep your update short and clear, so the team hears the one thing that matters. Fill in the “…” with your own ticket, name or date.
Yesterday and today
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1
Yesterday I finished … and opened a pull request for it.
Name the ticket and where it stands, not every task you touched.
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2
I'm still working on …; I expect to wrap it up by end of day.
When the same ticket carries over, give a finish time.
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3
Today I'm picking up …
Starting a new ticket from the board.
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4
Today I'll focus on getting … ready for review.
When the work is nearly done and the next step is someone else's.
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5
No change from yesterday: still on …, about halfway through.
An honest short update beats a long one that says the same.
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6
… took longer than expected because …
Explaining a slip in one sentence, with the reason.
Blockers
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7
I'm blocked on … until …
Say what unblocks you, not only that you're stuck.
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8
I'm waiting on … from …
Naming who you need, so they hear it in the meeting.
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9
No blockers for me.
The whole answer when there are none.
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10
It's not a blocker yet, but it could become one if …
Raising something early, before it stops you.
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11
Could someone with access to … help me after this?
Asking for help without solving it in the standup.
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12
I need a decision on … before I can continue.
When the blocker is a choice, not a task.
Risks to the sprint
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13
Heads-up: … might slip to …
Warning the team about a date.
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14
I found something that may affect the release: …
A bug or a gap that changes the plan.
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15
This is bigger than we estimated; I think it's closer to …
Re-estimating out loud, with a number.
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16
To keep the date, we could …
Bringing an option along with the problem.
Keeping it short
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17
Let's take this offline.
Stopping a long discussion politely. Add who and when.
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18
Can we sync right after this? It'll take five minutes.
Moving a detail out of the standup.
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19
I'll write it up in the ticket so everyone has the details.
When the context is too long to say.
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20
Sorry, could you say that again? You cut out for a second.
On a remote call, when the audio drops.
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21
Go ahead, …, you're next.
When you're running the standup.
Common mistakes
Sentences non-native speakers often say in a daily standup, and a more natural way to say them.
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You said Yesterday I do the login screen.
Better Yesterday I worked on the login screen.
Yesterday is past: worked, finished, fixed.
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You said Today I continue fix bug 231.
Better Today I'll keep working on BUG-231.
Keep working on, or continue fixing: the verb after continue takes -ing.
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You said I will try to finish it soon.
Better I should have it done by Thursday.
A day tells the team more than soon.
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You said I'm waiting the API.
Better I'm waiting on the API from the backend team.
Wait on or wait for, and say whose work it is.
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You said I have a problem need support.
Better I need some help with the payment test. Can someone pair with me after this?
Say what the help is for and when.