CODE IN TOKYO

Which Is Harder: “Conversational English” or “Business English”?

Whenever you enter your English ability on a job-search site or skills sheet in Japan, you invariably see options like these:

Normally, each step down the list is treated as a higher level of English proficiency.

But there is something I have long wondered about.

Is business conversation really more difficult than everyday conversation?

My impression is that the opposite may be true.

Do Not Underestimate Everyday Conversation

When people hear “conversational level,” many imagine being able to exchange simple greetings or shop in English.

But chatting with an American colleague over lunch is a different matter.

The weekend, movies, travel, complaints about work—the subject keeps changing, and you never know what you will be asked.

In a work meeting, the agenda is fixed and you understand the specialist terminology. Small talk, however, has no script.

It is entirely possible to conduct a work meeting in English yet become noticeably quieter during lunch.

I could understand the label if it explicitly said “basic greetings.” But the term “everyday conversation” covers everything from making a simple purchase to chatting naturally with people from another country.

It makes no sense to use something that broad as a single measure of English ability and place it below “business level.”

“Business Level” Can Sometimes Be Surprisingly Easy

What about business English, then?

Consider an IT engineer working in English with developers overseas.

“I want to confirm the specifications for this API.”

“We will fix this bug by tomorrow.”

“The deployment has been moved to Friday.”

For exchanges like these, you can manage even if your English is somewhat shaky.

Both sides understand the technical context and share the same specialist terminology.

In an extreme case, even if the grammar is imperfect, you can communicate by showing the other person the code or the screen.

With email, you can take your time writing, and these days you can ask AI to correct your English.

Of course, complex contract negotiations or discussions at an executive meeting are another matter.

But not all business English is that advanced.

An engineer may be perfectly capable of discussing work, yet have no idea what anyone is talking about once the conversation turns to casual chat over drinks.

I would not find that strange at all.

In fact, is that not the more natural situation?

Small Talk Has No Specification Document

Business conversations have a purpose.

You have some idea of what needs to be decided or confirmed.

Small talk has no such structure.

It begins with a television show someone watched yesterday, suddenly shifts to politics, then someone makes a joke and another person replies with sarcasm.

You never know where the subject will go.

And if you keep asking people to repeat themselves, you disrupt the rhythm of the conversation.

At work, you can simply ask, “Could you clarify that?”

But if you respond to every joke with, “Please explain the background and intention behind that remark,” you will probably never be invited out for drinks again.

Business conversations have specification documents. Small talk does not.

That difference matters.

So What Should You Put on a Skills Sheet?

This brings us back to the original question.

Which is the higher level: “conversational” or “business”?

Ultimately, the comparison itself is unreasonable.

If “everyday conversation” means being able to shop while traveling, it is easy. If it means joining a conversation among native speakers naturally, it is extremely difficult.

“Business level” also covers far too wide a range, from exchanging routine emails to negotiating international contracts.

Trying to measure English ability with such vague options is unreasonable to begin with.

So if you expect to be able to use English at work, I do not think you need to be excessively hesitant about selecting “business level.”

An interview conducted in English will quickly reveal how well you can actually speak.

Of course, once you have written “business level” on your skills sheet, you should at least be able to discuss your work.

That is the only commitment required.

The Japanese Wording of the Options Is More Questionable Than Your English

The problem begins with placing everyday conversation and business conversation into a simple hierarchy.

The categories should describe what a person can do: “can travel without difficulty,” “can work in a specialist field,” or “can converse freely on a wide range of subjects.”

Instead, they rely on vague labels such as “conversational” and “business.”

If they intend to evaluate English ability precisely, I would first like them to write the Japanese evaluation criteria a little more precisely.