Business Spanish: the professional's guide to workplace vocabulary
Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world. If you work in any international context, business Spanish is a high-value skill. Here's what to focus on.
Spanish is spoken by over 500 million people natively — and is the official language of 20 countries across four continents. For professionals working in international business, healthcare, law, education, or any field with Hispanic clients or colleagues, business Spanish is among the highest-value professional skills you can develop.
What level do you need for professional use?
The answer depends on how central Spanish is to your role. For occasional interactions — meeting Spanish-speaking clients, navigating a Spanish-speaking office on a business trip — B1 is sufficient. For substantive professional work — conducting negotiations, presenting, writing formal correspondence — you need B2 minimum. For high-stakes professional contexts (legal, medical, financial) — C1 or professional certification.
Key vocabulary areas for business Spanish
Meetings and presentations: Quisiera presentar… (I'd like to present…), Como pueden ver en esta diapositiva… (As you can see on this slide…), ¿Tienen alguna pregunta? (Do you have any questions?), En resumen (In summary), Para concluir (To conclude).
Negotiations: Nuestra propuesta es… (Our proposal is…), ¿Qué les parece si…? (What would you think if…?), Necesitamos reconsiderarlo (We need to reconsider it), Podemos llegar a un acuerdo (We can reach an agreement), Las condiciones son negociables (The terms are negotiable).
Email and formal correspondence: Me pongo en contacto con usted en relación a… (I'm contacting you regarding…), Adjunto encontrará… (Attached you will find…), En espera de sus noticias (Looking forward to hearing from you), Reciba un cordial saludo (Kind regards).
Key business verbs: negociar (to negotiate), acordar (to agree), presentar (to present), analizar (to analyse), proponer (to propose), gestionar (to manage), implementar (to implement).
Regional considerations for business
Business culture varies significantly between Spain and Latin America, and within Latin America. Formal registers are more common in Spain and much of Latin America than in English-speaking business cultures. Usted (formal you) should be your default in professional settings unless invited to use tú. In Mexico, Argentina, and Colombia in particular, formality in initial business meetings is expected and important.
False friends that matter in business
Several Spanish words look like English business terms but mean something different. Embarazada means pregnant, not embarrassed (avergonzado/a). Sensible means sensitive, not sensible (sensato/a). Compromiso can mean compromise but more often means commitment or engagement. Actualmente means currently, not actually (en realidad).
The fastest route to business Spanish proficiency
General Spanish learning provides the foundation, but business Spanish requires targeted study. The most efficient approach: get to B1 through general study (apps, courses, or a general tutor), then switch to working with a business Spanish specialist tutor for the last mile. A tutor who has professional experience in your specific field — finance, healthcare, law, marketing — can provide vocabulary, scenarios, and cultural context that no generic course covers.
Preply has specialist business Spanish tutors across all industries. Search by specialisation to find someone who works in your field.