Business English phrases you’ll need for

working in America
Our top Business English phrases for working in
America
1. Common business idioms
Every culture and language has particular idioms, and American culture is no
exception.
A few popular business idioms are:

 Get back to the drawing board: start over from the beginning.

 Call it a day: everyone can stop working and go home.

 Get the ball rolling: get started or move faster.

 Hold your horses: calm down or slow down a bit.

 Ahead of the curve: get ahead of the competition or current trends.

 By the book: doing everything according to the rules.

 The big picture: look at the situation as whole, not just the details.

 In the same boat: everyone is in a similar or the same situation.

 Cut corners: taking shortcuts (usually in a negative sense).

 Diamond in the rough: something or someone that has good qualities but bad

qualities overshadow or mask them.

 Throw in the towel: give up and admit failure.

2. Acronyms and abbreviations

A few common acronyms and abbreviations used in Business English in
America are:

 24/7: spoken as “twenty-four seven”, meaning open or in operation all the time.

 ASAP: as soon as possible.

 EOB/EOD: end of business or end of day, usually set as a deadline for

completing a task or project by the end of the day in that time zone.

 FYI: for your information, usually given as a note or update to someone.

 BTW: by the way, meaning as an additional point of information.

 N/A: not applicable, meaning there is no corresponding value.

 TBD: to be decided or discussed, meaning not yet decided or finalized.

 RSVP: to reserve your space at an event, spoken literally as “RSVP”.

 B2B: business to business, a type of business that sells products or services

to other businesses.

 B2C: business to consumer, a type of business that sells products or services

to consumers.

 Q1/Q2/Q3/Q4: a shortened form of referring to a particular quarter in the year,

spoken as written.

 ROI: return on investment, the amount of money earned back from an

investment.

 PO: purchase order, a document outlining a particular purchase.

 w/: short for “with”, only used in writing.

 w/o: short for “without”, only used in writing.

 ETA: estimated arrival time, the point in time someone or something is

expected to arrive.

3. Meetings
Meetings are an important place to use correct Business English phrases, so
here are a few examples depending on context.

Sorry, I didn’t catch that. Could you please repeat what you just said?
Clarification phrases I didn’t quite hear that. Can you please say it again?

I’m sorry, but could you please speak a bit louder?

Sorry, just to clarify, your point was that…

Am I to understand that…
Signal phrases for questions
So, what we’re saying is…

So, if I’m understanding your point, you mean…

That’s a fantastic point (person’s name). I completely agree with you there.

Great, I think we’re all on the same page that…

Agreement
Yes, I get what you’re saying…

Yes, I’m with you on your point that…

Disagreement
Sorry, but I think you might be a bit off there…
 From my perspective, it’s a bit different. I can explain…

Well, that could be. Can I clarify my end of things?

I completely understand your point, but I think that…

4. Planning meetings
Here are a few helpful phrases for planning meetings:

Would it be possible for you next Thursday at 4pm?

Suggesting times How does tomorrow morning work for you?

Would you have any available time next week?

Yes, next Tuesday works for me. See you then!

Accepting times Yes, tomorrow is a done deal. Looking forward to it!

Great, see you on Friday at 1pm. Bye for now!

Unfortunately, tomorrow isn’t possible. Would Thursday work instead?

Rejecting times I have a meeting on Friday, so next week would be better for me.

Unfortunately, I can’t make Wednesday morning. Could we do the afternoon instead?

5. Small talk
In America, starting off with small talk can be as important as the meeting
itself. So here are a few ways you can use small talk to begin your meeting:

Beautiful day, isn’t it?

Talking about the weather Can you believe all this snow we’ve been having?

Did you order this sunshine?

Looking forward to the weekend?

Talking about the office How has your week been?

I can’t believe how busy it’s been lately. How has it been for you?

Got anything fun planned for Christmas?

Talking about travel/holiday Any fun travel plans coming up soon?

plans
How was your Thanksgiving?

How was your last vacation?

6. Politeness
The last point to keep in mind when using Business English in America is to
use polite phrases. You’ll notice that many of the phrases in sections 3 and 4
are not entirely straightforward in that they include words like unfortunately,
sorry, a bit, and quite. These words are used to lessen the strength of a certain
phrase, which is one of the main ways that American English incorporates
politeness into the language.

How to be polite in America

Every country comes with rules about how that culture conveys politeness. In
America, politeness can be shown in many ways, including the type of
vocabulary used, body language, and certain gestures. So, here is an overview
of how to be polite in America.
The importance of being polite in American
culture
Politeness is woven into the traditions and customs of every culture in the
world. So, if you’re travelling there or moving to another country, it’s important
to understand how that culture understands politeness in order to lessen the
chance of misunderstandings and causing offense.
Following that same concept, politeness is an integral part of American
culture. We put a heavy weight on first impressions and how we view someone
later on if the first impression doesn’t go so well. Furthermore, politeness is an
important form of daily communication, whether that be at work, at the
doctor’s office, or even walking down the street. How suitably polite you are
heavily influences your job prospects, your ability to make friends, and how
comfortable you’ll be while in America when interacting with others.

5 Ways to Convey Politeness in America

1. Use adverbs
When I taught English to Germans, one of the first concepts that I conveyed if
they were focused on learning American English is the use of adverbs. Adverbs
are descriptive words that add strength to or lessen the strength of another
word.
 For example:
His room was extremely dirty.
Here “extremely” is the adverb. It emphasises that it’s not just dirty, it’s
“extremely” dirty.
vs.
That photo needs a slight touch up.
Here the adverb is “slight”. It emphasises that the photo doesn’t need so much
touching up, but just a “slight” amount.
So, you can combine this concept when speaking or writing American English
to convey politeness. Here’s a concrete example:
Without adverb: This document needs improvements. It’s terrible and you need
to fix it.
vs.
With adverbs: This document isn’t quite correct. It needs a bit of fixing and
that will improve it.
Here you’ll notice the adverbs “quite” and “a bit” are used to make the
sentence come as much more polite in comparison to the second one.
Learning this concept is an absolute must for anyone who plans to study or
work in America, because Americans do not respond well to
straightforwardness.

 All about American college culture

2. Use the conditional tense
Another way to convey politeness in American English (or really English in any
country) is to use the conditional tense. In a traditional sense, the conditional
tense is used to talk about imaginary situations, such as “If it was raining, I
would use an umbrella” (here “would” is the conditional verb). It suggests that
it’s not raining at the moment, and what respective action you would take if it
were.
This concept can be applied to politeness in a similar manner. For example:
I need your help now.
vs.
If you could help me with this, I would be very grateful.
Or even better would be to phrase it as a question:
 Could you please help me with this? I would be very grateful.
With sentences and questions that use the conditional tenses, you can easily
convey politeness that is sure to get a much better response from others.

 15 insulting gestures in different cultures

3. Greet with a hug or a handshake, not a kiss
The same as with other cultures, greetings can also be used to convey
politeness in America. The important thing to remember here is which gestures
are appropriate. Most often greetings involve a hug or handshake, so I’ve
outlined some example situations to clarify:
When to hug:

 When you’re a guest at someone’s home

 Meeting friends for dinner or another informal activity

 Meeting colleagues (that you know) outside of work and sometimes even at

work
When to shake hands:

 Job interviews

 Meetings with supervisors

 Formal appointments (such as with a doctor, professor, lawyer, or executive)

 When greeting a stranger outside of home in public

In addition to this, it’s important to note that Americans never greet with
kisses. In fact, these types of greetings that are common in areas like
France make us extremely uncomfortable, because kissing is reserved for love
relationships in the US.
4. Use first names appropriately
Something I’ve had to get used to while living in Germany is being referred to
and calling others by their last name. We don’t do this so often in the US,
because we’re a highly informal culture and prefer to call nearly everyone by
their first names. When I was in college, we even referred to our head
professor by her first name, so this is how far it extends. A similar concept
goes for the workplace as well (unless you have a particularly hierarchical
structure, but here you can base your behaviour on other colleagues).
One small thing to note for non-Americans is the difference between Ms. and
Mrs., because how these terms are used works differently among various
 cultures. For example, while in Germany it’s more polite to refer to a woman as
Mrs. and last name (married woman), even if you’re unsure if they’re married, in
the US, the preference is on Ms. (unmarried woman). It can cause offense if
you assume a woman is married, so when in doubt start with Ms.

 American culture in different states

5. Small talk
Americans are known for how much they use small talk and I can confirm this
is one point that’s absolutely true. I mentioned above that Americans dislike
straightforwardness, so using small talk is a way to slowly approach a main
point instead of directly jumping in. Small talk is especially important when
you’re meeting someone for the first time. Americans don’t divulge so much
private information right away. It’s quite common if someone asks “How are
you?” and the other person responds with “How are you?” as a sort of
rhetorical question that neither person actually answers.
For one final point, during small talk, always make sure that you smile a lot and
maintain eye contact. Eye contact in particular is an important form of respect
in the US.

All about American colleges: Culture, colleges types and

how to get in
It’s true, America does have a sort of obsession with college culture. As an
American hailing from Oregon, I can safely say that nearly all men in my family
– and even some women – watch more college level sports than
professional. But why is college as a topic and one could even say, an
entertainment genre, so prevalent across all forms of American media?
In my opinion it’s because college is a hugely pivotal time of our lives, because
it’s when teenagers move away from home for the first time and finally have
the opportunity to drink, otherwise known as our initial “independence”.
We Americans put the concept of independence on a pedestal, because we
believe that doing things on your own builds character. So for many Americans,
going to college is a crucial part of becoming independent, and is often a time
of life that as we grow older, we turn back to for our favorite memories. Not to
mention, we try to learn a little there as well.
Is American college really like the movies?
Nearly everyone has heard about the infamous groups like the “jocks”, “geeks”,
and “popular girls” (like in Means Girls or The Breakfast Club). You’ve likely
seen the crazy parties such as in American Pie. And to some extent, it is
accurate. Americans often form their identities based on their belonging to a
particular group (quite ironic for independence, right?), so this starts all the
way back in grade school and continues through college.
And the parties? We actually aren’t allowed to drink until we’re 21 (about the
third or fourth year of college for most of us). There’s a common assumption
though that drinking happens in shared dorms regardless of age. I luckily never
had to live in a shared dorm, but I’d heard there were particular schools that
you could go to that were well known for their party culture.
What the media doesn’t show about American college, however, is how many
of us struggle with student debt and have to work in addition to studying, so
it’s not always butterflies and rainbows.
Nevertheless, let’s take a look at how American college works.
Types of colleges in the USA
We refer to all types of college in America as “school”, so even if you’re a Ph.D.
student working on their doctoral thesis, in America you are still “in school”.
There are three main types of college level schools in America, which would be
referred to as “university” in the UK and Europe.
College (university)
College is exactly the same as “university”, but is the American term. It’s
where you start by working on a bachelor’s degree that takes between four and
five years depending on how fast you go. Working on a master’s degree and
doctorate would be considered as going to college as well.
Community college
Community college is an alternative form of college that’s less expensive and
has smaller classes. I did my first two years of my bachelor’s degree at
community college and don’t regret it whatsoever. I got all my prerequisites
finished for half the price of a regular college and completely loved my
experience with the small classes and close access to teachers.
Vocational/trade schools
These types of schools are solely for particular careers, such as mechanics,
plumbers, and electricians. In terms of work prospects, they hold the same
weight as a bachelor’s degree, but enable someone to work solely in a
particular field.
Majors and minors
Americans often refer to their studies by their specific “major” and “minor”. A
major is the main topic of your bachelor, while the minor is a smaller,
secondary topic that you took multiple classes in. The idea is that students
don’t just study “Economics” for example, but get a more well-rounded
education.
Costs of college – is it really that expensive?
The average college costs per year including tuition, housing and daily costs
are around $35,331 per student in the United States. When you go to college
for a typical four-year bachelor’s degree, the yearly rate tends to increase,
which sets the costs at around $100,000 for a bachelor’s degree, which is no
small expense.
How do we afford this?
This is why many American students have such high levels of student debt, as
that’s the major method for offsetting the costs of college. Many of us also
work part-time, or even full-time jobs in addition to our studies. You can also
apply for scholarships that cover some of these expenses (or all if you’re super
lucky), but these are of course limited. This is the reason why many athletes
try to use their talent to get on college teams, which then pay their school
expenses.
The college admission process and the SAT
The SAT, otherwise known as the Scholastic Aptitude Test, is a test that many
Americans take in their senior year of high school to qualify for college. When I
took the SAT, it took the entire day (about 8 hours) to complete and was quite
grueling. Most students take the practice SAT at least a few times before the
serious one that’s graded.
Despite this test’s popularity, it’s not necessarily what makes or breaks a good
college education. More and more colleges are dropping the requirement of
SAT scores entirely, because there is research that shows scores correlate
 more closely with family income than with actual academic success. My SAT
scores ended up being pretty useless, as my school was more interested in my
actual grades.
When it comes to applying for college, you will need to show your entire
transcript of records (your grades), as well as a resume that describes your
work and volunteer history. You might also need to write admissions essays for
particular schools. In addition, there is unfortunately a fee for each application.

American culture in different states

What comes to mind when you think of American culture? McDonald’s hamburgers? Big cities like
New York or Los Angeles? Most people have a few ideas about what life in the United States is like,
even if those ideas are based on popular Hollywood films. But would it surprise you to know that
American culture can be quite different from one side of the country to the other?
From barbeques to social etiquette, visitors to the United States can easily have a very different
experience depending on what part of the country they visit.

Why is America so varied?

Most people think of the United States as a “melting pot”, meaning it’s a place where multiple
diverse cultural backgrounds come together. However, that doesn’t mean those cultural
influences are the same in each part of the country.
Though there are certainly traditions and holidays that unite the whole country
(like Thanksgiving), the U.S. is large country. That means there are more than a few
interesting differences based on which region of the country you’re in: the Northeast, the
South, the Midwest, the West, or the West Coast.

 American Culture: Formal or Informal?

American food
McDonald’s might be everywhere, but when it comes to food, your
options can vary greatly across the U.S. (and not all of it is fried).
In places like Boston in the Northeast, you can easily find lobster and clam chowder since this
area is near the coast. If you find yourself in New Orleans in the South, you’ll come across
Cajun cuisine like gumbo. In places with a lot of Mexican influence, like parts of Texas,
Arizona, and California, it’s easy to find good tacos. Meanwhile, if you’re in Hawaii, you’ll likely
find more Spam (which is canned, cooked meat) than you’d expect.
 If you’re looking for good barbeque, or BBQ, head to the Southern part of the U.S. where
barbequing is serious business. The Southern states have a reputation for good barbeque
with state-specific styles that can’t easily be found in other parts of the country.
Similarly, there’s an ongoing debate about where to get the best slice of pizza. You might be
surprised by the number of options, including the classic New York slice and the Chicago
deep dish. If you go for slice of pizza in New York, you also might want to try folding your
pizza slice in half while you eat it like the locals.

 All About About American College Culture

Does culture affect American language?

The official language of the United States is English, but that doesn’t mean you won’t be
confused by some of the differences between states.
For example, the Southern American accent is one of the most distinct. Even those without a
very strong southern accent tend to use words like “y’all” (short for “you all”) that you won’t
hear in other parts of the country.
In the Midwest, you’ll commonly hear the word “ope” used when someone accidentally
bumps into something. It’s a bit like the Midwestern version of “oops” and “excuse me”.

 Try These Four American Accents

Social etiquette in America
Life in a big city like San Francisco is certainly different than the experience you’ll get in a
small town in the middle of the country. However, you might be surprised to learn how
different big cities like Los Angeles and New York can be simply because they’re on opposite
sides of the country.
For instance, people on the west coast are typically seen as more laid back while people on
the east coast are more often considered standoffish and rude. In fact, you might simply find
that it’s more socially acceptable to be blunt or direct on the east coast.
On the other hand, the Southern states are famous for their “southern hospitality”. In many
areas of the south, people are happy to smile and say hello to strangers.
So there you have it, the US is a huge country, with many beautiful differences
 How to become a
translator: all your
questions answered
Looking for a career in languages? Alongside foreign services and the travel industry,
becoming a translator is one of the top jobs for bilingual people and language lovers. But it
takes a lot more than knowing two languages perfectly to build a successful career as a
translator. The profession requires you to handle various terminology, skills and
technologies, depending on the field or industry you’d like to be translating for. In some
cases, you will even need to gain certification. Once you have the necessary degree, you’ll also
need to decide whether to work as a freelancer or to find employment within a company. In
our article, we review all the requirements to become a translator.

 What does a translator do?

 How to become a professional translator

 What does the life of a translator look like?

Start your journey to reach fluency

Try our plans

What does a translator do?

Put simply, translators convert written texts from one language to another. This is what
differentiates them from interpreters, who convert spoken words. While both need to be
fluent in a foreign language, they each have to master the communication medium they use
in their job. Another common requirement is for translators to translate from a foreign
language to their own native tongue.
The various fields of translations
Translators may also need different skills according to the type of written content they
translate. For instance, translating medical and legal documents requires very precise and
accurate knowledge of the terminology, while marketing content often demands more
creativity to ensure the translated copy follows brand guidelines in the new language, in
particular when it comes to puns and cultural references. With the expansion of the Internet,
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requires specific technical skills, it’s a quickly growing source of work for translators.
Post-editing, a growing source of work for translators
It’s also worth noting that machine translation is gaining traction, especially for certain types
of content like customer reviews or product descriptions, for which large volumes of content
may need to be translated almost instantly. As a consequence, post-editing has become a
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understandable.

How to become a professional translator

Does this all sound appealing to you? Then here are a few steps you need to take in order to
become a full-fledged translator.
Know your languages
That’s an obvious one. Unless you know a foreign language like English perfectly, you won’t
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specific field or to be able to write appealing content.
Small tip: All great writers are also great readers. And the brain, like any muscle, needs
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mother tongue to keep your linguistic juices flowing.
Get a translator’s degree
Having a translator’s degree will always look good on your CV and help you get jobs. Even
more importantly, such courses will allow you to learn the skills and the technology you need
to become a professional translator. Whatever field you end up specializing in, it’s highly likely
it will involve an advanced translation software (CAT tools: computer-assisted translation
tools) to support you in translating content efficiently and accurately.
To help you get started, you may want to look at the selection of top translation schools in
the USA from either the American Translators Association (ATA) or the ALTA Language
Services.
Look into becoming a certified translator
This is slightly different from just getting a degree: In order to translate for certain
organizations like the United Nations, you will first need to gain a specific certification on top
of your degree. The same goes for certain fields, like the medical or the legal industries.

What does the life of a translator look like?

You’ve done the hard work, learned a foreign language and got your translator’s degree. It’s
time to get a career. One important aspect to consider is whether you’d prefer to work as a
freelancer or as a full-time employee in a company.
Working as a freelance translator
Many translators work as freelancers for agencies. This gives them the opportunity to work
remotely, at the hours they want. All you need is a computer with a good Internet
connection. As long as you manage your time well in order to meet your deadlines and accept
the usual ups and downs in workload, it’s a perfect job if you fancy yourself as a digital
nomad.
It’s also a good opportunity if you’re starting as a translator: you can get a taste of translating
for different agencies, clients and industries, to see which types you prefer. Many agencies
will ask you to pass a test for free before recruiting you, so keep that in mind.
Working as an in-house translator
Alternatively, you may also find work directly for a company, especially if you have some
experience. Obviously, you may get a little less variety, but you will also get the usual benefits
of working in a company: colleagues, regular hours and various benefits.

What does it take to become a translator?

Between the type of topics and industries you are interested in, the degrees and certification
you need to gain and the type of employment that suits your needs, there are many factors
to consider on how to become a successful translator. But before anything else, loving and
mastering languages is the essential condition to becoming a translator.