Audio is streamed from the publisher.
Show notes
This phrase comes from a longer idiom, ‘like ships that pass at night’. It’s used when two people have busy schedules, and struggle to find time to meet for more than just a brief encounter. Learn how to use it here, with Georgie and Feifei. Find a free transcript here:[](https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak%5F2026/ep-260713) We send a newsletter with our weekly highlights - subscribe here:[](https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters)