Welcome to the English we speak. I'm Beth and I'm Jaying.

We have an expression about upsetting or annoying someone

by involving yourself in something that is not your responsibility. The expression is tread on

someone's toes. Tread on someone's toes. When you don't think it's not

right to tread on someone else's toes, It's not what you're supposed to do.

Although we're not actually talking about really treading on someone's toes here.

Can you give us some context here, Beth?

Well, remember when I was upset last week?

It was because you led the meeting that I was supposed to lead.

Oh no, I'm sorry. I guess I did tread on your toes it wasn't my

job to lead the meeting but I did it anyway. Don't worry it's okay I trod on your

toes last summer.

True. It was my job to organize the BBC Learning English Barbecue.

You need that, but you organized it anyway without talking to me.

You shouldn't have trodden on my toes.

I'm really sorry about that. Now that wasn't a very serious problem but

treading on someone's toes can be a serious thing.

It could ruin your chances at work, for instance.

Let's hear some more examples.

I can't believe he pitched your business idea. He doesn't care about treading on toes.

My mom is upset that you made my birthday cake. She does it every year, so she thinks you're treading on her toes.

I want to start working on the budget, but I don't want to trade on the accountant's toes.

...