English for developers: 1-on-1 meetings
How to Talk to Your Manager in English in 1-on-1s
The language you need to give updates, ask for feedback, raise problems, and grow your career in English.
The 1-on-1 is one of the most powerful meetings in your career. Yet most developers walk in, say "everything is fine," and walk out. That is a missed opportunity every single week.
In international companies, this meeting happens in English. And what you say, and how you say it, can directly affect whether you get promoted, whether your manager knows what you need, and whether you are seen as a senior developer or just someone who ships tickets.
This guide gives you the phrases and the mindset to make the most of every 1-on-1.
What is a 1-on-1 (and why it matters for your career)
Qué es una 1-1 y por qué importa para tu carrera
A 1-on-1 (also written one-on-one or 1:1) is a recurring private meeting between you and your direct manager. It is usually 30 to 60 minutes, weekly or biweekly.
Unlike the standup or sprint review, this meeting is not about reporting to the team. It is your meeting. Your manager is there to support you, unblock you, and help you grow. Use it to build trust, get visibility, and advance faster than developers who stay quiet.
If your manager starts the meeting by asking how things are going, do not just say "fine." That is where most developers lose the opportunity.
How to give a status update (without just listing tasks)
Cómo dar un update sin solo listar tareas
Most developers describe what they did. Good developers connect their work to impact. There is a big difference between "I worked on the payment service" and "I finished the payment service refactor, and it reduced the error rate by 30%."
The second version tells your manager something useful. It shows you understand why your work matters. Here are phrases that help you give a strong status update:
Useful phrases
- "This week I focused on ____."
- "I shipped the ____ feature. It is now in production."
- "I completed the ____ and it improved ____ by ____."
- "I am making progress on ____, I expect to finish by ____."
- "I spent most of the week on ____, which is part of the larger ____ initiative."
- "I closed ____ tickets this sprint, including ____."
Instead of
"I worked on the payment service."
Say
"I finished the payment service refactor. It reduced the error rate by 30%."
Why it works: Connect your work to a result. Even a rough number is better than none.
Instead of
"I did some code reviews."
Say
"I reviewed three PRs this week. One had a security issue I flagged before it reached staging."
Why it works: Be specific. Specificity signals awareness and ownership.
How to ask for feedback
Cómo pedir feedback
Most developers wait for feedback to come to them. Asking for it proactively signals that you are growth-minded and confident. It also gives your manager something concrete to respond to, which leads to better conversations.
Here are phrases you can use:
Useful phrases
- "I would love your feedback on how I handled ____."
- "Is there anything I could have done differently?"
- "What is one thing I could improve this quarter?"
- "How am I doing on ____ compared to your expectations?"
- "I want to get to the next level. What do you think I should focus on?"
- "Is there anything I should start doing, stop doing, or do more of?"
How to talk about blockers and problems (without complaining)
Cómo hablar de bloqueos sin quejarse
There is a big difference between complaining and reporting a problem professionally. The key is to always come with the problem and a proposed solution or plan. When you bring a problem without any proposed solution, it can sound like you are offloading responsibility. When you bring a problem with a plan, it sounds like you are managing it.
Here are the phrases and the before/after comparison:
Useful phrases
- "I have been running into a blocker with ____ and I wanted to flag it."
- "I have a proposed solution and I wanted to get your thoughts before moving forward."
- "This is slowing the team down. I think we could fix it by ____."
- "I do not want this to become a bigger issue. Can you help me escalate it?"
- "I need your input on ____. I have two options and I am not sure which to take."
Instead of
"The design team never gives us the specs on time."
Say
"We have been blocked a few times waiting for design specs. I was thinking we could try a weekly sync. Would you be open to helping us set that up?"
Why it works: Raise the problem with a concrete proposal. Avoid naming individuals as the cause.
Instead of
"I cannot move forward with this ticket."
Say
"I am blocked on the authentication ticket because I need access to the staging environment. Can you help me get that unblocked?"
Why it works: Say what you need specifically. Give your manager something actionable to do.
How to ask for what you want
Cómo pedir lo que quieres
This is the section most developers avoid. But if you never ask, you rarely get. Asking for a promotion, a raise, or new responsibilities is a professional skill, not a sign of entitlement. The key is to connect your request to your contributions.
Here are phrases for each situation:
Asking for a promotion
- "I have been taking on more responsibilities lately, including ____ and ____. I would like to talk about what it would take to move to the next level."
- "I feel like my work this quarter has been at the ____ level. Can we talk about a formal path to that title?"
Asking for a raise
- "I have been here for ____ and I feel my contribution has grown significantly. I would like to revisit my compensation."
- "I have taken on several responsibilities beyond my original scope. I would like to discuss whether my salary reflects that."
Asking for new responsibilities
- "I am interested in taking on more ownership of ____. Would that be possible?"
- "Are there any upcoming projects where I could take more of a lead role?"
Asking for support or resources
- "I would like to attend ____ conference or course. It would help me with ____."
- "I could move faster on ____ if I had access to ____. Is that something we could arrange?"
How to talk about your career goals
Cómo hablar de tus metas profesionales
Your manager cannot help you grow if they do not know where you want to go. Many developers assume their manager already knows what they want. Most of the time, they do not. You need to say it out loud.
Here are phrases to start that conversation:
Useful phrases
- "My goal for this year is to ____."
- "In the next six months, I want to develop my skills in ____."
- "I am interested in moving toward a ____ role eventually."
- "I want to be more involved in technical decisions. How can I get there?"
- "Long term, I see myself as a ____. What steps would you recommend?"
- "I would like to become more visible outside the team. Are there opportunities for that?"
What NOT to say in a 1-on-1
Qué NO decir en una 1-1
Some phrases sound innocent but hurt your image. Here are the most common mistakes developers make and what to say instead:
Instead of
"Everything is fine."
Say
"Things are going well. I shipped ____ this week. I am currently focused on ____."
Why it works: "Fine" tells your manager nothing. Specifics show that you are on top of your work.
Instead of
"I don't know."
Say
"I am not sure, but I will find out and get back to you by ____."
Why it works: It is fine not to know. What matters is that you have a plan to find out.
Instead of
"[Teammate's name] never does their work on time."
Say
"The team has had some challenges with delivery timelines. I think a clearer process for handoffs could help."
Why it works: Raise team problems, not personal ones. Your manager does not want to mediate conflicts, they want to solve systemic issues.
Instead of
"I have nothing to talk about."
Say
"(Prepare at least one update and one question before the meeting.)"
Why it works: Not preparing signals disengagement. Even one update and one question is enough.
How to prepare for your 1-on-1
Cómo prepararte para tu 1-1
Great 1-on-1s are not improvised. Spending three minutes before the meeting will make a visible difference. Here is a simple checklist:
- What did I accomplish this week that I want my manager to know about?
- Is there anything blocking me that I need help with?
- What feedback do I want to ask for?
- Is there anything I want to ask for (an opportunity, support, clarity on priorities)?
- Is there anything happening on the team that my manager should know about?
Quick reference: phrases by situation
Referencia rápida: frases por situación
| Situation | Phrase |
|---|---|
| Status update | I shipped ____ and it improved ____ by ____. |
| Making progress | I am making progress on ____. I expect to finish by ____. |
| Asking for feedback | I would love your feedback on how I handled ____. |
| Reporting a blocker | I have been running into a blocker with ____ and I wanted to flag it. |
| Proposing a solution | I have a proposed solution and I wanted to get your thoughts. |
| Asking for promotion | I would like to talk about what it would take to move to the next level. |
| Asking for a raise | I would like to revisit my compensation. |
| Sharing career goals | In the next six months, I want to develop my skills in ____. |
| When you do not know | I am not sure, but I will find out and get back to you by ____. |
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Written by
Roxana LafuenteLingua-e's founder
Roxana Lafuente is a software engineer with 8+ years of experience. At the beginning of her career, even though she had already passed the First Certificate in English, she still froze every time she had to speak up in the daily standup. That was a gap nobody was fixing. After 2,000+ standups, she figured out what actually builds fluency: practice that looks like your real work. She built Lingua-e so other developers wouldn't have to take the long road to feel confident working in an international development environment.