Business Emails in English: Essential Phrases

Formal English business emails start with 'Dear Mr/Ms [Surname]' when you know the name. For unknown recipients, use 'Dear Sir or Madam'. For international contacts, 'Dear [First Last]' is a safe choice. Avoid 'Hey' or 'Hi' in professional contexts - these come across as too informal and can appear unprofessional.

The choice of closing depends on formality: 'Yours sincerely' for very formal emails when the name is known, 'Yours faithfully' when unknown, 'Kind regards' or 'Best regards' for standard business correspondence, and 'Best wishes' for semi-formal contacts. Important: Never use 'Yours' alone - in English this sounds romantic.

For polite requests, use phrases like 'Could you please...', 'Would you mind...', 'I would appreciate it if you could...', or 'Would it be possible to...'. These subjunctive forms are more polite than direct commands. Avoid 'I want...' or 'You must...' - these sound demanding. For urgent requests, use 'I would be grateful if you could respond at your earliest convenience.'

Common mistakes by German speakers: 1) 'become' instead of 'get/receive' (false friend - 'become' = 'werden'), 2) 'actual' instead of 'current' (false friend), 3) Direct translations like 'I am of the opinion' instead of 'I think', 4) Overly long sentences - English emails are shorter and more direct, 5) Missing subject pronouns ('Am writing' instead of 'I am writing').

A polite follow-up email starts with a reference to the previous message: 'I am following up on my email dated...' or 'Further to my previous email...'. Stay friendly but firm: 'I wanted to check if you had a chance to review...' or 'I would appreciate an update on...'. Avoid accusatory language. Close with a concrete call to action: 'Could you please respond by [date]?'

CC (Carbon Copy) sends a copy to additional recipients - everyone can see who received the email. Use CC for people who should be informed. BCC (Blind Carbon Copy) sends an invisible copy - other recipients don't see the BCC recipient. Use BCC for mass emails or when discreetly informing a supervisor. Tip: 'FYI' (For Your Information) in the subject signals no response is expected.