What does “in a rush” mean in English?

“In a rush” means you are in a hurry — you do not have much time and need to be quick. In this coffee shop clip, the customer wants their drink fast and says, “I’m in a rush right now,” because they do not want to wait for it to be made. You will often hear this phrase in everyday life when someone is busy or running late. It is very common and useful in daily conversation.

You can be “in a rush” to do something: “I’m in a rush to catch my train.” You can also do something “in a rush,” which means you do it too quickly: “I made breakfast in a rush and forgot my coffee.” A very close phrase is “in a hurry,” which means the same thing. The opposite idea is “take your time,” meaning there is no need to be quick. “In a rush” is informal and sounds natural in everyday speech, but it is not unusual in writing either.