Are you asking someone to do something “as soon as possible” and wondering whether it’s an acceptable phrase?
Luckily, you need to look no further.
This article will explain the best alternatives you can use to replace “as soon as possible” in formal and informal situations.
Other Ways to Say “As Soon as Possible”
- As soon as you get the chance
- Whenever you can
- When you get the chance
- ASAP
- When it suits you
- If you find the time
- If you can
- When you find the time
- At the earliest possible time
- When you get a minute
- If you have a moment
- If you wouldn’t mind
- When you’re ready
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- “As soon as possible” is a suitable choice when you want someone to get work done quickly.
- You could use “as soon as you get the chance” as a suitable formal synonym which allows you to mix up your written language.
- “Whenever you can” is a good informal synonym to use.
Keep reading if you’d like to learn more about the different variations and synonyms for “as soon as possible.” There are some interesting things to learn about them!
If you’ve come here to find out whether “as soon as possible” is rude, there’s a great section for you at the end. It’ll explain all you need to know.
As Soon as You Get the Chance (Formal)
“As soon as you get the chance” is a good example of another way to say “as soon as possible.” It’s very effective in formal writing, making it useful in most business contexts and emails.
Including “you get the chance” instead of “possible” shows that you’re leaving it up to the other party to decide how quickly they want to do something.
You should use it when you want them to hurry up, but you don’t have a specific time of completion in mind.
“As soon as you get the chance” and “as soon as possible” are both great choices in business contexts. Neither one outdoes the other.
You should have both in your arsenal, ready to use. That way, you can always rely on them to mix up your language and keep your emails interesting and unique.
This email example will show you how to use the phrase:
Dear Margaret,
I would like you to do this as soon as you get the chance.
Let me know if you come across any problems.
All the best,
Martin
Whenever You Can (Informal)
“Whenever you can” is a great informal synonym for “as soon as possible.” It gives you a chance to leave the task in the hands of the other party without putting too much pressure on them.
“Whenever” is a loose term. It shows you do not have a specific time in mind, which is why it works well conversationally.
You should use it when talking to friends and asking them to get around to a task for you. That way, you keep things friendly and don’t tell them to complete something within a specific time.
We don’t recommend using “whenever you can” in formal emails or speaking, though. It will certainly not work better than “as soon as possible.” Stick with the original phrase when writing emails.
Here are some conversational examples to help you with it:
Can you reply to her whenever you can, please? I think she’s worried that you might not like her.
He’ll be here whenever he can. I’m not sure what’s taking him so long, but we won’t be waiting much longer.
Is It Rude to Say “As Soon as Possible”?
“As soon as possible” is not rude in itself, though it can sound demanding. It’s reasonable to expect someone to do a task “as soon as possible” if you need something done by a certain time.
You will often find “as soon as possible” used in business contexts. It lets someone know there’s an unspecified deadline on something, meaning they should complete the work as soon as possible.
You might also come across the short form “ASAP.” This is the most common variation used when you don’t want to type out the full phrase. Many people use “as soon as possible” and “ASAP” in formal emails, making them both suitable.
No rules say you should use the long form over the short. It’s up to you to determine which works best for you.
We suggest bookmarking this page to remind yourself about the synonyms. You never know when you might need to refer back to this!