The Fastest Growing Spanish Words in Business: Anglicisms and Neologisms Entering the Language

Spanish, like every living language, is in constant evolution. In today’s globalized economy, business Spanish is absorbing more English terms than ever before. While many of these anglicisms start as informal borrowings, a growing number are now officially recognized by the Diccionario de la lengua española (DLE), the dictionary published by the Royal Spanish Academy.

From “marketing” and “influencer” to “start-up” and “streaming,” business communication in Spanish is increasingly shaped by words that reflect the digital economy and global corporate culture. These terms coexist with traditional Spanish vocabulary, but they often dominate professional contexts due to speed, precision, and their international resonance.

Anglicisms at the core of business Spanish

• Marketing: Although mercadotecnia exists, “marketing” is universally used across Spain and Latin America.

• Start-up: Empresa emergente is the proposed equivalent, but in practice, “start-up” is preferred.

• Streaming: Digital platforms have consolidated this English term, displacing transmisión en continuo.

• Influencer: The word is now in the DLE, mirroring its global impact in advertising and branding.

• Coworking: Spaces for shared work are rarely referred to as espacios de trabajo compartido. The English term dominates.

• Billion: A subtle yet critical false friend — in English, “billion” means 1,000 million, while in Spanish billón means a million million. Misunderstandings in finance are frequent.

• Aplicar (a un trabajo): Increasingly common calque from English “to apply for a job.” Traditionally, Spanish used solicitar un trabajo or presentarse a un puesto, but aplicar is now widely heard in HR contexts.

• Meeting: Instead of reunión, professionals often schedule a “meeting,” especially in multinational settings.

• Feedback: Despite Spanish options like retroalimentación or comentarios, “feedback” dominates in corporate communication.

• Networking: While establecer contactos is correct, the English loanword feels more natural in professional circles.

• Deadline: Used more and more in place of plazo or fecha límite, conveying urgency in project management.

Business takeaways — a short guide for communications teams

1. Prefer Spanish when clarity matters: Use Spanish equivalents when they are widely understood and culturally resonant (e.g., contraseña instead of “password”).

2. Acknowledge anglicisms where normalized: Terms like marketing, start-up, or influencer are entrenched in business speech — translating them may cause confusion.

3. Watch out for false friends: Words like billion/billón can lead to serious miscommunication in financial contexts.

4. Be context-sensitive: While correo electrónico works in formal writing, “email” may be more natural in everyday workplace exchanges.

5. Stay up-to-date with the DLE: The Diccionario de la lengua española regularly incorporates new terms. Keeping track avoids both outdated Spanish and awkward calques.

6. Adapt by audience: In Spain, ordenador is common, while in Latin America, computadora dominates. Know your market before choosing terminology.

Spanish in the workplace is no longer a closed system. It is a hybrid language shaped by technological innovation, global commerce, and cross-cultural dialogue. Choosing the right word is not just a linguistic decision, but a strategic one for any company aiming to operate across borders.

Sources & further reading

• Diccionario de la lengua española (DLE)

• FundéuRAE: https://www.fundeu.es

• “Anglicisms in Contemporary Spanish” – Journal of Spanish Language Teaching (2020)

• RAE Observatorio de palabras: https://observatoriopalabras.com