Say it like this
- Let me bring you up to speed on what happened.
- Are you up to speed on the new API changes?
- I need a few hours to get up to speed on this codebase.
- Once you're up to speed, we can start pairing.
- Can someone bring me up to speed?
Use it at work
Helping someone
- Can you get Leo up to speed on the project?
- I'll bring you up to speed in five minutes.
Asking
- Can someone get me up to speed after my holiday?
- I'm still getting up to speed on the codebase.
Explaining
- Read this doc to get up to speed.
- She got up to speed really fast.
Don't say this
"Speed up" means to go faster. "Get up to speed" means to learn the latest information.
Don't mix it up
| Term | What it is | Who writes or uses it | When |
|---|---|---|---|
| up to speed | Fully informed | Anyone | After joining or a break |
| in the loop | Kept updated | Anyone | Ongoing |
| ramp up | Get productive over time | New joiners | First months |
Practice
Try it
4 quick exercises
1. A new engineer joins your team. What do you say?
2. I'm not up to speed of the latest changes yet.
3. Give me an hour to get ___ ___ ___ on this codebase.
4. I don't know about the new API changes. Can you tell me everything?
Say it out loud
Phrase 1 of 5
"Let me bring you up to speed on what happened."
We don't save your recording. The word check uses your browser's speech recognition.
More about up to speed
Real examples(7)
- Standup
"I'm still getting up to speed on the new authentication flow, so I'll need another day before I can estimate this."
- Slack message
"Sorry I missed yesterday's meeting. Can you bring me up to speed with what was discussed?"
- GitHub PR
"For reviewers who aren't up to speed on the migration: this PR changes how we handle user sessions."
- Jira ticket
"Added context notes to bring new team members up to speed on the background of this feature."
- Retrospective
"We should create better documentation so future engineers can get up to speed faster."
- Sprint planning
"Before we estimate, is everyone up to speed on the new requirements from the product team?"
- Pair programming
"Give me five minutes to get up to speed on this file, then we can start."
More mistakes(2)
- ✕Can you up to speed me?✓Can you bring me up to speed?
The verb is "bring" — you bring someone up to speed. You cannot use "up to speed" as a verb by itself.
- ✕I'm up to speed of the changes.✓I'm up to speed on the changes.
The correct preposition is "on" — up to speed ON something.
Other forms(3)
- up to speed adjective phrase
"I'm finally up to speed on the new architecture."
- get up to speed verb phrase
"It took me two days to get up to speed."
- bring (someone) up to speed verb phrase
"Let me bring you up to speed on what we decided."
Often used with(5)
- get up to speed · Learn all the current information yourself
- bring someone up to speed · Share information so another person knows what's happening
- up to speed on · Always followed by "on" + topic
- fully up to speed · Emphasizes complete understanding
- quickly get up to speed · Learn everything in a short time
Similar words(5)
- caught up · More casual; often used after missing something
- in the loop · Focuses on being included in ongoing communication
- informed · More formal; used in business writing
- briefed · More formal; often used for official updates
- onboarded · Specifically for new team members learning a project
Opposites(4)
- out of the loop
- behind
- uninformed
- in the dark
Questions(6)
- What's the difference between 'up to speed' and 'caught up'?
- Both phrases mean you have the latest information. 'Up to speed' is slightly more formal and often used for learning new topics. 'Caught up' is more casual and usually means you've finished reading messages or updates you missed.
- Can I say 'speed me up' instead of 'bring me up to speed'?
- No. 'Speed me up' sounds like you want someone to make you move faster. The correct phrase is 'bring me up to speed' — it's a fixed expression.
- What preposition follows 'up to speed'?
- Always use 'on' — for example, 'up to speed on the project' or 'up to speed on the changes.' Using 'of' or 'about' sounds unnatural.
- Is 'up to speed' too informal for emails?
- No, 'up to speed' is appropriate for most workplace emails, including messages to managers and stakeholders. It's neutral in formality.
- How do I ask someone to explain something I missed?
- You can say 'Can you bring me up to speed?' or 'Can you bring me up to speed on what was discussed?' Both are polite and natural in tech teams.
- What's a good way to say I need time to learn a new codebase?
- You can say 'I need some time to get up to speed on the codebase' or 'Give me a day to get up to speed.' This tells your team you're learning and sets expectations.
