FOMO

Rob Hello and welcome to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English. I’m Rob…

Feifei And hello, I’m Feifei. We’re here to teach you a real English phrase… Rob, what’s that you’re holding there?

Rob Oh this… just a ticket to see one of my favourite rock bands in concert - The Rolling Thrones.

Feifei Oh great - and I see you’ve got more than one ticket.

Rob Yes, that’s right, a few of us from the office are going - it’s tonight! I’m very excited.

Feifei [SOUNDING JEALOUS] Oh right - Rob, it sounds fun - maybe I could get a ticket and join you?

Rob Why? You don’t like rock music and you always stay in and wash your hair on a Thursday - or so you tell me anyway. Oh Feifei, you’ve got FOMO.

Feifei I’ve got ‘FOMO’? Is that bad? Is that why you didn’t invite me? Oh dear, should I go and see a doctor?

Rob No, don’t see a doctor. FOMO is an acronym for ‘fear of missing out’. It’s a worried feeling you have that other people are doing fun things when you are not - you’re missing out!

Feifei Oh, we’d better hear some examples of other people with FOMO…

Examples I know Martha’s got FOMO, she’s been moaning about not being invited to Wang’s karaoke party - but she doesn’t even like karaoke!

All my friends are going on holiday together but I can’t afford it so I’ve got FOMO.

There’s a message on Facebook that all the tickets to that gig are sold out - now I have a feeling of FOMO!

Feifei So that’s FOMO - fear of missing out - which describes a feeling you might have when you feel other people are doing something fun, when you are not. Well Rob, now I know what it means, I know I haven’t got it. I just wanted to be sociable, and have some fun with you all.

Rob Sorry Feifei, even if you could get a ticket, it’s boys only I’m afraid.

Feifei Oh look, I’ve got a message on my social media feed… is the lead singer of your band called Mick Dagger?

Rob That’s him - the finest rock singer around - why?

Feifei It says here, he’s fallen down the stairs and broken his leg. The rock concert is cancelled!

Rob
Cancelled? Oh no. Err, what did you say you were doing tonight?

Feifei Washing my hair.

Rob Any chance I could come round… watch a movie, get a takeaway?

Feifei Oh dear Rob. Have you got FOMO now? Bye.

Rob Bye.