When you catch up with someone, you give them an update on recent events in your life. It is a friendly exchange of information, usually between two people who have not seen each other for a long time.
This expression is typically used to refer to social situations with friends and family. It can also be used in professional contexts if you are catching up about business subjects, or if you have a friendly relationship with the person. For example:
- I saw my former colleague, John, yesterday. It was nice to catch up with him and hear about his new job.
- I have plans with Maria tomorrow. I haven’t seen her since last year, so I'm looking forward to catching up with her.
A. Hey Dan! Wow, it's been a long time. I haven’t seen you since university.
B. I know! We should go for a drink sometime to catch up.
Did you know? The expression "catch up" can take on different meanings depending on the context. For example, if you "catch up with the person in front of you," it means that you increase your speed to reach their position. In a race, the person who is in second place always wants to catch up to the person who is in first place. Additionally, if you "catch up on work," it means that you do a task that was delayed and should have already been completed.