English is the language of business, so, if you're thinking of starting a business, whether you’re pursuing a career in marketing or working in any other area of business management, be sure to learn the universal language. But, what’s more, if you want to improve your language skills and be able to hold smooth business conversations, you will need to be proficient in business English, which includes an extensive list of specialist vocabulary that will lend a professional tone to your spoken English.
Why is learning English not the same as learning business English?
It goes without saying that, to learn business English, you need to have a good command of the language in general; however, if you want to make your mark in the international business world, simply knowing English won’t be enough. To attend business meetings where participants come from different parts of the world, it is important that everyone shares the same code of communication, and by this we mean formalities, set phrases, expressions, concepts and sector-specific vocabulary Are you ready to take the leap onto the international stage?
Keep reading this post and start learning business English with the vocabulary list provided below.
Learn these 25 business English words
To help you get to grips with business English, here’s a list of the 25 most commonly used words and phrases in the business world. If you’re preparing for your next meeting, don’t forget to include them.
- Stakeholder
- Deadline
- Return on Investment (ROI) – Return on investment
- Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
- Value proposition
- Competitive advantage
- Market segmentation
- Target audience
- Branding – Brand development
- Corporate social responsibility
- Cash flow
- Break-even point
- Cost-benefit analysis
- Bottom line – Final result
- Blue-sky thinking – Creative thinking
- Think outside the box – Think outside the box
- Close the deal
- On the same page – To be in agreement
- Touch base – Get in touch
- Win-win situation – A situation in which everyone benefits
- Go the extra mile – Go the extra mile
- Make ends meet – Make ends meet
- Bounce back – Recover quickly from a setback
- Call it a day – Call it a day
- Get down to business – Get to the point
Have you ever wondered how English became the most widely spoken language in the world?
English is currently the most widely spoken foreign language in 19 of the 25 member states of the European Union, but do you know how this came about?
Before English speakers became the majority, Latin was the dominant language for over a millennium, and, following the discovery of the Americas, people from all over the world learnt it so that they could communicate. When Charles I of Spain ascended the throne in 1500, a dynastic union was formed that led the country to become the leading European power. Each of these territories had its own language, but, given the difficulties of administration, Castilian became the language of diplomacy, coming to be spoken throughout the Iberian Peninsula, Naples, Milan, Franche-Comté, the Netherlands, the German states and even in Rome. Spanish also spread beyond what we now know as Europe, becoming the commercial language par excellence used in transactions at key locations such as ports and borders. In other words, if you wanted to keep up to date with all the latest news arriving from the New World or Asia, you had to know Spanish.
However, everything changed with the the fall of the Spanish Empire and the Thirty Years' War, which triggered an economic crisis that made it impossible to maintain troops in each Spanish colony, coupled with a decline in the influx of precious metals from the Americas and Asia. This led to the loss of territories and the political rise of France.
But that’s not all; finally, following the Age of Enlightenment and the French Revolution, English came to top the list of the most widely spoken languages thanks to the Industrial Revolution, which began in Great Britain in the 18th century. Consequently, centred on this country and the English language, new advances emerged in the fields of science and technology, which required new words and definitions for concepts that had never been encountered before.
In conclusion, English is the language you need to master if you want to make a living from business
Just in case there’s still any doubt, here’s why you should aim to achieve a high level of English if you want to pursue a career in business.
We live in a globalised world: English has become the language of globalisation and international business. It is widely used as a means of communication between people of different nationalities and cultures, facilitating communication and collaboration.
Economic and political dominance: English-speaking countries, such as the United States and the United Kingdom, have exerted significant economic and political influence on the global stage. As a result, English has become the language of choice in many commercial transactions and international relations.
Access to information and resources: Much of the information and resources in fields such as technology, science, finance and business is in English; therefore, a good command of English opens the door to a wide range of knowledge and career opportunities.
Would you like to discover more interesting facts about the business world? Be sure to check out the Educa.Pro blog!
