How to Boost Your Business English Vocabulary (Without Going Crazy)

It’s no secret: in today’s global workplace, speaking English well is essential for your career.

But with over 35,000 English words in use, how are you supposed to learn and remember all that vocabulary?

Don’t worry — in this article, you’ll discover how to improve your Business English vocabulary easily and naturally, and why smart repetition is the key to remembering what you learn.

Focus on What Matters

Native speakers typically know around 20,000–35,000 words, but you only need about 2,000–3,000 for most everyday conversations.

Good news, right?

Start by learning the most useful words and expressions for your job. If you work in finance, for example, focus on terms like revenue, investment, and profit. That way, you’re learning vocabulary you’ll actually use.

The great thing is that you’ll probably remember these words faster because you’ll repeat them often in your professional life — in meetings, emails, and calls.

💡 Tip: If you don’t know where to start, try using ChatGPT.

Type something like:

"I’m a [your job title] at a [company + industry]. What are the 100 most important English words and phrases I should know for my job?”

Here’s a real example:

“I’m the CFO of an insurance broker. What are the 50 most important English words and phrases I should know for my job?”

🔽 ChatGPT Result 🔽

Finance terms: Revenue, Profit Margin, Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flow, Assets, Liabilities, Equity, Capital, Investment, ROI, etc.

Insurance terms: Premium, Underwriting, Policyholder, Claim, Risk Assessment, Reinsurance…

ChatGPT even automatically grouped the words by category. Pretty cool!

Learn in Context

It’s not enough to know what a word means — you need to know how to use it.

Read business articles or watch videos in English that relate to your field. A great resource is BBC Business.

Pay attention to how words are used in sentences — you’ll find that learning through context makes everything more natural.

Write it to remember it

Use your new words in your emails, notes, or messages at work.

Writing by hand with pen and paper helps your brain store vocabulary more effectively. The more you use the words actively, the more they’ll become part of your natural everyday English.

The Magic of Repetition

Repetition is like a workout for your memory. Every time you repeat a word or hear it again in a real context, your brain connections get stronger.

But that doesn't mean you need to sit there endlessly repeating lists of words. Use these two more effective techniques instead:

• Spaced repetition: review after a few days or weeks, not immediately.

• Natural exposure: listen to podcasts, watch series, or read articles in English. Recognising the same words multiple times in different contexts is the most natural way to remember them.

Final Thoughts

Improving your English for work doesn’t have to be complicated.

Focus on useful words, learn them in context, and use repetition to reinforce what you learn.A little practice every day makes a big difference.

Whether you’re writing emails, talking to clients, or chatting with colleagues, having a strong English vocabulary will help you communicate with more confidence and professionalism.

👉 Want to find out which words are most useful for your field? Get in touch — we can build a personalized list of Business English vocabulary for Italian professionals together.