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Email Subtext Decoder

Paste a work message to see what a phrase like “per my last email” usually signals.

What the decoder does

Some work phrases carry more than they say. "Per my last email" is technically a reference to an earlier message. In practice it usually means "I already told you this". The decoder looks for about 110 phrases like that and explains the most common reading of each one.

There are two modes.

  • Decode message lists every phrase it recognizes. For each one you get the usual reading, a confidence level, a tip for answering, and an example of the phrase in use.
  • Soften to direct rewrites the message, swapping loaded phrases for plainer ones. "As per my last email" becomes "In my email on [date], I asked for", and "friendly reminder" becomes "reminder". The rewrite is a rough draft. Fill in the dates it marks and reread the sentence, because a swapped phrase does not always fit the grammar around it.

If none of the phrases match, the decoder says so. For "Can you send the report tomorrow?" it reports no strong cues and adds that the full thread could still change the tone. It does not invent a hidden motive.

How to read the confidence levels

  • High means the phrase is almost always pointed. Examples are "as previously discussed", "with all due respect", "if you say so" and "unless I hear otherwise".
  • Medium means it depends on the sender and the history. "Friendly reminder" from someone who sends them every week is just a reminder.
  • Low means the phrase is usually neutral, like "looping in", "going forward" and "hope this finds you well". It shows up so you can see it was checked.

Context beats any list. A phrase from a manager who writes that way to everyone means less than the same phrase from someone who usually writes warmly. Read the whole thread before deciding someone is annoyed.

Common phrases and what they usually signal

Phrase What the decoder says
Per my last email (high) You already had this. I am noting that you did not act on it.
Just circling back (medium) This is a follow-up because I have not heard back.
Friendly reminder (medium) Polite label on a nudge. The reminder is real.
Not sure if you saw (medium) I think you ignored this, and I am giving you a face-saving out.
Thanks in advance (medium) Assumes you will comply before you agree.
Going forward (low) A reset after a mistake, with a new rule implied.

When several phrases appear together, the decoder says so. Stacked up, they often read as pressure or held-back frustration, though that is not certain.

Where it falls short

The decoder matches words, not intent. It cannot tell sarcasm from sincerity, it does not know your office culture, and some people use these phrases with no subtext at all. Treat its output as one possible reading, not a verdict. It is a tool for working out how a message might land. It is not proof that anyone is being passive-aggressive.

Nothing you paste is sent anywhere. The matching runs in your browser.

Read more

The passive-aggressive email phrases guide goes through the most common lines in detail, with better ways to say each one. For office vocabulary in general, see the corporate jargon translator and the corporate jargon guide.