to touch base

[butter007]

Hello there!

Would you please kindly explain me what "to touch base" means.
I can only assume what it means but I am not quite sure. Here is my source sentence:"It was a pleasure to touch base with you directly..."
Thank you in advance for your professional help.

Sincerely,
butter007

[Barb_D]

It means to have a brief contact with someone - either in person, by phone, etc.

[Ouisch]

To "touch base" with someone means to meet with someone briefly, whether in person or via phone or email, and get updated on what they've been doing or what's new in their life.

If a boss touches base with an employee, he'll want to find out the status on whatever project the employee is working on. If a relative touches base with another relative they've haven't spoken to in a long time, they'll want to (quickly) hear all the latest developments in that person's life - any new children, new jobs, have you moved to a new house, etc.

[Raymott]

Hello there!

Would you please kindly explain me what "to touch base" means.
I can only assume what it means but I am not quite sure. Here is my source sentence:"It was a pleasure to touch base with you directly..."
Thank you in advance for your professional help.

Sincerely,
butter007

I assume this an American expression, perhaps derived from baseball.
Here we use "to catch up" to mean the same thing.

[Ouisch]

I assume this an American expression, perhaps derived from baseball.
Here we use "to catch up" to mean the same thing.

Yes, the phrase derives from baseball. But touching base is just a little bit different from "catching up" - when one touches base, they want a lot of information related in a very short time frame. In AmE, "catching up" is often done over a cup of coffee or during a lengthy telephone conversation; "touching base" means give me the highlights, condense your story, I want soundbites, etc.

[Raymott]

Yes, the phrase derives from baseball. But touching base is just a little bit different from "catching up" - when one touches base, they want a lot of information related in a very short time frame. In AmE, "catching up" is often done over a cup of coffee or during a lengthy telephone conversation; "touching base" means give me the highlights, condense your story, I want soundbites, etc.

Yes, "catching up" does have a connotation of a more comprehensive update of news.

[butter007]

You are great!
Thank you so much for your in-depth responses.

Yes, the source language is AmE.