{"id":148022,"date":"2017-01-18T22:26:25","date_gmt":"2017-01-19T03:26:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/learn\/business-english-negotiation-phrases\/"},"modified":"2025-02-23T05:12:10","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T10:12:10","slug":"business-english-negotiation-phrases","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/english\/business-english-negotiation-phrases\/","title":{"rendered":"62 Business English Negotiation Phrases"},"content":{"rendered":"

Business people negotiate all the time.\u00a0<\/strong>They negotiate salaries and bonuses, details of contracts with partners, deadlines with managers and more.<\/p>\n

There are a lot of things you can do to get the most out of an English negotiation. And knowing the right vocabulary and phrases to use is one of them.\u00a0<\/p>\n

So in this post, you’ll learn 62 business English negotiation phrases and how to use them.<\/strong><\/p>\n

[fluentu-toc skip=3]<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

General English Negotiation Vocabulary<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

When trying to get the most out of a negotiation, you may want to do some reading about the negotiation process.<\/p>\n

For example, this easy-to-understand site<\/a> walks you through the basic steps.<\/p>\n

After reading about the negotiation process, learning what to say and when to say it is essential. You can do that by learning some essential phrases to help you out in certain turning points of negotiations.<\/p>\n

It’s also a good idea to check some actual examples at this stage. Many videos on YouTube about holding negotiations are made for native English speakers, which make them great ways to practice.<\/p>\n

You can even learn some things from movies about business, like the classic “Glengarry Glen Ross.”<\/a><\/p>\n

Here are some of the most important words that you may find useful. Look at the definitions and read the examples to understand them fully.<\/p>\n

1. To bargain<\/h3>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> To discuss the conditions of an agreement (another word for “to negotiate”). You can also use this as a noun (something can be a bargain<\/strong>) to refer to products being sold for a really good price.<\/p>\n

“You can\u2019t bargain<\/strong> with him, he\u2019s very inflexible.”<\/p>\n

“This laptop was such a bargain<\/strong>! I paid half as much as you paid for yours and mine is much faster.”<\/p>\n

2. Bottom line<\/h3>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> The most important factor.<\/p>\n

“The bottom line<\/strong> is that we cannot raise both salaries and bonuses.”<\/p>\n

3. Alternative<\/h3>\n

Meaning:<\/strong>\u00a0A choice that could be better than the\u00a0present situation.<\/p>\n

“Let\u2019s consider the alternatives<\/strong> before deciding on the best candidate for this position.”<\/p>\n

4. To reach consensus<\/h3>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> To agree on a matter that initially (at first) you disagreed upon.<\/p>\n

“After a really long debate, they managed to reach consensus<\/strong> on the issue of sick leave.”<\/p>\n

5. Counter proposal<\/h3>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> An alternative solution you offer when you disagree with the one already presented.<\/p>\n

“We came with a counter proposal<\/strong>, but they weren\u2019t open to negotiation.”<\/p>\n

6. Deadlock<\/h3>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> A point in a discussion which takes you nowhere because people cannot reach agreement.<\/p>\n

“We reached deadlock<\/strong> quite early in the discussion, because they weren\u2019t willing to listen to our arguments and they didn\u2019t make any counter proposals.”<\/p>\n

7. Highball \/ Lowball<\/h3>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> To highball means to ask for a lot more than you think your partner will agree to offer you. On the contrary, when you lowball, you offer much less than you think is acceptable.<\/p>\n

“They started the negotiation by highballing<\/strong> their expectations, but we saw right through it.”<\/p>\n

“I thought my boss was going to lowball<\/strong> by giving me a really small raise, but he was reasonable.”<\/p>\n

8. Leverage<\/h3>\n

Meaning:<\/strong> Something that gives you power in a negotiation.<\/p>\n

“The supermarket chain really wanted that land, but the owner didn\u2019t give in easily. He had a lot of leverage<\/strong> because the position was ideal.”<\/p>\n

For more vocabulary related to making a sale or deal, take a look at this post:\u00a0<\/p>\n

https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/business-english\/english-for-sales\/<\/p>\n

English Negotiation Phrases for Setting the Agenda<\/h2>\n

The way you start a discussion is extremely important because it sets the tone for the entire negotiation.<\/p>\n

It is important to be diplomatic (polite) and efficient at the same time so that you can maximize your outcome.<\/p>\n

People generally start negotiations by agreeing on the agenda. The agenda consists of all the important points that need to be discussed. You can use the following phrases to start a negotiation.<\/p>\n

9. Let\u2019s start by having a look at the agenda.<\/h3>\n

10. Before we begin, shall we have a look at the main points on the agenda?<\/h3>\n

11. Should we have a look at the main points for today\u2019s discussion?<\/h3>\n

Phrases for Asking for Proposals\u00a0in English<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

In a negotiation, it is sometimes more important to listen to what the other party has to say than to start by asking for what you want to get out of it.<\/p>\n

Be ready to listen and take notes\u2014your partner will appreciate your ability to listen, and you may get a lot of important information you can later use!<\/p>\n

Ask your partner to give you details about what they want by using any of the following phrases.<\/p>\n

12. What are your views on\u2026?<\/h3>\n

13. Do you have any suggestions for\u2026?<\/h3>\n

14. Would you like to suggest a course of action for\u2026?<\/h3>\n

15. How do you feel about\u2026?<\/h3>\n

Phrases for Making Suggestions and Proposals in English<\/h2>\n

Suggestions and proposals may be presented at any point during negotiations.<\/p>\n

If you have a proposal to make, you can introduce it by using these phrases:<\/p>\n

16. We think the best way is to\u2026<\/h3>\n

17. We propose \/ recommend that\u2026<\/h3>\n

18. I\u2019d like to suggest a solution.<\/h3>\n

19. I\u2019ve come up with what I\u2019m sure you\u2019ll agree is a very beneficial offer.<\/h3>\n

20. I would like you to consider our offer of\u2026<\/h3>\n

21. I would be prepared to offer\u2026<\/h3>\n

22. We\u2019re in a position to offer\u2026<\/h3>\n

23. Would you consider\u2026?<\/h3>\n

When the negotiation reaches deadlock, someone has to come up with solutions.<\/p>\n

It is really important to keep your mind open and also help your partner see things through different perspectives.<\/p>\n

Both of these will help the negotiation to be effective.<\/p>\n

English Negotiation Phrases for Arguing About Proposals<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

After you suggest solutions, it is crucial to support them with arguments.<\/p>\n

If the arguments are sound and presented coherently (clearly), you stand much higher chances of getting what you want out of the negotiation.<\/p>\n

Introduce your arguments with phrases like:<\/p>\n

24. The most important reason for this is\u2026<\/h3>\n

25. I am basing my solution on three ideas \/ points \/ reasons: Firstly,\u2026 Secondly,\u2026 Last but not least,\u2026<\/h3>\n

26. One of the key reasons for this is\u2026<\/h3>\n

English Negotiation Phrases for Agreeing on Proposals<\/h2>\n

When your partner presents an acceptable suggestion, you can express your agreement by using any of the following phrases:<\/p>\n

27. I agree with your suggestion.<\/h3>\n

28. I think your proposal is acceptable.<\/h3>\n

29. That sounds great to us.<\/h3>\n

English Negotiation Phrases for Disagreeing with Proposals and Giving Reasons<\/h2>\n

Disagreeing is one of the most difficult things to do: You don\u2019t want to offend your partner, but it is important to let them know when you are not on the same page.<\/p>\n

You can disagree by using\u00a0a diplomatic tone\u00a0if you introduce\u00a0your concerns like this:<\/p>\n

30. I have some reservations about\u2026<\/h3>\n

31. Unfortunately, our position is different from yours.<\/h3>\n

32. I\u2019m afraid we can\u2019t agree on\u2026<\/h3>\n

Phrases for Compromising While Negotiating in English<\/h2>\n

When you simply cannot get everything you want, you will need to meet your partner halfway.<\/p>\n

Here are some ways to express you are willing to accept some terms in exchange for others:<\/p>\n

33. We might be able to work on\u2026, if you could\u2026<\/h3>\n

34. We could offer you\u2026, if you think you can agree on\u2026<\/h3>\n

35. Offering you\u2026 is the best we can do right now. However, we\u2019d need your approval on\u2026<\/h3>\n

36. In exchange for\u2026, would you agree to\u2026?<\/h3>\n

37. What about we give you… in exchange for\u2026?<\/h3>\n

38. What if\u2026?<\/h3>\n

39. How about\u2026?<\/h3>\n

40. We can do it provided\u2026<\/h3>\n

41. We can do it on the condition that\u2026<\/h3>\n

42. We can do it, as long as\u2026<\/h3>\n

43. We can\u2019t do it unless\u2026<\/h3>\n

English Negotiation Phrases for Clarifying Points<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Whenever you feel your partner is being vague or ambiguous (imprecise or uncertain), it is extremely important to clarify things on the spot.<\/p>\n

Otherwise, the negotiation may take the wrong direction and it may be too late to set the record straight.<\/p>\n

So play it safe and clarify details early on by using any of these phrases:<\/p>\n

44. Let me make sure I got your point.<\/h3>\n

45. I\u2019m not sure I understood your position. Could you please tell me again how you feel about\u2026?<\/h3>\n

46. I just want to make sure I got this part straight.<\/h3>\n

47. I\u2019m not 100% sure.<\/h3>\n

48. I\u2019m not quite sure about that.<\/h3>\n

49. Are you sure about that?<\/h3>\n

50. I\u2019m not sure that\u2019s the case.<\/h3>\n

51. How can you be sure?<\/h3>\n

52. I\u2019m a little skeptical about this.<\/h3>\n

53. Do you really think so?<\/h3>\n

Phrases for Concluding a Negotiation in English<\/h2>\n

Before you end the negotiation, it is always a good idea to recap (review or go over again) the main points you agreed or disagreed on.<\/p>\n

Here are some things you could say:<\/p>\n

54. Let\u2019s look at what we decided to do.<\/h3>\n

55. Shall we try to sum up the main points of our discussion?<\/h3>\n

56. Let\u2019s sum this up really quickly to make sure we are on the same page.<\/h3>\n

57. It’s a deal.<\/h3>\n

58. We are in agreement.<\/h3>\n

59. I think we have a deal.<\/h3>\n

60. Sounds good to me.<\/h3>\n

61. That sounds reasonable.<\/h3>\n

62. This agreement is acceptable to us.<\/h3>\n

 <\/p>\n

Once you learn some basic vocabulary to help you with\u00a0negotiations, you will feel much more confident about getting what you want.<\/p>\n

The more you prepare, the higher your chances of success!<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

And One More Thing...<\/h2>\r\n

\r\nIf you like learning English through movies and online media, you should also check out FluentU. FluentU lets you learn English from popular talk shows, catchy music videos and funny commercials<\/a>, as you can see here:\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\"learn-english-with-videos\"<\/a>

If you want to watch it, the FluentU app has probably got it.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\r\nThe FluentU app and website makes it really easy to watch English videos. There are captions that are interactive. That means you can tap on any word to see an image, definition, and useful examples.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\"learn-english-with-subtitled-television-show-clips\"<\/a>

FluentU lets you learn engaging content with world famous celebrities.<\/p><\/div>\r\n

\r\nFor example, when you tap on the word \"searching,\" you see this:\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\"learn-conversational-english-with-interactive-captioned-dialogue\"<\/a>

FluentU lets you tap to look up any word.<\/p><\/div>\r\n\r\n

\r\nLearn all the vocabulary in any video with quizzes. Swipe left or right to see more examples for the word you\u2019re learning.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\"practice-english-with-adaptive-quizzes\"<\/a>

FluentU helps you learn fast with useful questions and multiple examples. Learn more.<\/a><\/p><\/div>\r\n

\r\nThe best part? FluentU remembers the vocabulary that you\u2019re learning. It gives you extra practice with difficult words\u2014and reminds you when it\u2019s time to review what you\u2019ve learned. You have a truly personalized experience.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nStart using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Business people negotiate all the time.\u00a0They negotiate salaries and bonuses, details of contracts with partners, deadlines with managers and more. There are a lot of things you can do to…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":385,"featured_media":251680,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"slim_seo":{"title":"62 Business English Negotiation Phrases | FluentU Business English","description":"Negotiating in English can be challenging, but with the right vocabulary, you can start making deals like a native speaker. Click here to learn 62 English negotiation phrases, like \"highball,\" \"counter proposal,\" \"in exchange for\" and more. Practice with audio and example sentences, then download our free PDF guide."},"footnotes":""},"categories":[695,685],"tags":[],"coauthors":[814],"class_list":["post-148022","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-english","category-english"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148022","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/385"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=148022"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148022\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":230242,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/148022\/revisions\/230242"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/251680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=148022"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=148022"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=148022"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluentu.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=148022"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}