What Does "Per My Last Email" Really Mean?

“Per my last email” literally means “as I said in my previous email” — but in modern business English, it almost always signals frustration. When someone writes “per my last email,” they mean “I already told you this and you either didn’t read it or ignored it.” It’s technically professional, but the subtext is confrontational. Use it sparingly, and understand that the person receiving it will usually feel called out, not helped.

Why “Per My Last Email” Has Become Loaded

The phrase is grammatically correct and was once neutral. “Per” is a formal English preposition meaning “in accordance with” or “as stated by.” “Per your request” means “as you asked.” “Per company policy” means “in accordance with company policy.”

But “per my last email” has developed a specific tone reputation because of how it’s almost exclusively used — when someone is repeating information they feel shouldn’t need repeating.

When you receive “per my last email,” you know the sender is implying:

• You didn’t read my previous message
• You’re wasting my time by asking something I already answered
• I’m annoyed, but I’m being professional about it

The phrase became famous as a passive-aggressive marker in workplace culture — widely discussed in management articles and memes. Essentially everyone in the English-speaking professional world now understands the subtext. This means it almost never lands as neutral, even if the sender intended it that way.

Is It Ever Appropriate?

Yes, in two specific situations:

Creating a paper trail in a dispute: “Per my email of April 3rd, the deadline was confirmed as April 15th.” This is documentation, not passive aggression. If you’re establishing a record for a formal dispute or a contractual matter, “per my email of [date]” is appropriate and precise.

Genuinely pointing to where information lives: “Per my last email, you’ll find the login details in section 2.” If someone genuinely can’t find information and you’re pointing them to it helpfully, this can be neutral. The difference is your intent and tone in the surrounding message.

The problem is that most people don’t have the self-awareness to know which camp they’re in when they write it.

What to Say Instead

Here are alternatives that get the same information across with less friction:

Instead of: “Per my last email, the deadline is April 15th.” Try: “Just to confirm — the deadline is April 15th, as mentioned on Tuesday.” (Neutral, confirms the fact without accusation)

Instead of: “Per my last email, I already sent the report.” Try: “I sent the report on April 3rd — I’ll resend it here in case it got lost.” (Generous interpretation, solves the problem)

Instead of: “Per my last email, this was already approved.” Try: “This was approved in our March 28th thread — happy to forward that exchange if useful.” (Professional, documentation-oriented)

The key difference: the alternatives give the recipient a graceful out. They can attribute the missed information to a lost email rather than their own inattention. This keeps the relationship intact while still conveying the fact.

If You’re on the Receiving End

If someone sends you “per my last email,” the best response is brief acknowledgment followed by moving forward:

“Apologies — I must have missed that. Thanks for the reminder. [Proceed with the actual matter.]”

Don’t over-apologize, don’t get defensive, and don’t start a debate about whether you did in fact see the email. The fastest path out of an awkward exchange is to acknowledge, thank them, and move forward.

Other Phrases With the Same Energy

“Per my last email” is part of a family of phrases that read as passive-aggressive in professional English:

• “As I mentioned before…” — implies the listener is forgetful or inattentive
• “As I previously stated…” — formal and implicitly accusatory
• “I already answered this…” — openly frustration-based
• “As noted in my previous message…” — slightly softer but still loaded

The pattern in all of these: they lead with “I already did this and you ignored it.” Contrast with:

• “Just to confirm…” — neutral, re-states without judgment
• “Following up on…” — forward-looking
• “Here’s a quick recap in case it got buried…” — generous, assumes the best

The generous interpretation approach (“in case it got buried”) is more effective because it gives the recipient a way to save face, which means they’re more likely to engage positively rather than defensively.

Practical Takeaway for Non-Native Speakers

If you learned “per” as a formal, polite word (which it is in most contexts), “per my last email” might seem like appropriate formal English. This is the trap. The phrase carries cultural baggage that the literal meaning doesn’t suggest.

Test your message before sending: if you’re writing “per my last email,” ask yourself: “Am I frustrated right now?” If yes, either rewrite using one of the alternatives above, or wait 10 minutes before sending. An email written in frustration rarely achieves what you actually want.

For related guides, see passive-aggressive email phrases to avoid and alternatives to “sorry for the delay”.

FAQ

Is “per my last email” rude?

It’s not overtly rude, but it carries implied criticism. Most people who receive it feel mildly called out, even if that wasn’t the sender’s intention. In most workplace contexts, there are gentler ways to convey the same information.

When is “per my last email” actually appropriate?

In formal documentation, dispute records, or contractual situations where you need to establish a precise timeline: “Per my email of [specific date], [specific commitment was made].” Outside those contexts, alternatives are usually better for the relationship.

Can I use “as per” instead?

“As per” is slightly more formal than “per” and has the same subtext issues. “As per my last email” reads just as passive-aggressive as “per my last email.” Neither is better than the other in terms of tone.

How do I handle someone who keeps sending “per my last email”?

If it’s a pattern, the underlying frustration is probably worth addressing directly: “I’ve noticed we’re sometimes getting crossed on information — can we figure out a better system? Maybe a shared tracker or a standing update call?” This addresses the root cause rather than the symptom.

What does “per our conversation” mean?

“Per our conversation” — referencing a previous phone call or meeting — is generally less loaded than “per my last email” because it’s referencing a mutual exchange rather than a one-sided written communication. It’s more neutral and appropriate in most contexts.