Word list · Teens & Adults
Business English Vocabulary List
The core words of office life, from agenda and invoice to market share.
- Age
- Ages 18+
- Level
- A2–C1
- Skill
- Vocabulary
- Format
- Interactive
- Work & business
- 24 words
Practise
Three ways to learn the list. Nothing is saved: start again whenever you like.
0 of 24 learned
colleague
noun
The list
Tap the speaker to hear each word.
colleague
noun · A2
a person you work with
My colleagues organised a small party for my birthday.
deadline
noun · B1
the time or day by which a piece of work must be finished
The deadline for the report is Friday at 5 p.m.
agenda
noun · B1
a list of things to be discussed at a meeting
The first item on the agenda is next year's budget.
budget
noun · B1
the amount of money available to spend on something
We can't hire anyone else this year. There's no budget for it.
client
noun · B1
a person or company that pays for a professional service
We have a video call with a new client from Canada at ten.
supplier
noun · B2
a company that sells goods or materials to another business
Our paper supplier has put its prices up by 10%.
invoice
noun · B2
a document that lists work done or goods sold and asks for payment
Please send us an invoice and we'll pay within 30 days.
revenue
noun · B2
the money a company receives from selling its goods or services
The company's revenue from online sales grew by 15% last year.
profit
noun · B1
the money you make after you have paid all your costs
The café made a small profit in its first year.
negotiate
verb · B2
to discuss something in order to reach an agreement
We managed to negotiate a lower price for the software licence.
launch
verb · B2
to make a new product or service available to the public for the first time
They're launching the new app in March.
target
noun · B1
a result that you are trying to achieve
The sales team met its target for the third month in a row.
schedule
noun · B1
a plan that shows when things will happen
The project is two weeks behind schedule.
headquarters
noun · B2
the main office of a company or organisation
The company's headquarters are in Madrid, but it has offices all over Europe.
staff
noun · B1
all the people who work for an organisation
All staff must attend the fire safety training.
salary
noun · B1
the fixed amount of money you are paid for your job, usually every month
The salary is good, but the hours are very long.
contract
noun · B1
a written legal agreement between two people or companies
Read the contract carefully before you sign it.
competitor
noun · B2
a company that sells the same kind of products or services as another
We lost two big clients to our main competitor last year.
market share
noun · B2
the part of all sales in a market that one company has
We want to increase our market share in Asia.
delegate
verb · B2
to give part of your work or responsibility to someone else
Good managers know how to delegate tasks to their team.
stakeholder
noun · C1
a person or group with an interest in a project or business, such as staff, customers or investors
Investors, staff and customers are all stakeholders in the business.
feedback
noun · B1
comments about how well or badly someone has done something
Thanks for your feedback on the presentation. It was really useful.
outsource
verb · C1
to pay another company to do work instead of doing it yourself
Many firms outsource their customer service to other countries.
department
noun · A2
one of the sections of a large organisation
She works in the marketing department.
Use it: speaking task
For pairs or small groups, about ten minutes.
Work in pairs. Describe a company you know (your own, a friend's or a famous one) using at least eight words from the list. Your partner asks three questions.
- Who are the company's main clients, and who are its competitors?
- How does the company make a profit? What is its biggest cost?
- What happens in a typical meeting? Who sets the agenda?
- How do you deal with a tight deadline? Do you delegate tasks?
- What kind of feedback is most useful to you at work or in your studies?
Printable worksheet
One page of matching and gap-fill, the speaking task, and an answer key on a separate page.
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Name: ______________________ Date: ____________
A. Match each word with its meaning.
- 1. colleague ____
- 2. agenda ____
- 3. client ____
- 4. invoice ____
- 5. profit ____
- 6. launch ____
- 7. schedule ____
- 8. staff ____
- 9. contract ____
- 10. market share ____
- a) a written legal agreement between two people or companies
- b) a person you work with
- c) to make a new product or service available to the public for the first time
- d) the part of all sales in a market that one company has
- e) a person or company that pays for a professional service
- f) a plan that shows when things will happen
- g) all the people who work for an organisation
- h) a document that lists work done or goods sold and asks for payment
- i) a list of things to be discussed at a meeting
- j) the money you make after you have paid all your costs
B. Complete the sentences with words from the box.
budget · competitor · deadline · delegate · headquarters · negotiate · revenue · salary · supplier · target
- 1. The for the report is Friday at 5 p.m.
- 2. We can't hire anyone else this year. There's no for it.
- 3. Our paper has put its prices up by 10%.
- 4. The company's from online sales grew by 15% last year.
- 5. We managed to a lower price for the software licence.
- 6. The sales team met its for the third month in a row.
- 7. The company's are in Madrid, but it has offices all over Europe.
- 8. The is good, but the hours are very long.
- 9. We lost two big clients to our main last year.
- 10. Good managers know how to tasks to their team.
C. Use it: speak
Work in pairs. Describe a company you know (your own, a friend's or a famous one) using at least eight words from the list. Your partner asks three questions.
- Who are the company's main clients, and who are its competitors?
- How does the company make a profit? What is its biggest cost?
- What happens in a typical meeting? Who sets the agenda?
- How do you deal with a tight deadline? Do you delegate tasks?
- What kind of feedback is most useful to you at work or in your studies?
Answer key
A. 1b · 2i · 3e · 4h · 5j · 6c · 7f · 8g · 9a · 10d
- B.
- 1. deadline
- 2. budget
- 3. supplier
- 4. revenue
- 5. negotiate
- 6. target
- 7. headquarters
- 8. salary
- 9. competitor
- 10. delegate