Negotiating in English makes a lot of professionals nervous, and not for the reason they think. It isn't really about vocabulary — most working adults already know the words for "price," "deadline," and "contract." The discomfort comes from not knowing the right phrases for the moment. The phrases that signal you're in control without sounding aggressive. The phrases that buy you time without sounding hesitant. The phrases that push back without burning the relationship.
English negotiation has its own rhythm, and once you learn the patterns, the same conversations stop feeling like a wrestling match. What follows are the phrases that actually do the work in real meetings — opening positions, pushing back on price, signalling flexibility, and closing the deal. Learn these and you'll sound like someone who's done this before, even if it's your first time across the table.
Open With a Frame, Not a Number
The biggest mistake non-native speakers make is leading with the number. "Our price is £40,000." This puts you in a defensive position from the very first sentence — now everything that follows is a debate about whether £40,000 is too high. A stronger opening sets the frame first, then introduces the number as the natural conclusion.
Try phrases like: "Before we get into specifics, let me walk you through what's included." "Based on the scope you've described, what we'd typically propose is…" "We can definitely make this work — let me show you the structure I had in mind." These openings buy you thirty seconds of credibility-building before any number lands. By the time you say the figure, you've already justified it.
Push Back Without Saying No
Direct refusals — "No," "We can't do that," "That's too low" — feel honest, but in English-speaking business culture they often come across as confrontational. Skilled negotiators almost never say no outright. They reframe, they qualify, and they redirect. The other side ends up walking away from their own proposal without ever feeling rejected.
Useful phrases for this: "That's an interesting starting point — help me understand how you got there." "I'd love to make that work, but we'd need to look at what comes off the scope." "We could potentially get there, but it would mean adjusting the timeline." "I hear you — let me see what flexibility we have." Every one of these signals "no" without saying it. They also keep the conversation open instead of slamming a door.
Buy Time When You Need It
Sometimes the other side throws something at you that you weren't ready for — a new demand, a surprise concession from your end, a question you don't want to answer immediately. The instinct is to respond fast and look decisive. The smarter move is to slow the conversation down without losing momentum.
Phrases that do this gracefully: "Let me come back to you on that — I want to give you a proper answer, not a quick one." "That's a good point. Can I take a moment to think it through?" "I'd want to check that with my team before I commit." "Help me understand the thinking behind that — what's driving it?" The last one is particularly powerful, because it shifts the conversation from your answer to their reasoning, and gives you another minute to think while they explain.
Signal Flexibility Without Caving
Negotiations stall when both sides feel locked into their positions. The way out is to signal that you're willing to move — without actually moving yet. This is where conditional language earns its keep. "If you could…, then we could…" is the most useful negotiation structure in English, full stop.
Examples: "If you can commit to a 24-month term, we could look at a meaningful discount." "If we removed the on-site element, the figure could come down considerably." "I might be able to find some movement on price, but only if the scope is fixed." Notice how each one offers something while asking for something — never a free concession. "Could," "might," and "may" do the heavy lifting here. They keep the offer soft enough that you can withdraw it if the other side doesn't reciprocate.
Close Like You Mean It
Plenty of negotiations get to the right outcome and then drift, because nobody knows how to actually close. The English language has clean phrases for this moment, and using them confidently saves everyone time. "It sounds like we have a deal — shall I send across the paperwork?" "I think we're aligned. Let me put this in writing and send it over today." "Are we good to move forward on that basis?" "If you're happy, I'm happy — let's get it signed off."
The key word in those phrases is "we." Closing isn't about declaring victory; it's about confirming a shared decision. Done well, the close feels like a natural ending rather than a separate step — the other side often doesn't even notice it happening.
Negotiation in English is a skill that rewards practice in low-stakes settings before you need it in high-stakes ones. If you want to drill these phrases until they come out automatically — with feedback from teachers who've sat on the other side of real business deals — take a look at our courses at Kensington English. Our Workplace English programme is built for exactly this.
