
Vocabulary for Business: Words and Expressions Necessary for Business in the English World
In today’s global economy, English is the language of international business. Whether you work in marketing, management, finance, customer service, technology, or entrepreneurship, mastering key business vocabulary helps you communicate clearly, confidently, and professionally. This guide gives you quick, essential vocabulary that you can start using immediately in emails, meetings, presentations, interviews, and negotiations.
1. Essential Business Verbs
These verbs are used constantly in professional English:
- To negotiate – to discuss an agreement or price.
- To collaborate – to work together on a project.
- To launch – to introduce a product or service.
- To expand – to grow or increase.
- To forecast – to predict future results.
- To implement – to put a plan into action.
- To prioritize – to decide what is most important.
- To delegate – to assign tasks to others.
- To generate – to create (sales, leads, interest).
- To streamline – to make a process simpler and more efficient.
2. Useful Business Nouns
You will hear these nouns in meetings and documents every day:
- Revenue – total income from sales.
- Profit – money made after expenses.
- Stakeholder – a person or group impacted by a project.
- Deadline – the final date to finish something.
- Feedback – comments or opinions for improvement.
- Proposal – a formal plan or suggestion.
- Objective – a goal or target.
- Market share – percentage of sales in an industry.
- Strategy – a long-term plan for success.
- Innovation – new ideas or improvements.
3. Common Business Adjectives
These adjectives help you describe performance, results, and expectations:
- Efficient – working well without wasting time.
- Competitive – strong compared to others.
- Cost-effective – good results for a reasonable price.
- Reliable – dependable and consistent.
- Sustainable – lasting, environmentally friendly, or long-term.
- Scalable – able to grow or expand easily.
- Flexible – able to adapt to changes.
- Productive – producing good results or work.
- High-quality – excellent standard.
- Transparent – open and honest.
4. Must-Know Business Expressions & Phrases
In Meetings
- “Let’s get started.” – Begin the meeting.
- “What are the next steps?” – What needs to be done after this?
- “Can we touch base later?” – Can we talk again briefly?
- “Let’s move on to the next point.” – Continue the discussion.
- “I’d like to add something.” – Offering your opinion.
In Emails
- “Please find attached…” – Used when sending files.
- “I look forward to your response.” – Polite ending.
- “Regarding your request…” – To refer to a previous message.
- “At your earliest convenience.” – As soon as you can.
- “Thank you for your cooperation.” – Polite and professional.
In Negotiations
- “We’re willing to consider…” – A flexible offer.
- “Can you clarify your position?” – Ask for more detail.
- “That’s beyond our budget.” – Too expensive.
- “We’re looking for a win-win solution.” – Good for both sides.
- “Let’s meet halfway.” – Compromise.
In Presentations
- “Our goal today is to…” – Introduce the purpose.
- “As you can see…” – Referring to a slide or chart.
- “To summarize…” – Final overview.
- “This leads us to the conclusion…” – Transition to ending.
- “Thank you for your attention.” – Closing phrase.
5. Key Vocabulary for Business Departments
Marketing
Finance
Customer Service
Human Resources (HR)
Technology / IT
6. Practical Tips to Memorize Business Vocabulary
- Use the words in real examples: Write emails or short sentences.
- Create topic-based vocabulary lists (meetings, finance, customer service).
- Watch business news (BBC, Bloomberg, CNBC).
- Listen to business podcasts for natural pronunciation.
- Learn 5 new words a day and review weekly.
7. Quick Practice: Test Yourself
Choose the correct word or phrase:
-
We plan to ______ a new product in March.
(launch / negotiate / feedback) -
The company’s main ______ this year is to increase sales.
(objective / deadline / proposal) -
Could you please ______ this task to another team member?
(delegate / expand / touch base) -
Our strategy must be ______ if we want to grow quickly.
(scalable / sustainable / transparent) -
“Please find ______ the updated report.”
(attached / productive / revenue)
Answers: 1. launch, 2. objective, 3. delegate, 4. scalable, 5. attached
In conclusion, business English doesn’t need to be complicated. By focusing on essential verbs, nouns, expressions, and professional phrases, you can improve your communication instantly. Use these words every day—in emails, meetings, and conversations—and you’ll sound more confident and more professional in the English-speaking business world.
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