Business English: Vocabulary for Professional Communication

70 Business English Vocabulary Words A-Z

English Vocabulary

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Are you learning English for work?

Knowing the right business vocabulary can help you communicate clearly and sound professional.

This blog post lists 70 essential business English words from A to Z.

Each word comes with a simple definition and an example to make it easy to understand.

Whether you’re writing emails, attending meetings, or talking to clients, these words will boost your confidence.

This guide is designed for English learners at any level.

I’ve used clear language and practical examples to ensure you can apply these words in real-life work situations.

Let’s get started!

Why Learn Business English Vocabulary?

Business English is different from everyday English. It uses specific words and phrases that are common in workplaces like offices, stores, or online businesses. Learning these words helps you:

  • Write professional emails and reports.

  • Understand meetings and presentations.

  • Build strong relationships with coworkers and clients.

  • Feel confident in job interviews or negotiations.

By learning these 70 words, you’ll have a strong foundation for business communication. I’ve chosen words that are commonly used and easy to understand, based on my experience teaching English learners.

A

  1. Agenda – A list of topics to discuss in a meeting.
    Example: The meeting agenda includes sales updates and new projects.

  2. Asset – Something valuable owned by a company, like money or equipment.
    Example: The company’s biggest asset is its talented team.

  3. Authority – The power to make decisions or give orders.
    Example: Only the manager has the authority to approve budgets.

B

  1. Balance – The amount of money in an account or the difference between income and expenses.
    Example: Check the bank balance before paying suppliers.

  2. Brand – A company’s name, logo, or image that makes it unique.
    Example: Coca-Cola is a famous global brand.

  3. Budget – A plan for how to spend money.
    Example: We need to stay within the marketing budget this month.

  4. Business – An organization that sells goods or services to make money.
    Example: She started her own business selling handmade jewelry.

C

  1. Client – A person or company that buys services or products.
    Example: We need to impress our new client with a great presentation.

  2. Colleague – A person you work with.
    Example: My colleague helped me finish the report on time.

  3. Contract – A legal agreement between two parties.
    Example: We signed a contract to deliver goods by next month.

  4. Customer – A person who buys products or services.
    Example: The store offers discounts to loyal customers.

D

  1. Deadline – The date or time by which something must be finished.
    Example: The project deadline is next Friday.

  2. Debt – Money that a person or company owes.
    Example: The company paid off its debt last year.

  3. Department – A section of a company, like marketing or sales.
    Example: She works in the human resources department.

E

  1. Efficiency – Doing work quickly and without wasting resources.
    Example: New software improved our team’s efficiency.

  2. Employee – A person who works for a company and gets paid.
    Example: The company hired ten new employees this month.

  3. Entrepreneur – A person who starts their own business.
    Example: She’s an entrepreneur who launched a tech startup.

  4. Expense – Money spent to run a business.
    Example: Travel costs are a big expense for our team.

F

  1. Feedback – Comments or suggestions to improve work.
    Example: The manager gave me feedback on my presentation.

  2. Finance – The management of money in a business.
    Example: The finance team prepares the company’s budget.

  3. Forecast – A prediction of future business results, like sales or costs.
    Example: The sales forecast shows growth next quarter.

G

  1. Goal – A result a person or company wants to achieve.
    Example: Our goal is to increase sales by 10% this year.

  2. Growth – An increase in size, sales, or success.
    Example: The company saw strong growth in online sales.

  3. Guideline – A rule or suggestion for how to do something.
    Example: Follow the company guidelines for writing emails.

H

  1. Hire – To employ someone for a job.
    Example: We plan to hire a new designer next month.

  2. Human Resources (HR) – The department that manages employees.
    Example: Contact HR if you have questions about your salary.

  3. Headquarters – The main office of a company.
    Example: The company’s headquarters is in New York.

I

  1. Income – Money earned by a person or business.
    Example: The store’s income increased during the holidays.

  2. Industry – A group of businesses that make similar products or services.
    Example: She works in the fashion industry.

  3. Innovation – A new idea or way of doing something.
    Example: The company’s innovation led to a popular new product.

J

  1. Job – Work that a person does to earn money.
    Example: He applied for a job as a marketing assistant.

  2. Joint Venture – A business project shared by two or more companies.
    Example: The two companies started a joint venture to build cars.

  3. Journal – A record of business transactions or activities.
    Example: The accountant keeps a journal of all expenses.

K

  1. Knowledge – Information or skills gained through experience or study.
    Example: Her knowledge of sales helped close the deal.

  2. Key Performance Indicator (KPI) – A way to measure success.
    Example: Monthly sales are a KPI for our team.

L

  1. Leader – A person who guides or manages a team.
    Example: Our team leader motivates us to work hard.

  2. Liability – A debt or responsibility a company owes.
    Example: The loan is a liability on the company’s balance sheet.

  3. Loss – When a business spends more money than it earns.
    Example: The store reported a loss during the slow season.

M

  1. Manager – A person who leads a team or department.
    Example: The manager approved my vacation request.

  2. Market – The group of people who might buy a product.
    Example: Our market includes young professionals.

  3. Meeting – A gathering to discuss work or make decisions.
    Example: We have a team meeting every Monday.

  4. Merger – When two companies combine to form one.
    Example: The merger created a larger, stronger company.

N

  1. Negotiation – A discussion to reach an agreement.
    Example: The negotiation with the supplier lowered costs.

  2. Network – A group of professional contacts.
    Example: She built a strong network at the conference.

  3. Niche – A specific area of the market.
    Example: The store focuses on a niche for eco-friendly products.

O

  1. Objective – A specific goal or purpose.
    Example: Our objective is to improve customer service.

  2. Opportunity – A chance to grow or succeed.
    Example: The new market is a great opportunity for our business.

  3. Organization – A company or group working together.
    Example: Our organization supports local charities.

P

  1. Partnership – A business agreement between two or more people or companies.
    Example: The partnership with a tech company increased profits.

  2. Performance – How well someone or something does a job.
    Example: Her performance in sales was excellent this year.

  3. Profit – Money earned after paying expenses.
    Example: The company made a profit of $10,000 last month.

  4. Promotion – A move to a higher job position or advertising a product.
    Example: He got a promotion to senior manager.

Q

  1. Quality – How good or reliable something is.
    Example: Our products are known for their high quality.

  2. Quarter – A three-month period in a business year.
    Example: Sales increased in the last quarter.

  3. Quota – A target amount, like sales or production.
    Example: Each salesperson has a monthly quota to meet.

R

  1. Recruit – To find and hire new employees.
    Example: The company is recruiting for a new accountant.

  2. Revenue – Money a business earns from sales or services.
    Example: The company’s revenue grew by 20% this year.

  3. Risk – The chance of loss or failure.
    Example: Starting a business involves some risk.

S

  1. Salary – Money paid regularly to an employee.
    Example: Her salary increased after one year of work.

  2. Strategy – A plan to achieve a goal.
    Example: Our marketing strategy focuses on social media.

  3. Supplier – A company or person that provides goods or services.
    Example: We ordered materials from a new supplier.

T

  1. Target – A goal or specific group to focus on.
    Example: Our target is to sell 500 units this month.

  2. Team – A group of people working together.
    Example: The design team created a new product.

  3. Training – Teaching employees new skills.
    Example: New hires receive training on company software.

U

  1. Unit – A single item or department in a business.
    Example: The factory produces 1,000 units per day.

  2. Update – New or recent information.
    Example: The manager gave an update on the project.

V

  1. Value – The worth or importance of something.
    Example: Our products offer great value for the price.

  2. Vision – A long-term goal or idea for the future.
    Example: The company’s vision is to be a global leader.

W

  1. Workforce – All the employees in a company.
    Example: The workforce is trained to use new technology.

  2. Workshop – A meeting or class to learn or practice skills.
    Example: We attended a workshop on time management.

How to Use These Words

Now that you know these 70 words, here are some tips to practice them:

  1. Use Them in Sentences: Write your own sentences using each word. For example, “My goal is to learn five new business words every week.”

  2. Practice at Work: Try using these words in emails, meetings, or conversations. Start with simple words like “client” or “budget.”

  3. Read Business Articles: Look for these words in news articles or company websites. This helps you see how they’re used in context.

  4. Keep a Vocabulary Journal: Write down each word, its meaning, and an example. Review it weekly to remember them.

Final Thoughts

Learning business English vocabulary takes time, but it’s worth it.

These 70 words are a great starting point to help you communicate confidently at work.

Practice them regularly, and soon you’ll feel more comfortable in meetings, emails, and conversations.

If you want to learn more, try reading business blogs, watching workplace videos, or taking an English course. Keep practicing, and you’ll see progress!

What’s your favorite word from this list?

Let me know how you plan to use it at work!

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