Trato HechoBusiness and Negotiation Spanish

Goals: Introduce yourself, your role and your company. Introduce a colleague. Choose between usted, tú and vos.

Key vocabulary: el cargo (job title); la empresa (company); el sector (industry); el/la gerente (manager); el director comercial / la directora comercial (sales director); el socio / la socia (business partner); la sede (headquarters); la sucursal (branch); la tarjeta de presentación (business card); encargarse de (to be in charge of); dedicarse a (to work in, to do for a living); presentar a alguien (to introduce someone); encantado / encantada (pleased to meet you); mucho gusto (nice to meet you)

Key structures:

• Soy [nombre], [cargo] de [empresa].
• Me encargo de las ventas en México.
• Nos dedicamos a la exportación de vinos.
• Le presento a mi colega, Ana. (formal) / Te presento a... (informal)
• usted (formal), tú (informal), vos (informal in Argentina and parts of Central America: vos tenés)

Speaking task: You meet people at a trade fair stand. Introduce yourself three times: in 20 seconds, then 40, then 60, adding detail each time. Then introduce a colleague to the teacher.

Homework: Write a 5-line professional bio in Spanish. Record a 60-second self-introduction.

Goals: Start and keep a short social conversation going. Ask follow-up questions. Move politely from small talk to business.

Key vocabulary: el viaje (trip); el vuelo (flight); el clima (weather, climate); la feria (trade fair); el evento (event); el barrio (neighborhood); recomendar (to recommend); el fin de semana (weekend); charlar (to chat); el tema (topic); por cierto (by the way); ¿Qué tal el viaje? (How was the trip?); la primera vez (the first time)

Key structures:

• ¿Qué tal...?
• ¿Es su primera vez en Buenos Aires?
• Hace + time + que + present: Hace cinco años que trabajo en el sector.
• ¿Y usted?
• Transition: Bueno, ¿empezamos? / Si le parece, pasamos al tema de hoy.

Speaking task: A 3-minute coffee-break conversation with the teacher as a visiting client. Ask at least 4 follow-up questions, then move to business.

Homework: Write 6 small-talk questions about your counterpart's city or industry. Learn the transition phrases.

Goals: Write a professional first-contact e-mail. Choose the right greeting and closing. Use standard phrases for attaching, thanking and following up.

Key vocabulary: el correo (electrónico) (e-mail); el asunto (subject line); Estimado / Estimada (Dear); adjuntar (to attach); el archivo adjunto (attachment); en relación con (regarding); la consulta (enquiry); la propuesta (proposal); agradecer (to thank); responder (to reply); reenviar (to forward); con copia (cc); Saludos cordiales (Kind regards); Atentamente (Sincerely, Yours faithfully)

Key structures:

• Le escribo para + infinitive: Le escribo para presentarle nuestra empresa.
• Me pongo en contacto con usted en relación con...
• Le agradezco de antemano su atención.
• Quedo a la espera de sus comentarios.
• Greeting with a colon: Estimada Sra. López:

Speaking task: Read a sample e-mail, then explain aloud to a "colleague" (the teacher) what it asks for and how you would reply.

Homework: Write a first-contact e-mail using Template 1, adapted to your real company.

Goals: Propose, accept, change and cancel meeting times. Handle time zones. Confirm details.

Key vocabulary: la reunión (meeting); el orden del día (meeting agenda); la agenda (diary, calendar); proponer (to propose); la fecha (date); el horario (time, schedule); la zona horaria (time zone); estar disponible (to be available); venir bien (to suit); confirmar (to confirm); cancelar (to cancel); posponer / aplazar (to postpone); adelantar (to bring forward); la videollamada (video call); el enlace (link)

Key structures:

• ¿Le viene bien el martes a las diez?
• ¿Qué tal el jueves por la tarde?
• Me viene mejor el viernes.
• Lamentablemente, ese día no puedo.
• a las 15:00, hora de Buenos Aires
• ¿Podemos pasar la reunión al lunes?

Speaking task: Schedule a 30-minute call between Buenos Aires, Mexico City and Madrid when two people already have meetings booked. The teacher adds a last-minute change.

Homework: Write a scheduling e-mail with Template 2 and give two time options with time zones.

Goals: Make and take business calls. Deal with gatekeepers, bad connections and voicemail. Ask for repetition politely.

Key vocabulary: la llamada (call); llamar (to call); ¿De parte de quién? (Who's calling?); comunicar con (to put through to); dejar un mensaje (to leave a message); devolver la llamada (to call back); el interno (extension, in Argentina) / la extensión; se cortó (we got cut off); no se escucha bien (the sound is bad); compartir pantalla (to share the screen); silenciar el micrófono (to mute); la conexión (connection); el celular / el móvil (cell phone, Latin America / Spain)

Key structures:

• Quería hablar con el señor Ruiz, por favor. (polite imperfect)
• Le llamo por el pedido de la semana pasada.
• ¿Podría repetir, por favor?
• ¿Podría hablar un poco más despacio?
• Perdón, se cortó. ¿Me escucha ahora?

Speaking task: Three short calls. Get past a receptionist, keep going through a bad video connection, and leave a clear voicemail.

Homework: Record a 45-second voicemail asking for a meeting. Review the vocabulary from Week 1.

Goals: Give a clear 2-minute company overview with history, size, markets and strengths.

Key vocabulary: fue fundada en (it was founded in); la trayectoria (track record); el equipo (team); el personal / la plantilla (staff, Latin America / Spain); la facturación (revenue, turnover); el mercado (market); la fábrica / la planta (factory, plant); exportar (to export); la oficina (office); contar con (to have); ser líder en (to be a leader in); los valores (values); la misión (mission); el cliente (client)

Key structures:

• Somos una empresa familiar dedicada a...
• Fue fundada en 2010 en Córdoba.
• Contamos con 80 empleados y oficinas en tres países.
• Trabajamos con clientes de...
• Nuestro principal mercado es...

Speaking task: Give a 2-minute company presentation. The teacher asks three questions afterward.

Homework: Write the text for one company slide (5 bullets) and practice saying it aloud.

Goals: Turn features into benefits. Compare your product with alternatives without making claims you can't back up.

Key vocabulary: el producto (product); el servicio (service); la característica (feature); la ventaja (advantage); el beneficio (benefit); la solución (solution); la calidad (quality); ahorrar (to save); mejorar (to improve); la garantía (warranty, guarantee); a medida (custom-made); el valor agregado / el valor añadido (added value, Latin America / Spain); el servicio posventa (after-sales service); el cliente objetivo (target customer)

Key structures:

• Comparisons: más / menos... que, tan... como.
• Esto le permite + infinitive: Esto le permite reducir costos.
• Lo que nos diferencia es...
• Gracias a..., nuestros clientes...

Speaking task: Pitch your product to the teacher, who plays a skeptical buyer who already has a supplier.

Homework: Make a 5-row table with feature, benefit and one Spanish sentence for each.

Goals: Say and understand large numbers, decimals, percentages, prices and currencies correctly.

Key vocabulary: mil (thousand); el millón (million); el por ciento (percent); el precio unitario (unit price); el presupuesto (budget, also quote); el costo / el coste (cost, Latin America / Spain); el margen (margin); el descuento (discount); la factura (invoice); el impuesto (tax); el IVA (VAT); la moneda (currency); el tipo de cambio (exchange rate); el pedido (order); la cantidad (quantity)

Key structures:

• un millón de dólares (with de), dos mil quinientos dólares (no de)
• Decimal separators: Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Spain usually write 1.500,50, while Mexico usually writes 1,500.50. Read both as mil quinientos con cincuenta.
• un 15 %: Le ofrecemos un descuento del 5 %.
• ¿El precio es en pesos o en dólares?

Speaking task: Number dictation in both directions, then give a full price quote (quantity, unit price, discount, total) and have the teacher check it.

Homework: Record yourself reading 10 real figures from your work.

Goals: Describe how figures rose, fell or stayed stable over time.

Key vocabulary: aumentar (to increase); subir (to rise); crecer (to grow); disminuir (to decrease); bajar (to go down); caer (to fall); mantenerse estable (to stay stable); recuperarse (to recover); el aumento (increase); la caída (fall); el crecimiento (growth); ligeramente (slightly); considerablemente (considerably); el trimestre (quarter); en comparación con (compared with)

Key structures:

• Preterite for finished periods: Las ventas subieron un 12 % en 2025.
• Present perfect for this period: Este año los costos han bajado. (Many Latin American speakers prefer the preterite here.)
• de... a...: pasaron de 2 a 3 millones.
• en el primer trimestre

Speaking task: Describe two line charts (sales and costs) for 60 seconds each.

Homework: Write 6 sentences about real trends in your company or sector.

Goals: Present data from slides, guide the audience and answer questions. This is the Week 2 checkpoint.

Key vocabulary: el gráfico (chart); el gráfico de barras (bar chart); el gráfico circular / de torta (pie chart; torta in Argentina); la tabla (table); la diapositiva (slide); la cifra (figure); el dato (data point); la cuota de mercado (market share); destacar (to highlight); representar (to show, represent); como se puede ver (as you can see); en resumen (in short); la conclusión (conclusion); la pregunta (question)

Key structures:

• Como pueden ver en este gráfico...
• Quisiera destacar...
• Pasemos a la siguiente diapositiva.
• Para terminar...
• Buena pregunta. Le respondo enseguida.

Speaking task: Give a 5-minute pitch of your company and product with two charts, followed by 5 minutes of questions from the teacher.

Homework: Revise the pitch using the teacher's feedback.

Goals: Set objectives and limits. Open a negotiation. Find out what the other side needs.

Key vocabulary: la negociación (negotiation); negociar (to negotiate); el objetivo (objective); la prioridad (priority); el interés (interest); el límite (limit, walk-away point); el margen de maniobra (room to maneuver); la contraparte (counterpart); la necesidad (need); plantear (to raise, put forward); ambas partes (both sides); el acuerdo (agreement); beneficioso para ambas partes (good for both sides); establecer (to set, establish)

Key structures:

• Nuestro objetivo hoy es + infinitive.
• Para nosotros es importante que la entrega sea puntual. (Learn it as a chunk: que + subjunctive.)
• ¿Qué es lo más importante para ustedes?
• Me gustaría empezar por...

Speaking task: Prepare Case Study 1 (supplier) with the planning sheet, then deliver your opening statement and ask four needs questions.

Homework: Complete the Case 1 planning sheet: target, limit, priorities, possible trades.

Goals: Make an offer, make a counteroffer, and react without saying yes or no too fast.

Key vocabulary: la oferta (offer); la contraoferta (counteroffer); ofrecer (to offer); proponer (to propose); aceptar (to accept); rechazar (to reject); considerar (to consider); la condición (condition); el volumen (volume); el pedido mínimo (minimum order); razonable (reasonable); estudiar la propuesta (to look into the proposal); ¿Qué le parece...? (What do you think of...?); lo antes posible (as soon as possible)

Key structures:

• Le propongo un precio de 6,20 dólares por unidad.
• Podemos ofrecerle...
• Me temo que + indicative: Me temo que es un poco alto.
• Lo vamos a estudiar y le respondemos el lunes.

Speaking task: Run Case 1 rounds 1 and 2 with at least two offers and counteroffers.

Homework: Learn levels 1 to 3 of the phrase ladder for "Saying no" and "Asking for movement".

Goals: Trade one thing for another, never give something for nothing, and look for middle ground.

Key vocabulary: la concesión (concession); ceder (to give way); a cambio (in return); el punto medio (middle ground); flexible (flexible); ajustar (to adjust); mantener (to keep, hold); renunciar a (to give up); estar dispuesto a (to be willing to); siempre que (provided that); en ese caso (in that case); por nuestra parte (on our side); el compromiso (commitment; it is not "compromise")

Key structures:

• Si ustedes + present, nosotros + present: Si ustedes aumentan el pedido, nosotros bajamos el precio un 3 %.
• A cambio de un plazo más largo, podemos...
• Estamos dispuestos a + infinitive.
• Siempre que + subjunctive (as a chunk): siempre que paguen a 30 días.

Speaking task: A trade-off game with four variables (price, quantity, delivery, payment). Every concession must come with a request.

Homework: Write 5 si sentences for your own product.

Goals: Negotiate the conditions around the price: payment, delivery, shipping and what is included.

Key vocabulary: las condiciones de pago (payment terms); el anticipo (advance payment); el pago a 30 días (payment at 30 days); la transferencia bancaria (bank transfer); la carta de crédito (letter of credit); el plazo de entrega (delivery time, lead time); el envío (shipment); el flete (freight); el seguro (insurance); los Incoterms (FOB, CIF, EXW); la penalización (penalty); el precio final (final price); sin impuestos (before tax); la cotización (quote)

Key structures:

• El precio incluye / no incluye el flete.
• Impersonal se: El pago se hace por transferencia.
• ¿Cuál es el plazo de entrega?
• ¿Sería posible pagar un 30 % de anticipo y el resto contra entrega?

Speaking task: Case Study 2 (client), round 1: negotiate price per user, contract length and the implementation fee.

Homework: Write a quote e-mail using Template 3.

Goals: Answer objections calmly. Use the conditional to make careful, conditional offers.

Key vocabulary: la objeción (objection); la duda (doubt); la preocupación (concern); el riesgo (risk); caro (expensive); convencer (to convince); demostrar (to show, prove); la referencia (reference); la prueba piloto (pilot); comprometerse (to commit); aceptaría (I would accept); estaría dispuesto (I would be willing); sería posible (it would be possible); haría falta (it would take, be needed)

Key structures:

• Conditional: aceptaríamos, podríamos, necesitaríamos.
• Aceptaríamos si ustedes pudieran + infinitive. Learn pudieran as a fixed piece: Aceptaríamos si ustedes pudieran adelantar la entrega.
• Simpler option: Podemos aceptar si ustedes + present: Podemos aceptar si ustedes pagan un anticipo.
• Entiendo su preocupación, pero...
• ¿Qué haría falta para cerrar hoy?

Speaking task: Objection ping-pong (the teacher raises 8 objections quickly), then Case 2, round 2.

Homework: Write 6 conditional offers for your own work.

Goals: Summarize what has been agreed, confirm next steps and close the deal.

Key vocabulary: llegar a un acuerdo (to reach an agreement); cerrar el trato (to close the deal); ¡Trato hecho! (It's a deal!); resumir (to summarize); repasar (to go over); los próximos pasos (next steps); por escrito (in writing); dejar claro (to make clear); el responsable (person in charge); la fecha límite (deadline); firmar (to sign); quedamos así (so that's agreed)

Key structures:

• Entonces, quedamos en que + indicative: Quedamos en que ustedes envían el pedido el lunes.
• Para resumir, hemos acordado...
• ir a + infinitive: Voy a enviarle el contrato mañana.
• ¿Estamos de acuerdo en esto?

Speaking task: Case Study 3 (distributor), part 1: negotiate price and volume, then give a full agreement summary.

Homework: Write a list of agreed points and next steps for Case 3.

Goals: Recognize common contract terms and explain a simple clause in plain Spanish. This lesson teaches language only and is not legal advice.

Key vocabulary: el contrato (contract); la cláusula (clause); las partes (the parties); la vigencia (term, period in force); entrar en vigor (to come into force); la renovación (renewal); la rescisión (termination); el incumplimiento (breach); la exclusividad (exclusivity); el territorio (territory); la confidencialidad (confidentiality); la fuerza mayor (force majeure); el anexo (annex, appendix); la firma (signature)

Key structures:

• Future for obligations: El distribuidor deberá comprar un mínimo de...
• Impersonal and passive: El contrato se renovará automáticamente.
• En caso de que + subjunctive (as a chunk): en caso de que se produzca un retraso...

Speaking task: Read three simplified clauses and explain each one in your own words. Then Case 3, part 2: negotiate exclusivity and contract length.

Homework: Review the contract glossary and write 5 sentences using the words.

Goals: Write a clear follow-up e-mail that thanks, summarizes, confirms and sets next steps.

Key vocabulary: el seguimiento (follow-up); el resumen (summary); tal como acordamos (as we agreed); adjunto (attached); los puntos acordados (agreed points); quedar pendiente (to be pending); recordar (to remind); el borrador (draft); revisar (to review); a la mayor brevedad (as soon as possible, formal); no dude en (do not hesitate to); quedo a su disposición (I remain at your disposal)

Key structures:

• Muchas gracias por la reunión de ayer.
• Tal como acordamos, le resumo los puntos principales.
• Le adjunto el borrador del contrato.
• Le agradecería que me confirmara... (as a chunk)
• Si algún punto no refleja lo que conversamos, le agradecería que me lo indicara.

Speaking task: Say out loud what the follow-up e-mail for Case 3 must contain, then draft it together with the teacher.

Homework: Write the final follow-up e-mail for Case 3 using Template 4.

Goals: Use greetings, forms of address, meetings and meals appropriately in Argentina, Mexico, Spain, Colombia and Chile. Ask politely about local customs.

Key vocabulary: el saludo (greeting); el apretón de manos (handshake); el beso (kiss on the cheek); la puntualidad (punctuality); tratar de usted (to address someone as usted); tutear (to use tú); el almuerzo de negocios (business lunch); la sobremesa (conversation after a meal); el regalo (gift); la jerarquía (hierarchy); la confianza (trust); el título (title, such as Licenciado); la costumbre (custom); relacionarse (to build relationships)

Key structures:

• Se suele + infinitive: Se suele almorzar tarde.
• Es común + infinitive.
• Es mejor no + infinitive.
• ¿Cómo se acostumbra aquí...?
• ¿Lo puedo tutear? / ¿Nos tuteamos?

Speaking task: Use the etiquette sheet to compare business customs in the student's country with one target country, then role-play a business lunch.

Homework: Prepare for the mock negotiation. Choose the case, fill in the planning sheet and review the phrase ladder.

Goals: Lead a full 15-minute negotiation from greeting to agreement, review it, and plan further practice.

Key vocabulary: la grabación (recording); grabar (to record); la devolución / el feedback (feedback; devolución is common in Argentina); el punto fuerte (strength); el aspecto a mejorar (area to improve); la autoevaluación (self-assessment); el desempeño (performance); la fluidez (fluency); el registro (register, level of formality); repasar (to review); el certificado de finalización (certificate of completion); seguir practicando (to keep practicing)

Key structures: The full cycle: greeting and small talk, opening, offers, concessions, conditional offers, summary and next steps.

Speaking task:

• A 15-minute recorded mock negotiation using a case or a real situation from the student's work.
• 20 minutes of review: watch key moments, note strengths and areas to improve.
• 10 minutes outlining the follow-up e-mail.

Homework: Send the follow-up e-mail to the teacher within 24 hours. Choose three phrases from the ladder to use in your next real meeting.