How to Communicate Illness and Absence in English at Work
ESL English learning: Master professional phrases for calling in sick, explaining symptoms, and managing workload while unwell in tech workplaces.
Pronunciation Guide for Health Vocabulary
Some health-related words are commonly mispronounced. Practice these to sound more confident when explaining your absence.
nauseous /ˈnɔː.zi.əs/
NAW-zee-us
Often mispronounced as 'now-see-us' or 'naw-shus'
feverish /ˈfiː.vər.ɪʃ/
FEE-ver-ish
Stress should be on first syllable, not 'fe-VER-ish'
migraine /ˈmaɪ.ɡreɪn/
MY-grain
Not 'mig-RAIN' or 'MEE-grain'
ache /eɪk/
AYK (one syllable)
Not 'ah-cheh' or 'atch'—the 'ch' is silent
cough /kɒf/ (UK) /kɔːf/ (US)
KOFF
Not 'cow' or 'coo'—the 'ough' sounds like 'off'
Expressing That You're Unwell at Work
When you're sick and need to notify your team, choosing the right words matters. Tech workplaces value clear, professional communication—even when you're feeling terrible. The goal is to communicate your absence without oversharing medical details or sounding unprofessional.
English has many informal expressions for feeling unwell that are perfectly appropriate in workplace settings. These phrases signal you're not seriously ill but need time to recover.
| Expression | Meaning | Tech Workplace Example |
|---|---|---|
| under the weather | not feeling well (mild illness) | I'm feeling a bit under the weather, so I'll be offline today. |
| off-colour | looking or feeling slightly unwell | You look a bit off-colour—want to skip standup and rest? |
| out of sorts | not quite right, slightly unwell | I've been out of sorts since yesterday, so I'm taking a sick day. |
| fighting off (a cold) | trying to recover from a mild illness | I'm fighting off a cold but should be back for the sprint review. |
| come down with | catch an illness (use for yourself) | I've come down with the flu and need to take a few days off. |
| go down with | catch an illness (use for others) | Three people on the platform team have gone down with COVID this week. |
Grammar Note: come down vs. go down
Use 'come down with' when talking about yourself: 'I've come down with a cold.' Use 'go down with' when talking about others: 'Sarah has gone down with the flu.' This subtle distinction sounds more natural to native speakers.
Slack vs. Email: Choosing the Right Register
Tech workplaces often use Slack for quick updates and email for formal HR communications. Your sick day message should match the channel's expected register.
| Informal Slack Message | Formal Email to Manager/HR |
|---|---|
| Hey team, I'm feeling under the weather today—going to take a sick day. Nothing urgent on my plate, but ping me if the deploy needs unblocking. | Subject: Sick Leave Request – [Date] Hi [Manager], I'm not feeling well today and need to take a sick day. I don't have any critical blockers, but I've asked [Colleague] to cover the deployment if needed. I expect to be back tomorrow. |
| Heads up—I've come down with something and won't make standup. Will check Slack later if I'm up to it. | I've come down with an illness and will be taking sick leave today. I'll provide an update tomorrow regarding my return. Please let me know if there's anything urgent I should hand off. |
| Still fighting off this cold 🤧 Going to rest up today. Back tomorrow hopefully! | I'm still recovering from illness and need to extend my sick leave by one day. I anticipate returning to work on [Date]. Thank you for your understanding. |
Culture Tip: Don't Overshare
In many English-speaking tech workplaces, you don't need to describe your symptoms in detail. 'I'm not feeling well' or 'I'm unwell' is sufficient. Saying 'I have diarrhea and have been vomiting all night' is too much information. Keep it professional and brief.
Describing Symptoms Without Oversharing
Sometimes you need to give a bit more context—especially if you'll be out for multiple days or need to explain reduced capacity. Here's vocabulary for describing symptoms professionally.
| Symptom Term | Meaning | Appropriate Context |
|---|---|---|
| feverish | having a high temperature | I'm feeling a bit feverish, so I should probably stay home to avoid spreading anything. |
| dizzy | feeling unbalanced, spinning sensation | I've been feeling dizzy—not safe to focus on complex code right now. |
| nauseous /ˈnɔː.zi.əs/ | feeling like you might vomit | I'm feeling nauseous and need to rest. |
| bunged up (informal) | nose blocked from a cold | My nose is all bunged up—I'll be on mute for calls today. |
| shivery | shaking slightly, usually from fever | I've been feeling shivery all morning. |
| sleepless nights | unable to sleep well | I've had a few sleepless nights and need to rest. |
- For ongoing conditions, use 'suffer from': 'I suffer from migraines and occasionally need a quiet day to recover.'
- Note the difference: 'My back aches' (persistent low-level pain) vs. 'My back hurts' (pain from a specific injury).
- The phrase 'aches and pains' is a fixed expression—never say 'pains and aches.'
- Use 'stiff neck' for neck pain with limited movement—common after long coding sessions.
Signaling Recovery and Return to Work
When you're getting better, these expressions help you communicate your progress to your team and manager.
| Expression | Meaning | Example Message |
|---|---|---|
| on the mend | recovering, getting better | Good news—I'm on the mend and should be back for tomorrow's sprint planning. |
| over the worst | past the most difficult period | I'm over the worst now. Planning to ease back in tomorrow with some async work. |
| back on my feet | fully recovered and ready to work | Feeling back on my feet! Ready to pick up my PRs again. |
| get over | recover from (an illness) | I got over it quickly—just needed a day of rest. |
| recovering from | in the process of getting better | I'm recovering from a bad cold but can handle some light code reviews. |
Easing Back In
When returning from illness, it's normal to work at reduced capacity. Try: 'I'm back but still recovering—I'll focus on async work today and skip meetings.' This sets realistic expectations without over-explaining.
Managing Team Responsibilities During Unexpected Absence
When a teammate calls in sick unexpectedly, the team needs to coordinate coverage. Here's how to handle it professionally.
| Weak/Unclear Communication | Better/Clearer Communication |
|---|---|
| Alex is sick. Someone needs to do their stuff. | Alex is out sick today. I'll pick up the critical PR review, and we can redistribute the bug fixes in standup. |
| We're blocked because Jamie is ill. | Jamie is unwell today. I've messaged them to ask about the API spec status—if it's urgent, I can take over. |
| When will you be back??? | Hope you feel better soon! No rush to reply—just let us know when you have a sense of your return timeline. |
- As a manager: 'Take the time you need to recover. We'll redistribute your tasks for now.'
- As a teammate: 'I can cover your on-call shift tonight—focus on getting better.'
- Avoid pressuring sick colleagues: 'No need to check Slack—we've got you covered.'
Common Mistakes When Calling In Sick
Non-native speakers often make these errors when communicating illness at work. Here's what we hear vs. what sounds more natural.
| ❌ Heard at Work (Errors) | ✅ Better English |
|---|---|
| I have gone down with a cold. | I've come down with a cold. (Use 'come down' for yourself) |
| I'm feeling out of the weather. | I'm feeling under the weather. |
| I have back hurt from sitting. | My back aches from sitting. / My back hurts. |
| I'm suffering with migraines. | I suffer from migraines. |
| I have a lot of pains and aches. | I have a lot of aches and pains. (Fixed expression) |
| I'm fighting out a cold. | I'm fighting off a cold. |
Practice Exercises
Multiple choice
Choose the best answer.
Complete the Slack message: 'Hey team, I've _______ with the flu and won't be in today.'
Multiple choice
Choose the best answer.
Which phrase means 'recovering and getting better'?
Multiple choice
Choose the best answer.
Your colleague writes: 'I'm suffering with allergies.' What's wrong with this sentence?
Multiple choice
Choose the best answer.
Which fixed expression is correct?