How to Say “My Internet Isn’t Working!” in English [Updated]

You’ve probably been in a situation in which you’re talking to someone online and suddenly their video freezes, your internet stops working, or you have some other problem.

Whether you’re talking with family, meeting a foreign client or taking an online English lesson, situations like these are never fun! Plus, you might be confused about what to say when your call reconnects.

This article will introduce 10 common words and phrases native English speakers use to talk about internet issues. The next time your internet service has a problem, you’ll know exactly what to say!

Common English Terms Related to Internet Problems

Connection (n.)

The easiest way to let people know you're having internet issues is to say you have a “bad (internet) connection.”

It looks like I’m having a bad connection today. Could you say that again, please?

Sorry, I think the connection is bad. Can you hear me?

You can also use more detailed adjectives, such as “unstable,” “awful” or “terrible.”

Unfortunately, my connection is terrible today.

Our connection seems to be unstable.

Reception (n.)

“Reception” is the noun form of “receive.” It's often used when talking about phone calls. For example, if you’re driving through a tunnel or riding the subway, you won’t be able to receive strong phone or internet signals and you’ll have “bad reception.”

Sorry, I’m in the countryside and there’s really bad reception here.

Another adjective that’s often used to talk about reception is “spotty.” This means there are certain “spots” (parts) that have good reception and others that don’t.

My train is going through an area with spotty reception, so we might have some connection issues.

Lag (v.)

The verb "lag" basically refers to something that doesn't move as quickly as it should. So when talking about the internet, “lagging” refers to the slow speed of a connection.

I think I’m lagging. Let me switch to a different Wi-Fi network.

Sorry, my computer lags a little whenever I start a call. Please bear with me.

You may also hear people say “laggy,” as in “My internet is laggy.”

Break up (phrasal v.)

The phrasal verb "break up" is often used to talk about couples or groups that separate ("I broke up with my girlfriend" or "The band broke up last year"). 

But we can also use it when someone is having internet issues. If you can only hear small pieces of what someone on a call is saying, you can say they are “breaking up.”

Could you say that again? You’re starting to break up.

I’m sorry, but I think you’re breaking up.

Related article: New to Phrasal Verbs? Start Here!

Choppy (adj.)

Similar to "break up," we use this adjective to describe internet problems such as a video that keeps freezing, for example.

Sorry, my internet is choppy, so things aren’t loading properly.

You sound kind of choppy. Is your internet OK?

Act up (phrasal v.)

“Acting up” is commonly used to describe children who are misbehaving. But the internet also "misbehaves" when it doesn't function properly or reliably, as in the following examples.

Sorry I took so long to join the call! I think my internet is acting up. 

If I suddenly disappear from the call, it's because my Wi-Fi is acting up.

Get disconnected (v.)

If your internet is acting up, you might suddenly be “disconnected” from the call. After you’re reconnected, you could say something like:

Sorry, I got disconnected for a second. Could you repeat what you just said? 

We keep getting disconnected. Let's try a different app.

Drop (v.)

Another way to say that you got disconnected is to say that your internet “dropped,” or suddenly stopped functioning.

Sorry, my internet keeps dropping. Let me move closer to the router.

You can also use “dropped” to describe a call that suddenly ended on its own, even when nobody hung up.

The call dropped in the middle of your question. What were you saying?

Cut off (phrasal v.)

Something that "cuts off" has stopped suddenly. For example, if someone interrupts you while you're talking, they “cut you off.”

Similarly, a bad internet connection can stop communication when we don't expect it, which is why we use the same phrase to describe it.

Sorry, what were you saying before you got cut off?

We seem to have been cut off.

Lose (v.)

You can “lose” people during calls. For example, if you’re in a group call and your friend Jane suddenly gets disconnected, you can say, “It looks like we lost Jane!”

We lost a few people just now. Let’s wait for them to rejoin the call.

Did we lose Mark? Oh, it looks like he’s back.

Wrap-up

Most modern communication happens through the internet, so when technical problems happen, it can be very frustrating! But even though connections won't be perfect every time, at least you now know what phrases to use if you're interrupted!

For more useful English related to the internet and computers, be sure to read From HTTP to SEO: What do Computer Abbreviations Mean?

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