English for logistics: key vocabulary and phrases

Why does specialist English matter in logistics, warehousing and transport?

Germany is an exporting nation, and every warehouse feels it. According to the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis), Germany’s most important trading partners in 2025 were China (€251.8 billion in foreign trade), the USA (€240.5 billion) and the Netherlands (€209.1 billion). German is not the everyday language with any of these countries. Forwarders, shipping lines, customs agents and customers usually communicate in English.

In logistics, precise English counts for more than elegant English. A misunderstood delivery clause, a confused quantity or an ambiguous delivery date costs real money. In our courses, we often see big differences between dispatchers, warehouse staff and drivers, which is why one training plan rarely fits everyone.

In our Business English courses for logistics teams, we put the specialist vocabulary together after a needs analysis, from goods receipt to customs clearance and from level A1 upwards. If you work for a German company, the table below also gives you the German terms your colleagues will use.

Logistics vocabulary in English: the key terms

The most important logistics vocabulary includes warehouse (Lager), delivery note (Lieferschein), freight forwarder (Spediteur), carrier or haulier (Frachtführer), shipment (Sendung), pallet (Palette), customs clearance (Zollabfertigung) and lead time (Lieferzeit). The table contains terms used by forwarders, warehouses and shipping departments. Where British and American English differ, the British version comes first.

Tip: learn the terms in pairs that belong together, such as forwarder and carrier, or shipping and shipment. Most costly mix-ups happen exactly between such neighbours.

What do the eleven Incoterms mean?

The Incoterms® are delivery terms published by the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC). They define who bears the costs and risks of transport and where the risk passes from seller to buyer. According to the ICC, there are eleven three-letter rules; the current version is Incoterms® 2020, in force since 1 January 2020.

The four groups: E, F, C and D

The initial letters help you remember them. Under the E rule (EXW), the seller simply makes the goods available at their own premises, and the buyer takes care of everything else. Under the F rules (FCA, FAS, FOB), the seller hands the goods over to a carrier nominated by the buyer, and the buyer pays for the main carriage. Under the C rules (CPT, CIP, CFR, CIF), the seller pays for the main carriage, but the risk passes to the buyer earlier. This split between cost and risk is the classic source of misunderstandings. Under the D rules (DAP, DPU, DDP), the seller bears costs and risk up to the destination.

A common mistake in practice: FOB is used for lorry or container transport, even though the rule is intended for sea and inland waterway transport. For container traffic, FCA is often the more suitable choice. If in doubt, clarify such questions with your export department or your forwarder.

Stating Incoterms correctly

Always give the rule, the named place and the version, for example “FCA Nuremberg, Incoterms® 2020”. A phrase like the German Lieferung frei Haus (free delivery to the door), on the other hand, is not an Incoterm and quickly leads to misunderstandings internationally. In conversation, these sentences help: “Which Incoterm are we working with?” or “Just to confirm, the price is based on DAP Vienna.”

English in the warehouse: goods receipt, picking and dispatch

In the warehouse, short and clear sentences matter more than fine nuances, because many sites have teams from many countries. Typical situations are goods receipt (The delivery has arrived at bay 3.), discrepancies in quantity (We’re two pallets short.), damage, picking and loading. Record any defects before you sign the delivery note, otherwise a later claim becomes much harder.

A short dialogue at goods receipt

The company name in this dialogue is an example.

Driver: Hi, I’ve got a delivery for Lang GmbH. Where do you want me?

Warehouse: Morning. Bay 3, please. Have you got the delivery note?

Driver: Here you go. Twelve pallets.

Warehouse: Thanks. Hang on, I can only count eleven. And this one’s wrapping is torn.

Driver: Right, I’ll check with the office.

Warehouse: OK. I’ll note the shortage and the damage on the delivery note before I sign.

The last sentence is the important one: defects should be recorded before signing. The phrases “received subject to inspection” and “signed with reservation” are widely used internationally. Which notes are legally sufficient is something to clarify with your insurer or legal department.

How new colleagues from abroad can settle in quickly and safely at work is described in our article on onboarding international employees.

Emails and phone calls with forwarders in English

In emails to forwarders, state the collection point and date, the destination, the goods and their weight, the Incoterms rule and a deadline for replying, for example Terms: DAP Manchester, Incoterms® 2020. On the phone, you mainly need sentences about collection, arrival time and tracking, such as I’d like to book a collection for tomorrow or Could you send me the tracking number?

Template: transport enquiry to a forwarder

Names and details in this template are examples.

Subject: Quotation request: 6 pallets Nuremberg to Manchester

Dear Mr Collins,

Could you please send us a quotation for the following shipment?

Collection: Nuremberg, Germany, on 18 March. Delivery: Manchester, UK. Goods: 6 euro pallets, total weight approx. 2,400 kg, non-hazardous. Terms: DAP Manchester, Incoterms® 2020.

Please include the transit time and any customs clearance costs. We would be grateful for your reply by Friday.

Kind regards,

Markus Lang, Logistics Coordinator

Key phrases on the phone

• I’d like to book a collection for tomorrow. (German: Ich möchte eine Abholung für morgen buchen.)
• What’s the estimated time of arrival? Abbreviation: ETA.
• Could you send me the tracking number? (German: Sendungsnummer)
• Has the shipment cleared customs yet? (German: Ist die Sendung schon verzollt?)
• The driver needs a time slot at the loading bay. (German: Zeitfenster an der Rampe)

Abbreviations such as ETA, ETD and POD are explained in our overview of abbreviations in English emails. You will find more conversation building blocks in our guide to phone calls in English.

Delivery delays and complaints in English: phrases for problem cases

Communicate delivery delays and complaints in English quickly, factually and without assigning blame. Report a delay with I’m afraid there’s been a delay with your order and give a new date. Describe defects specifically, for example The goods arrived damaged, and attach photos. To ask for a replacement, say Could you arrange a replacement delivery? Calm, precise wording protects the business relationship.

Reporting delays

• I’m afraid there’s been a delay with your order.
• The shipment is currently held up at the port.
• We now expect delivery on Thursday.
• We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Making a complaint

When it comes to price reductions or contractual penalties, our article on negotiating in English helps you strike the right tone between clarity and partnership.

Typical mistakes and mix-ups in logistics English

Typical mistakes in logistics English, especially among German speakers, come from similar-sounding words: a Spedition is not an expedition but a freight forwarder, Zoll is always customs, and Palette is pallet. Then there are grammar traps such as The goods is ready instead of are ready, and deadlines with until instead of by. With numbers, 2,400 kg means two thousand four hundred kilograms.

Numbers and measurements

Watch out for the different ways of writing numbers: in English, 2,400 kg means two thousand four hundred kilograms, while 2.4 t means two point four tonnes. German uses the comma and full stop the other way round, so double-check figures in documents that pass between German and English. For dates, write them in British style, “18 March”, to avoid confusion with the US format.

Learning English for logistics: practical and alongside your job

The most practical way to learn English for logistics is with real documents from your daily work, training by role for dispatch, warehouse or customs, and short online sessions that fit around shift patterns. Start with the situations that cause the most problems: unclear delivery dates, missing documents and complaints. Mastering these three areas saves queries and time.

• Learn with real documents: delivery notes, consignment notes and forwarding orders from your daily work are the best learning material.
• Train by role: dispatchers need different sentences from the warehouse team or the customs department.
• Short sessions: in shift-based operations, regular short online lessons work better than long seminar days.
• Practise phone calls and emails: most mistakes happen under time pressure, which is exactly where training should focus.
• Keep a team glossary: a shared glossary of the 100 most important terms in your operation makes sure everyone uses the same words, from drivers to dispatchers.

Experience shows it pays to begin with the situations that most often cause problems: unclear delivery dates, missing documents and complaints. If you can handle these three areas confidently in English, you save follow-up questions and time.

Our job-related English courses take place entirely online and can be adapted to shift patterns. Our teachers cover British and American English, with a focus on authentic, communicative English for professional situations. For logistics companies and shipping departments, we put together small groups and one-to-one training under language courses for companies. A language audit clarifies your employees’ levels and needs. If English is to become the working language across the whole company, take a look at our article on English as a corporate language. For written communication, we also recommend our guide to writing emails in English. We are happy to answer questions via our contact page.

Sources

1. destatis.de: PD26 056 51
2. iccwbo.org: incoterms rules
3. ef.de: germany

Frequently asked questions