10 Best Ways To Ask Your Boss For Time To Talk (Polite)

Knowing how to request a meeting with your boss is only the first step in making sure you’re polite in business settings. It’s important to know some of the best phrases you can use to ask for your boss’s time. This article will explore the best ones.

How Do I Ask My Boss For Time To Talk?

There are some great ways to ask our boss for time to talk. Whether we’re emailing them or talking to them in person, we can say one of the following:

• Sorry to bother you, but I’d like to set up a meeting
• I know you’re very busy, but I’d like to schedule a one-on-one meeting today
• Sorry to bother you, but do you have a moment to talk?
• I hope I’ve not caught you at a bad time, but can we talk?
• I hope this isn’t a bad time, but I’m wondering if you can talk
• Would you be able to have a quick discussion about this?
• Would you be free in a little while to have a meeting with me?
• Could we have a discussion about this at some point?
• Are you free to have a one-on-one meeting?
• Would I be able to pick your brain about this matter?

The preferred version is “sorry to bother you, but I’d like to set up a meeting” when you’re speaking directly to your boss. “Would you be able to have a quick discussion about this” is the best version in business emails. It depends on your method of communication.

Sorry To Bother You, But I’d Like To Set Up A Meeting

“Sorry to bother you” is one of the best ways to start any respectful sentence to your boss. It shows that you value their time, and you understand they are usually busy.

“I’d like to set up a meeting” is a simple request that allows your boss to find a suitable time to get this done. If they’re currently busy, they can select a better time that works for them.

• Sorry to bother you, ma’am. I’d like to set up a meeting with you, and this is the only time that works for me.
• Sorry to bother you, but I’d like to set up a meeting. Which time is going to be the best for you to do this?
• Sorry to bother you, but I’d like to set up a meeting. Would it be okay if we discussed this now?

I Know You’re Very Busy, But I’d Like To Schedule A One-On-One Meeting Today

“I know you’re very busy” is a great sign of respect in the workplace. It shows that you know your boss has a lot to do. We can then ask to schedule a meeting after we’ve established the respect to show that we’re eager to learn something.

• I know you’re very busy, but I’d like to schedule a one-on-one meeting today if that’s okay?
• I know you’re busy, sir, but I’d like to schedule a meeting today. Do you have the time to do this?
• I know you’re very busy. I’d like to schedule a one-on-one meeting with you, though. I have a few things that need to be talked over.

Sorry To Bother You, But Do You Have A Moment To Talk?

“Sorry to bother you” is used again here to be respectful. This time, we ask, “do you have a moment to talk” to show them that we will only take a small amount of their time.

Even if they are busy, this might make them more comfortable to stop what they’re doing for a “moment.”

• Sorry to bother you, ma’am, but do you have a moment to talk? I want to check on a few things about the new rules.
• Sorry to bother you. Do you have a moment to talk? I would like to understand a few things you’ve put forward.
• Sorry to bother you, but do you have a moment to talk? I want to make sure we’re both on the same page here.

I Hope I’ve Not Caught You At A Bad Time, But Can We Talk?

This phrase is another good way to respect someone’s time and boundaries. If your boss is usually busy, “not caught you at a bad time” is a good way to establish this. We use it to show that we hope they have a spare second to talk to us about something.

• I hope I’ve not caught you at a bad time, sir. Can we talk?
• I hope I’ve not caught you at a bad time, but can we talk? It’s very important to me, and we should do this now.
• I hope I’ve not caught you at a bad time, but can we talk? This issue has really impacted me.

I Hope This Isn’t A Bad Time, But I’m Wondering If You Can Talk

This phrase is great because it respects your boss’s time and workload. “Bad time” is used here to show that we hope we didn’t catch them when they were really busy.

“Wondering if you can talk” is great because it checks to see whether they can spare a moment for us.

• Hey sir, I hope this isn’t a bad time. I’m wondering if you can talk about some of the issues I raised.
• I hope this isn’t a bad time, but I’m wondering if you can talk. I have a few things that I’d like to discuss with you.
• I hope this isn’t a bad time, as I’m wondering if you can talk with me. Some of my colleagues are unhappy.

Would You Be Able To Have A Quick Discussion About This?

This is the best way to set up a business email to ask your boss for some time. It works well because it shows that you will only be “quick” about it because you know they are very busy.

It doesn’t specify an exact time, which gives your boss a chance to refer to their diaries. Once they’ve found a time that works for them, they will get back to you to find out whether it also works for you.

• Dear sir,
• Would you be able to have a quick discussion about this? I don’t want you to get the wrong idea.
• All the best,
• Katie

• Dear ma’am,
• Would you be able to have a quick discussion with me about this? I want you to understand where I’m coming from.
• Best wishes,
• Steve

Would You Be Free In A Little While To Have A Meeting With Me?

This is a great question when we want to have a discussion with our boss. “A little while” can be replaced with anything else that’s urgent, like “soon” or “in a bit.” It depends on your boss’s attitude and the severity of whatever you want to discuss.

• Dear Mrs. Merton,
• Would you be free in a little while to have a meeting with me? I have a few things I need to get off my chest.
• Yours truly,
• Georgia

• Dear Mr. Smart,
• Would you be free soon to have a meeting with me? I think it would be good for both of us.
• Let me know when works,
• Howard

Could We Have A Discussion About This At Some Point?

This question is suitable in many cases. However, it’s definitely better if you could replace “at some point” with a specific time (i.e. “at three this afternoon”). This means there is less wiggle room, and your boss will be more inclined to agree (or set a better time).

• Dear Mr. Duncan,
• Could we have a discussion about this at some point in the near future? I’d like to find out your thoughts.
• I look forward to hearing from you,
• Margaret

• Dear Mrs. Smith,
• Could we have a discussion about this at three this afternoon? That would allow me to clear the air about a few things.
• Thank you,
• Jon

Are You Free To Have A One-On-One Meeting?

We could ask this question when we want to check their availability. “Are you free” is a simple way to check whether they have some time on their hands at this moment. If they are, then a simple email response will let you know that you can have your meeting.

• Dear sir,
• Are you free to have a one-on-one meeting with me? I haven’t had one for a while, and I’d like to know how I’m getting on.
• Thank you for your time,
• Scott

• Dear ma’am,
• Are you free to have a one-on-one meeting with me? I’m eager to find out the results of this project.
• All the best,
• Maria

Would I Be Able To Pick Your Brain About This Matter?

We can use this phrase when we are starting an email conversation. “Pick your brain” is a little more informal, and we encourage you to use this when you’re more familiar with your boss. If you know them well, this phrase could be a good way to show that you want to talk.

• Dear sir,
• Would I be able to pick your brain about this matter at some point? I’m keen to learn from you about this.
• All the best,
• Martin

• Dear ma’am,
• Would I be able to pick your brain about this matter? I think there are some things we need to discuss.
• Yours,
• Peter

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