Essential Business Vocabulary, Acronyms, and Correspondence
Business Acronyms and Abbreviations
- AD
- Advertisement
- ASAP
- As Soon As Possible
- Att.
- Attention
- ATM
- Automatic Teller Machine
- B/D
- Bank Draft
- B/E
- Bill of Exchange
- Bdrft
- Bank Draft
- BCC
- Blind Carbon Copy
- CAO
- Chief Accounting Officer
- Cat. No.
- Catalogue Number
- CEO
- Chief Executive Officer
- CFA
- Chief Financial Officer
- CFR
- Cost and Freight
- CIF
- Cost, Insurance and Freight
- CIA
- Cash In Advance
- CIP
- Carriage and Insurance Paid
- CMO
- Chief Marketing Officer
- Co.
- Company
- Coop.
- Cooperative
- CFO
- Chief Financial Officer
- CFR
- Cost and Freight
- CPT
- Carriage Paid To
- C.O.D.
- Cash On Delivery
- CWO
- Cash With Order
- DD
- Date of Delivery
- D.D.D.
- Delivery Deadline Date
- DAP
- Delivered at Place
- DDP
- Delivered Duty Paid
- DPU
- Delivered at Place and Unloaded
- dd
- Dated
- Dt
- Dated
- Dpt.
- Department
- e.g.
- Exempli Gratia
- Enc.
- Enclosed
- EXW
- Ex-Works
- FAO
- For the Attention Of
- FAS
- Free Alongside Ship
- FCA
- Free Carrier
- fc
- Fax Copy
- FYI
- For Your Information
- FOB
- Free On Board
- GAAP
- Generally Accepted Accounting Principles
- GBP
- Great British Pound
- HQ
- Headquarters
- IFRS
- International Financial Reporting Standards
- I.O.U.
- Promissory Note (I Owe You)
- IT
- Information Technology
- JPY
- Japanese Yen
- Ltd.
- Limited
- L/C
- Letter of Credit
- MD
- Managing Director
- Miss
- Miss (unmarried woman)
- Mr.
- Mister
- Mrs.
- Missus (married woman)
- Ms.
- Ms. (does not specify marital status)
- OOS
- Out Of Stock
- P.O.
- Purchase Order
- P.O. Box
- Post Office Box
- P.O.
- Post Office
- pc
- Photocopy
- PLC
- Public Limited Company
- PM
- Purchasing Manager
- pp
- Pages
- p.p.
- Per Pro (Per Procurationem)
- Ref.
- Reference
- Ref. No.
- Reference Number
- Re
- Regarding / In Reference To
- Re.
- Regarding
- RFI
- Request For Information
- S.O.
- Sales Order
- TIN
- Tax Identification Number
- USD
- United States Dollars
- VAT
- Value Added Tax (IVA)
- vs.
- Versus
English-Spanish Commercial Translations
- Acknowledgement
- Confirmación
- Advise
- Aconsejar
- Aircraft
- Avión
- Albarán
- Dispatch note / Delivery note
- Alentador
- Heart-warming / Encouraging / Uplifting
- Amend
- Enmendar
- Amount
- Cantidad / Cuantía
- Amounting to …
- Que asciende a un total de …
- Arrange
- Organizar / Arreglar / Preparar / Gestionar
- Arrangements
- Gestiones
- As agreed
- Tal y como se acordó
- As per / As against
- Según consta / … según consta
- As requested
- Tal y como se solicitó
- Attend
- Ayudar
- Attend an order
- Atender un pedido
- At the latest
- … a más tardar
- At the latest
- … a más tardar
- Backlog of orders
- Cartera de pedidos pendientes
- Bank draft
- Cheque de caja
- Bearer cheque
- Cheque al portador
- Bulk discount
- Descuento por compra al por mayor
- But to
- Salvo / Excepto
- Cable car
- Tranvía
- Carton
- Caja de cartón
- Cash
- Pago al contado
- Cash discount
- Descuento por pago al contado
- Cash in advance
- Pago por anticipado
- Cash on delivery
- Pago contra reembolso
- Cash with order
- Pago al realizar el pedido
- Clientele
- Clientela
- Commit
- Comprometerse
- Conditional order
- Pedido provisional
- Consignment sales
- Ventas en condiciones de consignación
- Coop.
- Cooperativa
- Courier
- Servicio de paquetería
- Credit
- Pago a plazo
- Craftsman
- Artesano
- Date of despatch
- Fecha de despacho de mercancías
- Deal on
- Operar
- Deal with an order
- Atender el pedido (sin transporte)
- Delivery date
- Fecha de entrega
- Delivery period
- Plazo de entrega
- Delivery place
- Lugar de entrega
- Delivery terms
- Condiciones de entrega
- Delivery time
- Hora de entrega
- Despatch
- Despacho de mercancías
- Discuss
- Discutir (debatir) una idea
- Dispatch note / Delivery note
- Albarán
- Domestic order
- Pedido nacional
- Drills
- Taladros
- Descuento comercial
- Trade discount
- Early delivery
- Entrega anticipada
- Early payment discount
- Descuento por pronto pago
- Encouraging
- Alentador
- Entitle (to be entitled)
- Estar capacitado
- Fulfil an order
- Servir el pedido
- Immediate delivery
- Entrega inmediata
- Late delivery
- Entrega fuera de plazo
- Prompt delivery
- Pronta entrega
- Timely delivery
- Entrega en plazo
- Unfulfilled order
- Pedido no servido
- Fulfilled order
- Pedido servido
- Ex-Works
- En fábrica
- Expiration date
- Fecha de extinción / caducidad
- Extension
- Prórroga
- Fail to deliver
- No realizar la entrega
- Firm order
- Pedido firme
- Fire extinguishers
- Extintores
- Foreign order
- Pedido al extranjero
- Free sample
- Muestra gratuita
- From …
- A contar a partir de …
- From order receipt
- Desde el recibo de su pedido
- Fulfil an order
- Servir el pedido (transporte incluido)
- Garments
- Vestidos
- Goodwill
- Buena voluntad / Fondo de comercio
- Guarantee of workmanship
- Garantía de fabricación
- Hardware shop
- Ferretería
- Heart-warming
- Alentador
- Hereby
- Por la presente
- Hereinafter
- De aquí en adelante
- Hereunder
- En adelante
- Hesitate
- Dudar
- Hub
- Nudo de distribución
- Immediate delivery
- Entrega inmediata
- In time
- A tiempo
- Invoice
- Factura
- Issuance
- Emisión (de una oferta)
- I.O.U. / Promissory note
- Pagaré
- Label
- Etiqueta
- Large order
- Pedido de volumen considerable
- Late delivery
- Entrega fuera de plazo
- Letter acknowledging an order
- Carta de confirmación del pedido
- Letter of Credit (Documentary)
- Carta documentaria de crédito
- Loan
- Préstamo
- Look over an order
- Examinar un pedido
- Much to our regret
- Muy a nuestro pesar
- Meanwhile
- Mientras tanto
- Negotiable cheque
- Cheque negociable
- Non-delivery
- No realización de la entrega
- Nominative cheque
- Cheque nominativo
- On time
- Puntual
- On trial
- A prueba
- Open account
- Condiciones de cuenta abierta
- Order form
- Formulario de compra
- Order handling
- Procesamiento / tramitación del pedido
- Order in bulk
- Pedido al por mayor
- Order making
- Realización de un pedido
- Order subject to
- Pedido sujeto a condiciones
- Otherwise
- De otro modo
- Out of stock
- Rotura de inventario
- Pay off
- Saldar
- Payment (Credit)
- Pago a plazo
- Policy
- Política (de precios, de pago)
- Policy (Insurance)
- Póliza (seguros)
- Prompt delivery
- Pronta entrega
- Provide assurance
- Proporcionar seguridad
- Quarter
- Trimestre
- Query / Clarification
- Duda
- Quantity discount
- Descuento por cantidad
- Rappel (volume discount)
- Descuento por tramos
- Recording machine
- Grabadora
- Refill the stock
- Reponer el stock
- Regretfully
- Desafortunadamente
- Relevant
- Pertinente / Oportuno
- Remittance
- Pago que se envía
- Renew the stock
- Renovar el stock
- Restock
- Restablecer el stock
- Run out of stock
- Quedarse sin stock
- Set forth
- Describir
- Shortage
- Escasez
- Sight draft
- Letra a la vista
- So that …
- De modo que …
- Spare
- Repuesto / Recambio
- Split order
- Pedido fraccionado
- Store
- Almacén
- Tentative order
- Pedido de prueba
- Tell
- Contar dinero
- Teller
- Cajero (persona)
- Terms
- Condiciones / Términos
- Time draft
- Letra a plazo
- Tin
- Lata
- Tinned salmon
- Salmón enlatado
- To acknowledge receipt of
- Acuse de recibo
- To cc someone
- Poner a alguien en copia
- To encourage sb.
- Rogar a alguien
- To handle an order
- Procesar un pedido
- To make an order
- Realizar un pedido
- To split an order
- Fraccionar un pedido
- Unfulfilled order
- Pedido no servido
- Unmatchable
- Inigualable
- Vessel
- Embarcación
- Volume discount
- Rappel / Descuento por tramos
- We are afraid that …
- Nos tememos que …
- Weigh up
- Sopesar
- Will be held
- Se llevará a cabo / Se mantendrá
- Within … days
- Dentro de … días
- Workshop manager
- Jefe de almacén
- … which …
- …, el cual,…
Business English Synonyms and Alternatives
- Abovementioned
- Aforementioned
- About (information)
- Concerning
- Acknowledgement
- Confirmation
- Acknowledging receipt
- Receipt
- Acknowledge
- Confirm
- Actual
- Real
- Additional
- Further
- Ad
- Advertisement
- Advise
- Recommend
- Affix
- Attach
- Aircraft
- Plane
- Agreement
- Contract
- Allow
- Grant
- Amend
- Change
- Amounting to
- Totalling
- Approach
- Contact
- Arise
- Occur
- Ask
- Request
- Ask for
- Request
- As per
- According to
- As soon as
- Once
- ASAP
- Shortly
- As a matter of fact
- Actually
- Assist
- Help
- Attach
- Enclose
- ATM
- Cashpoint
- Be aware of
- Understand
- Be glad
- Pleased
- Be sure
- Certain
- Be thankful
- Grateful
- Be willing to
- Ready
- Bearing in mind
- Considering
- Before
- Prior to
- Besides
- Moreover
- Best
- Finest
- Bill of exchange
- Draft
- By (hour)
- Before
- By
- No later than
- Caused
- Resulted in
- Cheque
- Check
- Cloth
- Fabric
- Company
- Firm
- Compulsory
- Mandatory
- Conditional
- Provisional
- Confidential
- Secret
- Consignment
- Shipment
- Consider
- Deem
- Conclude
- Sign
- Consequently
- Therefore
- Contact sb
- Reach
- Contract
- Agreement
- Could
- Would
- Customised
- Personalised
- Date of issue
- Issuance date
- Date of delivery
- Delivery date
- Deadline
- Maturity
- Deal with
- Handle
- Decline
- Refuse
- Designated
- Specified
- Detailed
- Stated
- Disclose
- Reveal
- Display
- Exhibit
- Do business
- Trade
- Draft
- Bill
- Duty
- Tax
- Early
- Prompt
- Early payment discount
- Quick Payment Discount
- Electronic signature
- Digital Signature
- Encourage
- Urge
- Enclosure
- Attachment
- Enlarge
- Extend
- Enquiry
- Request
- Enter
- Penetrate
- Establish
- Found
- Examine
- Inspect
- Exhibit
- Display
- Factory
- Plant
- Fail to fulfil
- Miss
- Features
- Characteristics
- Firm condition
- Fixed
- Foreign order
- Indent
- Forward
- Send
- Further
- More
- Given that
- Because
- Goods
- Merchandise
- Handwritten
- Manuscript
- Help
- Assist
- Hereto
- Herewith
- However
- Nevertheless
- If
- Whether
- Immediate delivery
- Rush
- Indicated
- Stated
- Indent
- Order
- Information (ask for)
- Enquiry
- Instance
- Occasion
- Invoiced price
- Billed price
- Issue
- Matter
- Lately
- Recently
- Large
- Wide
- Latest
- Current
- Let sb know
- Inform
- List price
- Catalogue price
- Look over
- Check
- Lorry
- Truck
- Mandatory
- Obligatory
- Market (v.)
- Sell
- Means of payment
- Payment instrument
- Meet
- Fulfil
- Monthly
- Regularly
- Namely
- That is
- Nil stock
- Out of stock
- Non-delivery
- Failure
- Obligatory
- Compulsory
- Offer
- Quote
- Once
- Immediately
- Open indent
- Pending order
- Order
- Request
- Order making
- Order placement
- Over
- Above
- Pay
- Settle
- Pay off
- Clear
- Pay a visit
- Visit
- Payment Terms
- Trade terms
- Plant
- Factory
- Potential client
- Prospect
- Prior to
- Before
- Pro-forma invoice
- Provisional bill
- Proper
- Suitable
- Prospect
- Client
- Purchase Manager
- Chief Buyer
- Quotation
- Offer
- Quarrel
- Row
- Really
- Actually
- Refuse
- Decline
- Relevant
- Appropriate
- Remit
- Send
- Request
- Ask
- Retailer
- Wholesaler
- Reveal
- Disclose
- Revise
- Change
- Send
- Forward
- Ship
- Dispatch
- Sign
- Conclude
- Sincerely
- Yours sincerely
- Staff
- Workforce
- Stated
- Specified
- Stock available
- In stock
- Suitable
- Proper
- Supplier
- Provider
- Tax
- Duty
- Tentative
- Conditional
- That is
- Namely
- Thus
- Consequently
- To contact sb
- Reach
- To do business
- Trade
- To make an order
- Place an order
- To offer
- Grant
- To place
- Make
- To process
- Handle
- To settle
- Pay off
- To treat an order
- Process
- To be sure
- Certain
- Urgent
- Immediate
- Version
- Release
- Wise
- Good
- Workforce
- Staff
Common Business Collocations and Phrases
- To patronize a company
- To attach a quotation
- To deal on a 10% discount basis
- To meet a deadline
- To deliver the goods
- To quote a price
- To expire within 30 days
- To settle an account
- To allow a discount
- To do business
- To allow a discount
- To acknowledge receipt
- To come to an agreement
- To pay in installments
- To draw a B/E (Bill of Exchange)
- To meet the requirements
- To deal on a 10% discount basis
- To deliver the merchandise
- To make delivery
- To clear an account
Sample Business Correspondence
Thank you FOR your letter OF 1st July IN which you expressed an interest IN the RSP 11 software protection system. Please find enclosed HEREWITH our latest brochure and price list.
FROM the information IN your letter, I can confirm that the range OF products we supply would be ideal FOR your needs. IN particular, I would like to draw your attention to the RSP 11 WJ ON page 3, which is designed FOR software protection in both Windows and OS/2 environments.
As you will see, our protection systems are tailored TO individual programs. Please let me know whether you would like to arrange a meeting WITH our Technical Director, Mr. Michel Gerard, IN order to prepare a more detailed report ON your program and particular requirements. He will be in London DURING the week beginning 15 July, so he could call ON you ON 17th or 18th.
Regarding our pricing policy, let me advise you that we usually allow a 12% discount OFF the list prices FOR orders OVER 100 units. We also grant prompt-paying customers a 5% extra discount FOR payment WITHIN 15 days FROM order placement.
I look forward TO hearing FROM you soon.