Mastering Business English: Vocabulary & Grammar

Essential Business English Terms

Understanding key distinctions in business is crucial:

• Consumer: Uses or consumes the product.
• Customer: Purchases the product.
• Client: Receives a customized service.

General Business Vocabulary

1. Badge: A small item worn to identify a person, usually at events. Insignia o credencial.
2. Business card: A small card with personal or professional contact details. Tarjeta de presentación.
3. Contact: A person you communicate with for professional or business purposes. Contacto profesional.
4. Samples: Small examples of products given to customers for free to encourage purchase. Muestras de producto.
5. Stand: A booth or display space at a trade fair or exhibition. Puesto o expositor en ferias.

Key Verbs and Business Terms

• Allocate: To distribute or assign resources, tasks, or time efficiently. Asignar recursos.
• Structure: To organize or arrange something systematically. Estructurar.
• Strategy: A plan designed to achieve a long-term goal. Estrategia.
• Services: Assistance or work provided to customers, often intangible. Servicios.
• Optimize: To make something as effective or efficient as possible. Optimizar.
• Profile: A description or summary of someone's skills, achievements, or characteristics. Perfil.
• Resources: Assets, such as money, time, or materials, used to complete tasks. Recursos.
• Supervise: To oversee or manage people, tasks, or projects. Supervisar.
• Event: An organized occasion, such as a meeting, trade fair, or conference. Evento.
• Payment: The transfer of money in exchange for goods or services. Pago.
• Functions: Activities or roles performed to meet a specific goal. Funciones.
• Develop: To grow, improve, or create something over time. Desarrollar.
• Distribution: The process of delivering or spreading products or services to customers. Distribución.
• Identify: To recognize or determine something. Identificar.
• Available: Ready for use or accessible. Disponible.

Supply Chain Terminology

1. Supply: To provide goods or services. Suministrar.
2. Supplier/Provider: A company or person that delivers products or services. Proveedor.
3. Department: A division within a company responsible for specific tasks or operations. Departamento.
4. Target: A specific goal or group of people aimed at for marketing or sales purposes. Objetivo o público meta.
5. Customs: Authorities or procedures involved in importing/exporting goods. Aduanas.
6. Control: To manage, oversee, or regulate a process. Controlar.

Common Business Expressions and Verbs

1. Performance: How well a person, business, or product achieves goals. Rendimiento.
2. Consists of: Refers to the elements or parts that make up something. Consiste en.
3. Deal with: To handle or manage a situation, problem, or task. Encargarse de.
4. Responsible for: Having the duty to take care of or manage something. Responsable de.
5. In charge of: Being the leader or person managing a task, team, or project. A cargo de.
6. Specialize in: To focus on a particular area of expertise or work. Especializarse en.

Mastering Reported Speech

Reported speech is essential for relaying information accurately.

Reported Statements

Subject + introductory verb (say, tell, explain, mention, add, claim, admit, etc.) + that + reported clause

Reported Questions

a) Yes/No Questions

Introduced with if or whether.

Subject + introductory verb (ask, wonder, etc.) + if/whether + reported clause

b) Wh- Questions

Questions with what, where, why, when, who, how, etc. retain the "wh-" word.

Subject + introductory verb (ask, wonder, etc.) + Wh- word + reported clause

Reported Orders or Requests

Subject + introductory verb (tell, order, ask) + object + to-infinitive