asking for a raise

Placez le pointeur de la souris sur les mots soulignés, sans cliquer.

Excuse me, sir. May IPUIS-JE speak with you for a moment?

Of course! Come on in. What can I do for you?

Well, sir, as you know, I’ve been part of this prestigious firm for overDEPUIS PLUS DE ten years.

Yes, I’m awareCONSCIENT of that.

I won't beat around the bushTOURNER AUTOUR DU POT—I’d like a riseUNE AUGMENTATION. Currently, four companies are after meME POURCHASSENT, so I decided to speak to you first.

A rise? I’d love to give you one, but this really isn’t the rightBON moment. We’re facing a downturnRÉCESSION.

I understand your position, and I know the economic downturn RALENTISSEMENT ÉCONOMIQUE has affected sales VENTES. However, I believe my hard work, proactiveness ESPRIT D’INITIATIVE, and loyalty deserve MÉRITENT consideration.

Taking all that into account—and because I don’t want to risk a brain drainFUITE DES CERVEAUX—I’m willingJE SUIS PRÊT to offer you a ten percent rise and five extra days of leaveCONGÉ. How does that sound?

Fantastic! That’s a dealC'EST CONCLU. Thank you, sir!

Before you go, just out of curiosity, which companies were after youVOUS POURCHASSAIENT?

Oh, the Electric Company, the Gas Company, the Water Company, and the Mortgage CompanyLA BANQUE (POUR LE PRÊT IMMOBILIER)!

---

🔍 Vocabulary

In this joke, we explore these expressions:

• May I — a formal way to ask permission.
• Proactiveness — taking initiative, anticipating future problems.
• Brain drain — loss of talented staff, often to other employers.
• A raise — an increase in salary.
• Leave — authorised time away from work (e.g., holiday, sick leave).

📘 Grammar

This joke uses:

• Modal verbs: “May I…?”, “I’d like…”, “I’m willing…” — all polite and hypothetical.
• Present perfect: “I’ve been part…” shows duration up to now.
• Reported offers and reasons: “Taking that into account…”, “Considering…” — complex sentence linking.

🔄 Synonyms & Alternatives

May I: Could I, Might I
A raise: A pay rise (UK), Salary increase
Proactiveness: Initiative, Forward thinking
Deserve: Merit, Be worthy of
Brain drain: Talent exodus, Staff turnover

💬 Mini Dialogue

Professor: I’ve noticed fewer students are enrolling this year.
Administrator: Yes, there’s a real brain drain. Many have gone abroad.
Professor: We must be more proactive—maybe update our course offerings?
Administrator: Good idea. I’m willing to raise the research budget, too.
Professor: Excellent. Let’s not wait for another downturn to hit us.

---

© — This blog collects and shares light-hearted jokes that have been passed along by word of mouth. I do not claim ownership of any of them. You are welcome to copy, share, or tell them at weddings, dinner parties, your braai, or bar mitzvah. If you have a favourite clean joke, drop it in the comments and we may, if it's really good, feature it here. Check out our Privacy Policy.

💡 Get fresh ESL jokes straight to your inbox:

🌱 If you enjoy this blog, consider buying me a coffee.