Budget & Distance Negotiation
Colleagues discuss practical considerations like budget per person and how far they are willing to walk or drive for lunch.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
budget
The amount of money you plan to spend on something, like lunch. In this dialogue, it means the limit for spending on food.
quick
Something that doesn't take much time, like a fast meal. Here, it describes food that's easy and fast to eat during a short break.
prefer
To like one thing more than another. Use it to express your choice, like 'I'd prefer a cheaper option.'
walk
To go somewhere on foot. In the dialogue, it refers to the distance, like a 10-minute walk to the restaurant.
drive
To travel by car. It's used here for short trips to places where walking might be too far.
portions
The amount of food served in one dish. 'Decent portions' means the food serving is satisfying and not too small.
bonus
Something extra that's good to have. In the context, 'less is always a bonus' means saving money is a nice advantage.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Any thoughts on where we should eat today? I'm open to suggestions.
This is a polite way to start a group discussion about plans. 'Any thoughts' invites opinions, and 'open to suggestions' shows you're flexible. Use it in meetings or with friends to encourage ideas.
My budget for lunch today is probably around $15-$20. What about everyone else?
This shares your spending limit and asks others. 'Around' means approximately, and 'what about everyone else' includes the group. Useful for negotiating costs in shared activities.
I'd prefer to keep it under $20 if possible.
This expresses a preference with a condition. 'I'd prefer' is a polite form of 'I want,' and 'if possible' makes it flexible. Great for stating limits without being too direct.
I'm okay with anywhere up to a 10-15 minute walk, or a short drive if there's parking.
This shows agreement with limits. 'Okay with' means acceptable, 'up to' means maximum, and it offers alternatives. Use it to describe your comfort level with distance or options.
That narrows it down.
This means it reduces the choices to fewer options. It's a common phrase after setting limits in discussions. Helpful for summarizing agreements in group decisions.
Sounds like a plan!
This agrees to a decision enthusiastically. It's informal and positive, used at the end of planning talks. The grammar is simple; it confirms the idea is good to go.
Let's head there in about 10 minutes then?
This suggests starting the action soon. 'Head there' means go to that place, 'in about 10 minutes' sets a time, and the question tag seeks agreement. Use it to coordinate movements in groups.