Business and Work Vocabulary

What You Will Learn

You'll master 10 essential business terms that appear constantly in job interviews, emails, and workplace conversations. These aren't fancy words—they're practical vocabulary that helps you sound professional and understand what's happening around you at work.

Explanation (with real-life context)

When you start a new job or attend a meeting, you'll hear terms like deadline, project, and negotiate. The problem? These words often have specific meanings in business that might differ from everyday English.

For example, "deadline" doesn't mean someone died—it's simply the final date something must be completed. When your boss says "The deadline is Friday," she means the work must be done by Friday.

Similarly, "to negotiate" doesn't mean arguing. It means discussing terms to reach an agreement. A job candidate might negotiate their salary, or two companies might negotiate a contract.

Here's the tricky part: business vocabulary often uses phrasal verbs and collocations. We don't just "make" money—we "earn" or "generate" revenue. We don't "end" a meeting—we "wrap up" or "adjourn" it.

Examples (natural sentences from daily life)

• "We need to postpone the meeting because Sarah has a conflict on Tuesday."
• "Can you submit your report before the deadline on Friday?"
• "The marketing team is launching a new product next month."
• "I have to attend a conference for professional development."
• "Let's schedule a one-on-one to discuss your performance."
• "We're looking to hire two candidates for the sales department."

Common Mistakes

• ❌ "I will make deadline" → ✅ "I will meet the deadline"
• ❌ "We discussed about the project" → ✅ "We discussed the project"
• ❌ "She is experience" → ✅ "She has experience" or "She is experienced"
• ❌ "I want to work in marketing field" → ✅ "I want to work in marketing"

Quick Tips

• Collocations matter: Learn words together ("meet a deadline," "launch a product," "earn revenue")—not individual words.
• Listen to podcasts: Business English podcasts expose you to natural speech patterns.
• Read job postings: Real job ads teach you how companies actually describe work.
• Practice with colleagues: Use one new word per day in real conversations.