Business vs. Busyness

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Business English Course

When do we use busyness vs. business? Let’s learn how to spell busyness and business, how to pronounce them, and their definitions in English.

How to pronounce & spell BUSYNESS and BUSINESS

Business is two syllables, and busyness is three syllables:

business = BIZ – ness

busyness = BIZ – ee – ness

There’s only one spelling difference – we spell busyness with a “y” in the middle, and business with an “i” in the middle.

BUSINESS: Definition

Business is a noun, quite a common one, meaning commerce, the activity of buying and selling products and services. At EspressoEnglish we have a course on Business English, the words and phrases typically used in work and professional life.

During a really hot day, if lots of customers come into an ice cream store, the owner could say “Business has been good today” because the shop has sold a lot.

Finally, a business is another word for a company – someone can start their own business, or work as a manager in a construction business, and so on.

Business vs. Busyness Espresso English

BUSYNESS: Definition

Now let’s define “busyness.” The definition of busyness – three syllables – is the state of being busy, having a lot of things to do, lots of responsibilities and tasks and scheduled activities.

Busyness is not nearly as common of a word as business, but you’ll sometimes see it. You could say, “I took a vacation so I could have a break from the busyness of everyday life” – again, it’s the state of being busy.

Business vs. Busyness Espresso English

Or a college student who has a very intense few weeks at the end of the semester, might not have much time to hang out with her friends during the busyness of final exams – she has a lot of things to do, big assignments and studying for all those exams.

Business vs. Busyness Espresso English

One final example, think of a company that sells holiday decorations like Christmas lights – most of their sales are going to be made in December. So maybe in November, they start preparing for the busyness of the holiday season.

You could say that business (that company) is preparing for a season of busyness (having a lot of things to do).

Now you know when to use business vs. busyness. To remember these words better, try using both business and busyness in your own example sentences.

Remember, I can help you speak English more confidently at work when you join my Business English Course. It’ll teach you what to say in lots of professional situations like interviews, meetings, phone calls, and much more.

Learn more: Client vs. Customer

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Business vs. Busyness Espresso English

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