Business Spotlight – Nr.6 2019

18 SKILL UP!

ESSENTIAL IDIOMS

Fotos: J Svemir, EHStock/iStock.com

First, the idiomatic way

Jen: It was right to bootstrap the

business as it gave us complete

control. It’s our sweat equity that

built this company.

Brian: That’s true, but now we’re

strapped for cash.

Now, more simply

Jen: It was right to build the busi-

ness using only the little money

we had and our own resources,

as it gave us complete control.

It’s our hard work that built this

company.

Brian: That’s true. But now we

don’t have enough money.

Totally strapped

for cash!

bootstrap (a business)

, (ein Unternehmen)

ohne Fremdkapital mit

möglichst geringen

finanziellen Mitteln

gründen

sweat equity US ifml.

, Schweißkapital

(unentgeltlicher Einsatz

von Firmengründern)

strapped for cash:

sb. is ~ ifml.

, jmdm. fehlt das Geld

What did they say again?

English is rich in idiomatic expressions. It’s important to understand

exactly what they mean. Learn some key financial idioms here.

First, the idiomatic way

Brian: We should cut our losses.

Seriously, I’ve run the numbers,

and it’s not good.

Jen: So, we’re not going to be the

next unicorn?

Brian: Not if my back-of-the-

envelope calculation is correct.

Now, more simply

Brian: We should end this bad sit-

uation now before it gets worse.

Seriously, I’ve made some calcu-

lations, and it’s not good.

Jen: So, we’re not going to be the

next company that is worth over

a billion dollars?

Brian: Not if my simple and quick

calculation is correct.

cut one’s losses

, seine Verluste

reduzieren, Schaden

begrenzen

run the numbers

, Berechnungen

anstellen

unicorn

, Einhorn (junges

Unternehmen mit

einem Marktwert von

über einer Milliarde

US-Dollar)

back-of-the-envelope

calculation

, Überschlagsrechnung