Business Meetings
September 16, 2023
English for Business Meetings Vocabulary and Phrases for Success In today’s globalized world, business meetings often bring together people from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Whether it’s
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Business Meetings
English for Business Meetings
Vocabulary and Phrases for Success
In today’s globalized world, business meetings often bring together people from diverse linguistic backgrounds. Whether it’s a virtual meeting via Zoom or an in-person boardroom discussion, the ability to communicate effectively in English can be a game-changer for your career. In this week’s post, we delve into the topic of ‘Business Meetings,’ offering you some of the vocabulary and phrases you need to make a lasting impression. From the conference room to the closing handshake, we’ve got you covered.
Vocabulary to Ace Your Next Business Meeting
Navigating a business meeting in English can be intimidating, especially if it’s not your first language. But here’s the good news: mastering a few key terms can make all the difference. In this section, we’ll break down crucial vocabulary into different categories—Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives, Adverbs, and Phrasal Verbs—to make it easier for you to integrate them into your language arsenal. Whether you’re pitching an idea, negotiating a deal, or just trying to keep up with the conversation, these words will empower you to participate with confidence and clarity.
PRESENT: To show or describe something, often using visual aids.
He will present the quarterly report during the meeting.
Spanish: Presentar
Él presentará el informe trimestral durante la reunión.
NEGOTIATE: To discuss terms in order to reach an agreement.
We need to negotiate the contract terms before signing.
Spanish: Negociar
Necesitamos negociar los términos del contrato antes de firmar.
COLLABORATE: To work jointly on an activity or project.
The marketing and sales teams will collaborate on the new campaign.
Spanish: Colaborar
Los equipos de marketing y ventas colaborarán en la nueva campaña.
DELEGATE: To assign a task or responsibility to another person.
She will delegate the data collection task to her assistant.
Spanish: Delegar
Ella delegará la tarea de recopilación de datos a su asistente.
EVALUATE: To assess or review the quality, ability, or significance of something.
The manager will evaluate the team’s performance at the end of the month.
Spanish: Evaluar
El gerente evaluará el rendimiento del equipo al final del mes.
SUMMARIZE: To provide a brief statement of the main points.
Can you summarize the key takeaways from the meeting?
Spanish: Resumir
¿Puedes resumir los puntos clave de la reunión?
PROPOSE: To put forward an idea for consideration or action.
He will propose a new approach to customer engagement.
Spanish: Proponer
Él propondrá un nuevo enfoque para la participación del cliente.
CONCLUDE: To bring something to an end or to a satisfactory conclusion.
Let’s conclude the meeting by summarizing the action items.
Spanish: Concluir
Concluyamos la reunión resumiendo los puntos de acción.
AGENDA: A list of items to be discussed at a formal meeting.
The agenda for today’s meeting is packed.
Spanish: Agenda
La agenda para la reunión de hoy está llena.
MINUTES: The written record of the matters discussed and decisions made at a meeting.
Please send out the minutes within 48 hours.
Spanish: Acta
Por favor, envía el acta en un plazo de 48 horas.
QUORUM: The minimum number of people required to hold a meeting.
We can’t start the meeting until we have a quorum.
Spanish: Quórum
No podemos empezar la reunión hasta que tengamos un quórum.
RESOLUTION: A formal decision made at a meeting.
The board passed a resolution to increase funding.
Spanish: Resolución
La junta aprobó una resolución para aumentar la financiación.
STAKEHOLDER: A person with an interest in the success of a project or a company.
All stakeholders are invited to the quarterly review.
Spanish: Parte interesada
Todas las partes interesadas están invitadas a la revisión trimestral.
DEADLINE: The final date by which a task must be completed.
The deadline for submitting the report is next Friday.
Spanish: Fecha límite
La fecha límite para enviar el informe es el próximo viernes.
PROPOSAL: A plan or suggestion, especially a formal or written one, put forward for consideration.
We will discuss the new proposal in today’s meeting.
Spanish: Propuesta
Discutiremos la nueva propuesta en la reunión de hoy.
CONSENSUS: A general agreement among various groups.
We reached a consensus on the marketing strategy.
Spanish: Consenso
Alcanzamos un consenso sobre la estrategia de marketing.
PRODUCTIVE: Yielding favorable or useful results.
The meeting was extremely productive.
Spanish: Productivo
La reunión fue extremadamente productiva.
EFFICIENT: Performing or functioning in the best possible manner with minimal waste.
We aim for an efficient use of time in our meetings.
Spanish: Eficiente
Buscamos un uso eficiente del tiempo en nuestras reuniones.
CRUCIAL: Of great importance, especially in the decision-making process.
This is a crucial point we must discuss.
Spanish: Crucial
Este es un punto crucial que debemos discutir.
UNANIMOUS: In complete agreement.
The board made a unanimous decision.
Spanish: Unánime
La junta tomó una decisión unánime.
CONCLUSIVE: Serving to prove a point or the truth of something.
We need conclusive evidence before proceeding.
Spanish: Concluyente
Necesitamos pruebas concluyentes antes de proceder.
RELEVANT: Closely connected with the subject being discussed or considered.
Let’s stick to the relevant topics during the meeting.
Spanish: Relevante
Mantengámonos en los temas relevantes durante la reunión.
COMPREHENSIVE: Complete, including all or nearly all elements or aspects.
We require a comprehensive report.
Spanish: Exhaustivo
Requerimos un informe exhaustivo.
OPTIMAL: Best or most favorable.
The optimal solution was agreed upon.
Spanish: Óptimo
Se acordó la solución óptima.
Adverbs
FORMALLY: In accordance with the rules, laws, or etiquette.
The agreement was formally approved by the board.
Spanish: Formalmente
El acuerdo fue aprobado formalmente por la junta.
EFFICIENTLY: In a manner that achieves maximum productivity with minimum wasted effort.
The meeting was conducted efficiently.
Spanish: Eficientemente
La reunión se llevó a cabo eficientemente.
UNANIMOUSLY: Without opposition; with the agreement of all.
The decision was unanimously accepted.
Spanish: Unánimemente
La decisión fue aceptada unánimemente.
TENTATIVELY: In a way that lacks confidence, or is done without commitment or certainty.
We have tentatively scheduled the next meeting for Monday.
Spanish: Tentativamente
Hemos programado tentativamente la próxima reunión para el lunes.
FREQUENTLY: At short intervals; often.
This issue comes up frequently during our meetings.
Spanish: Frecuentemente
Este problema surge frecuentemente durante nuestras reuniones.
SUBSEQUENTLY: After a particular thing has happened; afterward.
The task will be assigned subsequently.
Spanish: Posteriormente
La tarea será asignada posteriormente.
BRIEFLY: For a short period of time; quickly.
We will briefly discuss the marketing strategy.
Spanish: Breve o brevemente
Discutiremos brevemente la estrategia de marketing.
ADEQUATELY: To a satisfactory or acceptable degree.
The project was adequately covered in the meeting.
Spanish: Adecuadamente
El proyecto fue cubierto adecuadamente en la reunión.
BRING UP: To introduce a topic for discussion.
She will bring up the budget issue in the meeting.
Spanish: Sacar a colación
Ella sacará a colación el tema del presupuesto en la reunión.
LAY OUT: To present or explain something clearly and carefully.
He laid out the new strategy during the meeting.
Spanish: Exponer
Él expuso la nueva estrategia durante la reunión.
GO OVER: To review or examine something carefully.
We need to go over the project details before we proceed.
Spanish: Repasar
Necesitamos repasar los detalles del proyecto antes de continuar.
SET UP: To organize or arrange something.
She set up the conference call for us.
Spanish: Organizar
Ella organizó la llamada en conferencia para nosotros.
FOLLOW THROUGH: To continue a plan or activity until it is completed.
We must follow through on our commitments.
Spanish: Llevar a cabo
Debemos llevar a cabo nuestros compromisos.
TURN DOWN: To reject or decline something.
The committee turned down his proposal.
Spanish: Rechazar
El comité rechazó su propuesta.
CALL OFF: To cancel something that was planned.
We had to call off the meeting due to an emergency.
Spanish: Cancelar
Tuvimos que cancelar la reunión debido a una emergencia.
CHECK IN: To update someone on a situation, or to confirm something.
Let’s check in next week to discuss progress.
Spanish: Ponerse al día
Pongámonos al día la próxima semana para discutir el progreso.
Phrases / Sentences for Basic Level
Can we get started?: A polite way to initiate the meeting.
Can we get started? We have a lot to cover today.
Spanish: ¿Podemos empezar?
¿Podemos empezar? Tenemos mucho que cubrir hoy.
Let’s move on: A phrase used to transition to the next topic or point.
Let’s move on to the next item on the agenda.
Spanish: Pasemos al siguiente punto
Pasemos al siguiente punto en la agenda.
All in favor?: Asking if everyone agrees with a decision.
All in favor of the proposal, please say ‘Aye.’
Spanish: ¿Todos a favor?
¿Todos a favor de la propuesta, por favor digan ‘Sí’?
Any questions?: An invitation for participants to ask for clarification.
Any questions before we move on to the next topic?
Spanish: ¿Alguna pregunta?
¿Alguna pregunta antes de pasar al siguiente tema?
That wraps it up: A way to signal the end of a discussion or meeting.
That wraps it up for today’s meeting, thank you all for coming.
Spanish: Con eso concluimos
Con eso concluimos la reunión de hoy, gracias a todos por venir.
Phrases / Sentences for Intermediate Level
To play devil’s advocate: To take a contrary position for the sake of argument.
To play devil’s advocate, what if our competitors lower their prices?
Spanish: Jugar al abogado del diablo
Jugando al abogado del diablo, ¿qué pasa si nuestros competidores bajan sus precios?
Let’s touch base: A phrase used to schedule a follow-up or brief meeting.
Let’s touch base next week to review the project’s progress.
Spanish: Pongámonos en contacto
Pongámonos en contacto la próxima semana para revisar el progreso del proyecto.
Put it on the back burner: To delay or postpone something.
We should put this topic on the back burner and focus on more urgent issues.
Spanish: Ponerlo en segundo plano
Debemos poner este tema en segundo plano y centrarnos en asuntos más urgentes.
The ball is in your court: The next action or decision belongs to you.
We’ve done our part, now the ball is in your court.
Spanish: La pelota está en tu cancha
Hemos hecho nuestra parte, ahora la pelota está en tu cancha.
Reading between the lines: To understand or find an implicit meaning in what someone says.
Reading between the lines, it seems like they’re not interested in our proposal.
Spanish: Leer entre líneas
Leyendo entre líneas, parece que no están interesados en nuestra propuesta.
Phrases / Sentences for Advanced Level
We need to drill down into this issue: To investigate or analyze something in detail.
We need to drill down into this issue to understand its root causes.
Spanish: Necesitamos profundizar en este asunto
Necesitamos profundizar en este asunto para entender sus causas raíz.
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket: A warning against concentrating all efforts or resources in one area.
Diversify your portfolio; don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Spanish: No pongas todos tus huevos en una canasta
Diversifica tu cartera; no pongas todos tus huevos en una canasta.
Let’s not reinvent the wheel: To avoid wasting time creating something that already exists.
This process is standard in the industry; let’s not reinvent the wheel.
Spanish: No reinventemos la rueda
Este proceso es estándar en la industria; no reinventemos la rueda.
We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it: We’ll deal with that problem when it actually happens.
Let’s focus on the current issue; we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Spanish: Cruzaremos ese puente cuando lleguemos a él
Concentrémonos en el problema actual; cruzaremos ese puente cuando lleguemos a él.
The elephant in the room: An obvious problem or issue that everyone is ignoring.
We need to address the elephant in the room: our declining sales numbers.
Spanish: El elefante en la habitación
Necesitamos abordar el elefante en la habitación: nuestras ventas en declive.
Navigating a business meeting with fluency and confidence requires more than just a basic understanding of English. It calls for a broad vocabulary and a mastery of specialized phrases that can convey your ideas clearly and persuasively. In this blog post, we’ve provided you with a comprehensive guide to mastering the language of business meetings, broken down by different word classifications and English proficiency levels.
Verbs: These action words serve as the engine of your sentences, driving forward your thoughts and initiatives. From “bringing up” a new idea to “following through” on a commitment, verbs help you articulate what needs to be done.
Nouns: These are the building blocks that give substance to your discussions. Terms like “agenda,” “proposal,” or “deadline” specify what exactly is at stake or under consideration.
Adjectives: These descriptive words add color and nuance to your conversations. Adjectives like “feasible,” “relevant,” or “critical” can offer essential qualifiers to your nouns, making your arguments more precise and impactful.
Adverbs: These words work in tandem with verbs to provide additional context. Adverbs like “quickly,” “carefully,” or “effectively” can modify how an action is performed, adding a layer of depth to your verbal interactions.
Phrasal Verbs: These are combinations of a verb and a preposition or adverb. They often have meanings that are not immediately obvious but are crucial in colloquial business English. Phrases like “lay out” or “go over” might have specialized meanings in a business context that are different from their everyday uses.
Phrases: These are set expressions that perform specific functions in the conversation. Depending on your level of proficiency, you can use basic phrases like “Any questions?” or more complex ones like “We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it” to manage the flow of the meeting.
Incorporating these elements into your own vocabulary will not only help you engage more effectively in business meetings but also elevate your overall language skills.
English: To play devil’s advocate, what if our competitors lower their prices?
Spanish: Jugando al abogado del diablo, ¿qué pasa si nuestros competidores bajan sus precios?
English: Let’s touch base next week to review the project’s progress.
Spanish: Pongámonos en contacto la próxima semana para revisar el progreso del proyecto.
English: We should put this topic on the back burner and focus on more urgent issues.
Spanish: Debemos poner este tema en segundo plano y centrarnos en asuntos más urgentes.
English: We’ve done our part, now the ball is in your court.
Spanish: Hemos hecho nuestra parte, ahora la pelota está en tu cancha.
English: Reading between the lines, it seems like they’re not interested in our proposal.
Spanish: Leyendo entre líneas, parece que no están interesados en nuestra propuesta.
English: We need to drill down into this issue to understand its root causes.
Spanish: Necesitamos profundizar en este asunto para entender sus causas raíz.
English: Diversify your portfolio; don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Spanish: Diversifica tu cartera; no pongas todos tus huevos en una canasta.
English: This process is standard in the industry; let’s not reinvent the wheel.
Spanish: Este proceso es estándar en la industria; no reinventemos la rueda.
English: Let’s focus on the current issue; we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Spanish: Concentrémonos en el problema actual; cruzaremos ese puente cuando lleguemos a él.
English: We need to address the elephant in the room: our declining sales numbers.
Spanish: Necesitamos abordar el elefante en la habitación: nuestras ventas en declive.
English: Incorporating these elements into your own vocabulary will not only help you engage more effectively in business meetings but also elevate your overall language skills.
Spanish: Incorporar estos elementos en tu propio vocabulario no solo te ayudará a participar de manera más efectiva en las reuniones de negocios, sino que también elevará tus habilidades lingüísticas en general.
English: If you found this guide useful, consider exploring our classes, courses on Udemy, and other educational resources linked below.
Spanish: Si encontraste útil esta guía, considera explorar nuestras clases, cursos en Udemy y otros recursos educativos vinculados a continuación.
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