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Good resource to learn business English vocabularies?

English
New answer on Jun 10, 2020
8 Answers
1.3 k Views
Anonymous A asked on Jun 09, 2020

Hi, as a non-native speaker I am wondering whether there's any online materials / APP / Books that could help me efficiently learn useful and advanced English words which would be typically used in the business world. Ideally, listing out some important vocabularies to learn and providing sample sentences.

I am looking for specific materials to learn business vocabularies efficiently, excluding general sources such as Economics, Financial Times which I am already reading at. Thank you!

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Francesco
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replied on Jun 09, 2020
#1 Coach for Sessions (4.000+) | 1.500+ 5-Star Reviews | Proven Success (➡ InterviewOffers.com) | Ex BCG | 10Y+ Coaching

Hi there,

in terms of vocabulary, besides reading, this is what is helping me the most with a couple of languages:

  • Find a teacher. I am personally using preply.com, another alternative is italki.com. You can filter the teachers based on languages, reviews, budget, availability, etc, similarly to PrepLounge coaches. I am using it for a couple of languages and it works really well. In your case, you should target teachers willing to help you with business terms. Working with a teacher is relatively cheap and helps enormously if you manage to stick to a weekly class
  • Study daily new words. I recommend the app Anki, which uses the SRS system – the best way to learn new words. Focus on the words critical for your job – usually, if you master the 1000 most important one, you can talk and understand relatively well your niche
  • Gamify your learning. I tried a few apps and the one I liked the most in terms of that is Memrise – you should target a course based on business terms in your case

Best,

Francesco

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Ian
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replied on Jun 09, 2020
#1 BCG coach | MBB | Tier 2 | Digital, Tech, Platinion | 100% personal success rate (8/8) | 95% candidate success rate

Having learned (and maintained) 3 languages, I recommend the following approach...efficiency in time is key here:

1. Conversational: Download the app HelloTalk. It pairs you up with people that are opposite to you (i.e. learning your language, but native in English) and you chat via text, audio, call etc. It has awesome features (such as edit functionality so the other person can edit your messages for correctness).

2. Vocabulary: Use either handwritten flashcards and/or the app Quizlet. Review these whenever waiting (i.e. on the bus, cooking, on hold, etc)

3. Listening: Download English podcasts and listen while you sleep. I.e. put the phone next to your bed, at a soft enough volume that you can sleep, but loud enough that you cna hear the words. You'll be amazing how your listening improves.

4. Dedicated/tailored training: Go to www.italki.com. It's the PrepLounge for languages!

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Anonymous replied on Jun 09, 2020

Hi there,

Trust me, 2 months into the job and you will start using the lingo of the business :)

I think reading FT and Economist etc., is enough for you to learn what is needed from a management professional.

Best of luck

Khaled

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Robert
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replied on Jun 09, 2020
McKinsey offers w/o final round interviews - 100% risk-free - 10+ years MBB coaching experience - Multiple book author

Hi Anonymous,

A good representative sample of business vocabulary is actually used around business concepts and frameworks - starting from simple financial concepts/ratios around balance sheet, P&L and cash-flow statement, to more advanced structures and frameworks around company, market and competitive analysis.

If you are interested, I wrote a distinct book on the most important business concecpts and frameworks in the case interview world, which you can find here: http://cif.consulting-case-interviews.com/

Hope this helps - if so, please be so kind and give it a thumbs-up with the green upvote button below!

Robert

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Clara
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updated an answer on Jun 09, 2020
McKinsey | Awarded professor at Master in Management @ IE | MBA at MIT |+180 students coached | Integrated FIT Guide aut

Hello!

Something that helped me quite a lot was GMAT, the verbal part -particularly the texts-.

I would strongly recomment you practice it, since normally it´s very different from the things you have seen before.

There are free exams in the internet that you can use for practice (the one of LBS MBA page, Verits prep, as well as some free trials for courses such as the one of The Economist (https://gmat.economist.com/)

Hope it helps!

Cheers,

Clara

(edited)

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Antonello
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Content Creator
replied on Jun 09, 2020
McKinsey | NASA | top 10 FT MBA professor for consulting interviews | 6+ years of coaching

Hi, great sources of knowledge about present challenges and large transformations in business are shared very month by consulting firms. It is a good way of practicing English business vocabulary by meanwhile learn the main trend. Here the link to McK publications: https://www.mckinsey.com/quarterly/overview

Best,
Antonello

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Anonymous replied on Jun 10, 2020

Dear A,

I would recommend you here to read a lot of business literature and thus you naturally absorb all the needed vocabularies. The Economist journal is very good source of it. You can subscribe to it and also read news feeds in English.

If you need any further help or advice, feel free to reach out.

Bets,

André

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Anonymous replied on Jun 09, 2020
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