Idioms can be intimidating. If an idiom has been extremely common for years, will it be old fashioned by the time you feel comfortable to start using it?
Luckily, Business English trends change slowly.
This is one very popular Business English idiom that isn’t going away:
Call it a Day.
Meaning: To stop doing or working on something.
Simple enough, yes? Good. Well, I’m tired. I think I’ll just call it a day and publish this post.
I’m kidding. There are plenty of examples for ways to use this in your office life.
Example Sentences for “Call it a day”
- “It’s time to call it a day.”
- “I’m going to call it a day.” (Spoken in American English, this might sound more like, “I’m gonna call it a day.”)
- “I’m tired. Let’s call it a day.” (If you’re working with other people.)
- “I think I’ll call it a day.”
- “You’ve been here since 8am! You gonna call it a day soon?“
When to Use “Call it a Day”
This idiom is perfect for that moment when you’re ready to go home – from work or another activity that took most of your time that day.
Did you study all day? As you close your textbook you can say, “I’m ready to call it a day and get some dinner.”
You can also use it if you’re leaving the office to go have dinner or drinks with friends.
“Hey Mark! I can call it a day in 5 minutes – then I’ll meet you downtown.”
Related Phrases
Done for the Day
If you’re working on a longer-term project, you can tell someone you are, “Done for the day.” This implies you’ll work on it again within a few days.
I’m Out
No matter how long you have been in one place, you can always use, “I’m out,” if you’re physically leaving a location.
NOTE: If you’re making plans or negotiating a deal, you can also use, “I’m out,” to say no. The sharks from Shark Tank often turn down requests to invest with this phrase.
Call It
“Call it” is a very versatile phrase that can be used in a lot of contexts (another post coming soon!).
However, if you’re waiting on a person who doesn’t show up to a meeting, you can go back to your regular schedule with this phrase. “I haven’t seen Tim yet and the meeting was supposed to start 20 minutes ago. Let’s call it.”
You can also use this as a short version of the idiom this post started with. “I’ve been staring at my (computer) screen too long and it’s almost 5:00. I’m gonna call it.”
Okay. Now I’m going to call it a day.
