We Speak. I'm Feifei.

And I'm Roy!

What are you doing? There are keys

everywhere! What is that noise?

Sorry, I was just cutting some keys!

It turns out that I've been doing my job

wrong all these years!

Ah! I know what happened. Neil called

you to say you're not a key worker, right?

Exactly! All this time at the BBC and

I hadn't cut a single key! I'm lucky Neil

was so forgiving. He had no idea what

to say when I told him I'd start cutting keys.

I'm not surprised he didn't know

what to say! A key worker is someone

who provides an essential service,

like a doctor or nurse.

Yep, that's more logical. I get

confused sometimes.

You do. Let's listen to these

examples while you get rid

of those keys.

My friends Jorge and Zdenka

are both key workers! They do

the amazing job of teaching kids.

Michiko is a key worker, but her

class is closed at the moment

due to the outbreak of the virus.

Key workers need to have easy

access to their places of work

during the coronavirus crisis.

This is The English We Speak from

BBC Learning English and we're

talking about the expression 'key worker'.

This refers to a person who is seen

to give an essential service or have

an important role such as a teacher,

doctor or nurse.

That's right! 'Key' in this expression

relates to 'vital' or 'important'.

Not to keys that open locks.

Correct. And it's been quite a

common expression during the

coronavirus pandemic. People have

been talking about the importance of

key workers being able to do their

jobs during a world crisis.

That's right. In fact, I could say

it's been a key point of discussion.

I really respect the amazing jobs that

people like doctors, nurses, emergency

service staff and teachers do.

Yes, me too. One thing though,

Roy... How much did you spend on

that key-cutting machine?

Enough to say 'please don't

tell my wife - she'll be really

angry'. Do you want me

to cut you a new key?

No. I don't want to

encourage you! Bye, Roy.

Bye!