Why Negotiation English Is Special
In a negotiation, how you say something changes what you get. Native speakers rarely say "No" or "I want..." directly. Instead, they use conditional forms, tentative language and phrases that keep the relationship positive while protecting their position. At C1, your goal is to sound firm on substance and soft on style.
Core Vocabulary
| Term | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| to negotiate / a negotiation | to discuss in order to reach an agreement | We're still negotiating the terms. |
| terms | the conditions of an agreement | Are the payment terms acceptable? |
| leverage | power or advantage in a negotiation | Being their only local supplier gives us leverage. |
| a concession / to concede | something you give up | We're willing to make a concession on delivery dates. |
| a trade-off | giving one thing to gain another | It's a trade-off between price and speed. |
| a deal-breaker | a condition that would end the deal | Exclusivity is a deal-breaker for us. |
| a sticking point | an issue that blocks agreement | The main sticking point is the warranty. |
| common ground | areas of agreement | Let's start with the common ground. |
| BATNA | Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement — your plan B | Know your BATNA before you start. |
| bottom line | the minimum you will accept | Our bottom line is $40 per unit. |
| to meet halfway / split the difference | to compromise equally | Why don't we meet halfway at $45? |
| a win-win | good for both sides | We're looking for a win-win solution. |
| to walk away | to end the negotiation without a deal | If they won't move on price, we'll walk away. |
| ballpark figure | an approximate number | Can you give me a ballpark figure? |
Stage 1: Opening and Setting Out Positions
- Thank you for making the time. Perhaps we could start by outlining our priorities.
- Our main objective today is to agree on a long-term pricing structure.
- From our side, the key issues are price, delivery and support.
- What would an ideal outcome look like for you?
Stage 2: Making Proposals — Use Conditionals
Conditional language makes offers sound flexible and cooperative:
| Direct | Negotiation style |
|---|---|
| We want a 10% discount. | We would be looking for something in the region of 10%. |
| Pay in 30 days. | What if payment were made within 30 days? |
| We'll buy more if you lower the price. | Provided that you can reduce the unit price, we'd be prepared to increase the order. |
| We can deliver faster. | We could consider faster delivery, on condition that... |
Key conditional linkers: if, provided (that), providing, as long as, on condition that, assuming, supposing, what if.
The golden rule: never give without getting. Always attach a condition to a concession:
- If you can commit to a two-year contract, we'd be willing to reduce the price by 5%.
Stage 3: Responding and Pushing Back
Showing interest without agreeing
- That's an interesting proposal. Let me see if I've understood it correctly...
- I can see the logic behind that.
- That could work, in principle.
Rejecting diplomatically
- I'm afraid that's not something we could agree to.
- I'm not sure we'd be able to go that far.
- That would be difficult for us, given our current costs.
- With respect, that figure is well below market rates.
Pushing back on price
- That's a little higher than we'd anticipated.
- Is there any flexibility on that figure?
- We'd need you to do better on price if we're going to move forward.
- Other suppliers have quoted us around...
Buying time
- I'll need to run that by my team.
- Could we come back to that point later?
- Let me take that away and get back to you by Thursday.
Stage 4: Bargaining and Compromise
- Let's look at this from a different angle.
- What if we split the difference?
- We could move on price if you could move on volume.
- Would you be open to a shorter trial period first?
- I think we're close. The only remaining sticking point is...
Stage 5: Closing and Summarizing
Misunderstandings often appear after a negotiation. Always summarize clearly:
- So, just to recap what we've agreed: ...
- Can we confirm the key terms?
- I'll send you a written summary by the end of the day.
- I think we've reached an agreement that works for both sides.
- It's been a pleasure doing business with you.
In Real Use: A Supplier Negotiation
Buyer (Elena): Thanks for the updated quote. To be honest, $52 per unit is higher than we'd anticipated. Is there any flexibility on that figure? Supplier (Mark): There's a little room, but our material costs have gone up this year. What volume are we talking about? Elena: We'd be looking at around 5,000 units a quarter. Mark: At that volume, we could consider $48, provided you commit to at least a twelve-month contract. Elena: Twelve months is possible. But we'd need faster delivery — two weeks rather than four. That's really a deal-breaker for us. Mark: Two weeks would be difficult. What if we did three weeks as standard, with an express option for urgent orders? Elena: That could work, in principle. Let me run it by my team. Assuming they agree, we'd sign by the end of the month. Mark: Great. Just to recap: $48 per unit, 5,000 units a quarter, twelve-month contract, three-week delivery with an express option. I'll send a written summary today.
Salary Negotiation: A Special Case
- Based on my research and experience, I was expecting something in the range of $85,000 to $90,000.
- I'm very excited about the role. Is there any flexibility on the base salary?
- If the base salary is fixed, would you be open to discussing a signing bonus / extra vacation / professional development budget?
- Could I have a day or two to consider the offer?
Common Mistakes
- "Discount of price" → a discount on the price / a price reduction.
- "We can't accept, sorry." → too abrupt; add a reason and an alternative.
- "Make a compromise with" → reach a compromise / compromise on something.
- Giving a concession without a condition — the other side will simply ask for more.
Practice Tips
- Rewrite five direct requests from your job ("I want...", "Give me...") in negotiation style using if, provided that and would.
- Role-play a negotiation with a friend: one of you sells a used car, the other buys it. Each person has a secret bottom line.
- Write the recap email after any agreement, even an informal one.