Say it like this
- Let me ping you on Slack about this.
- I will ping the team lead to confirm the deadline.
- Can you ping me when you have the results?
Use it at work
Asking for attention
- I'll ping you when the build is ready.
- Can you ping the design team about this?
Following up
- Just pinging you on this. Any update?
- Gentle ping on the review.
Networking
- Ping the server to see if it's up.
- The ping time is 200 ms.
Don't say this
Ping refers to contacting people, not testing technical systems (that would be a network ping command).
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| ping | Short message to get attention | Anyone | Slack, chat |
| follow up | Check back on something | Anyone | After no reply |
| nudge | Gentle reminder | Anyone | Polite follow-up |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. Your colleague is working on code you need. How do you contact them?
2. I will _______ the designer to see if the mockups are ready.
3. Which sentence uses 'ping' incorrectly?
4. Rewrite using 'ping': 'I need to send a quick message to ask if the database migration is complete.'
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 3
"Let me ping you on Slack about this."
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More about ping
Real examples(3)
- in a standup
"I pinged the backend team yesterday about the database performance issue."
- in a Slack message
"I'm going to ping the product manager to see if we have approval for this feature."
- in a team meeting
"Let me ping everyone about the schedule change before we finalize the plan."
More mistakes(1)
Handle with care. Do not confuse with network 'ping' command. In communication, it means to contact someone briefly, not to test connectivity. Avoid using it for formal requests.
- ✕I will ping you a formal meeting request.✓I will send you a formal meeting request. I will ping you quickly about this on chat.
Ping is too casual for formal requests; use 'send' or 'email' instead for official communications.
Other forms(4)
- ping verb
"I will ping you tomorrow about the test results."
- pinged verb
"She pinged me last week regarding the deployment."
- pinging verb
"He is pinging the team about the meeting time."
- ping noun
"Give me a ping when you finish the code review."
Often used with(4)
- ping someone on Slack · Use this phrase when contacting via a specific chat platform.
- ping the team · Contact multiple people at once about something.
- ping me · Request that someone reach out to you quickly.
- quick ping · Emphasize that it is a very brief contact.
Similar words(4)
- reach out · More formal than ping; used for first contact or important messages.
- message · Broader term; ping is more casual and faster.
- contact · More formal; ping implies quick and informal.
- check in · Similar meaning but often implies a follow-up rather than an initial contact.
Opposites(2)
- ignore
- silence
Questions(7)
- What does "I will ping you" mean?
- It means "I will send you a quick message", usually on Slack, Teams or another chat app. It is casual and friendly.
- What does "ping me" mean?
- "Ping me" means "send me a message". "Ping me when the build is done" asks you to message them once the build finishes.
- What does ping mean in chat?
- In chat, a ping is a short message or notification, often with an @mention, that gets someone's attention.
- What does ping mean in workplace communication?
- Ping means to send a quick, informal message to someone to get their attention or ask a fast question. It is typically done through chat applications like Slack or Teams and expects a relatively quick but not necessarily immediate response.
- Can you ping someone via email?
- While technically possible, ping is usually used for faster communication methods like chat or instant messaging. Email is more formal and slower, so it is better to say 'I will email you' rather than 'I will ping you' for email communication.
- Is ping appropriate in formal meetings?
- Ping is informal and casual. In formal settings, it is better to use 'reach out,' 'contact,' or 'email.' However, mentioning that you will 'ping the team' in a standup or team meeting is acceptable since those environments are usually less formal.
- How long should you wait for a response to a ping?
- Ping expects a response faster than email but not necessarily immediate. Usually, you should expect a reply within 15 minutes to an hour, depending on how urgent the question is and how busy the person is.
