How to Negotiate in English When It's Not Your First Language: A 5-Step Framework
Why Negotiating in English Feels Harder Than It Should
You’re a strong negotiator in your native language. You know your value. You can read the room. You can push back without burning bridges.
But in English, something changes.
The words come slower. You second-guess your phrasing. You worry about sounding rude—or worse, weak. You accept terms you’d never accept in Spanish because finding the right pushback phrase feels impossible in the moment.
I’ve coached hundreds of Latin American executives through high-stakes negotiations with US clients, investors, and employers. The pattern is always the same: it’s not their negotiation skills that fail them—it’s having the right English structures ready when the pressure hits.
This framework gives you those structures.
The 5-Step Negotiation Framework
Step 1: Anchor First (Don’t React)
The person who sets the first number or terms shapes the entire conversation. Many non-native speakers wait for the other side to start, hoping to “see what they offer.” This is a mistake.
What to say:
“Based on the scope and timeline we’ve discussed, I’m proposing $85,000 for this phase.”
“Given my experience and the market rate for this role, I’m targeting a base salary of $145,000.”
Key phrases for anchoring:
- “Based on [X], I’m proposing…”
- “Given [Y], I’m targeting…”
- “The figure I have in mind is…”
- “What I’m looking for is…”
Why this works: Anchoring forces the other side to negotiate from your number, not theirs.
Step 2: Acknowledge Before You Counter
When they push back, don’t immediately defend. First, show you heard them. This builds trust and buys you thinking time.
What to say:
“I hear you—budget is tight this quarter. Let me share why this number reflects the value.”
“That’s a fair concern. Here’s how I’m thinking about it.”
Key phrases for acknowledging:
- “I hear you…”
- “That’s a fair point…”
- “I understand where you’re coming from…”
- “That makes sense from your perspective…”
Why this works: Acknowledgment lowers defensiveness. It signals that you’re negotiating with them, not against them.
Step 3: Justify with Value, Not Need
Never justify your ask with your needs (“I need this salary because my rent is expensive”). Always justify with the value you deliver.
What to say:
“This rate reflects three things: my specialized experience in [X], the tight timeline you’ve described, and the results I delivered for [similar client].”
“The salary I’m proposing aligns with what senior engineers with my background command—and reflects the impact I’ll have on your product roadmap.”
Key phrases for justifying:
- “This reflects…”
- “This is based on…”
- “This aligns with…”
- “The reason I’m at this number is…”
Why this works: Value-based justifications are harder to dismiss than need-based ones.
Step 4: Trade, Don’t Cave
If they can’t meet your number, don’t just lower it. Ask for something in return.
What to say:
“If the budget is fixed at $75K, I can work with that—if we adjust the scope to remove the third deliverable.”
“I can be flexible on base salary if we include a signing bonus and accelerated review at six months.”
Key phrases for trading:
- “If [X], I can work with that—if we [Y].”
- “I can be flexible on [X] if we include [Y].”
- “What if we adjusted [X] in exchange for [Y]?”
- “I’m open to [X] provided [Y] is part of the package.”
Why this works: Trading maintains the value of your original ask while showing flexibility.
Step 5: Confirm and Document
Verbal agreements evaporate. Before you leave the conversation, confirm what was agreed and follow up in writing.
What to say (in the meeting):
“Just to confirm: we’re agreeing to $80K with a six-month review. Correct?”
“Let me make sure I have this right: the scope is A, B, and C, with delivery by March 15, at the rate we discussed.”
What to write (in the follow-up email):
“Thanks for the conversation today. To confirm what we agreed:
- [Term 1]
- [Term 2]
- [Term 3]
Please let me know if I’ve captured anything incorrectly. Otherwise, I’ll proceed on this basis.”
Why this works: Written confirmation prevents “I thought we agreed to something different” later.
Phrases for Difficult Moments
When You Need Time to Think
“That’s an interesting point. Let me take a moment to think through the implications.”
“I want to give that the consideration it deserves. Can we revisit this in 24 hours?”
When They Pressure You for an Immediate Answer
“I don’t make decisions this significant on the spot. I’ll have an answer for you by [date].”
“I appreciate the urgency, but I want to make sure we both get this right.”
When You Need to Say No
“I’m not able to go that low on this project. Here’s what I can do instead.”
“That’s outside what I can accept. But I’m open to other ways to make this work.”
When They Go Silent After Your Offer
Don’t fill the silence. Let it sit. If you must speak:
“I’ll let you think on that. What questions do you have?”
Common Mistakes Non-Native Speakers Make in Negotiations
- Apologizing for your ask — “Sorry, but I was hoping for…” removes your power.
- Hedging too much — “Maybe we could possibly consider…” sounds uncertain.
- Accepting the first offer — Even if it’s good, a small counter shows you value yourself.
- Talking too much after your offer — State your number, then stop. Silence is your friend.
- Failing to prepare phrases — Under pressure, you’ll default to whatever’s easiest to say.
Prepare Before Every Negotiation
Before any high-stakes conversation, write down:
- Your anchor — The first number or terms you’ll propose
- Your walk-away — The point below which you won’t go
- Your justification — 2-3 value points that support your ask
- Your trades — What you can offer if they can’t meet your number
- Your key phrases — The exact English sentences you’ll use
This preparation takes 15 minutes and changes the outcome.
Get the Complete Negotiation Scripts
Want word-for-word scripts for the most common negotiation scenarios?
Download the 5-Minute Negotiation Script — Copy-paste phrases for opening, countering, and closing deals.
Negotiating salary specifically? Get the Salary Negotiation Script — Exact language for the four critical moments in any compensation conversation.
Practice With Real Feedback
Reading frameworks builds awareness. Practicing them with feedback builds skill.
Book a free 30-minute strategy session and we’ll role-play a negotiation scenario from your actual work. You’ll walk away with specific phrases tailored to your industry and situation.
