B2Dialogue4 Min.

Breaking a Deadlock Over Payment Terms

Thirty days versus sixty days payment terms — nothing is moving. How to break a stalled negotiation in English.

Editorially reviewed by James Simmonds – English teacher since 2004Published 11 August 2026

SceneThird round of negotiations, one point blocking everything: Paul needs payment after thirty days, Anke insists on sixty. Today both want to get past the deadlock — with numbers instead of stubbornness.

0:00 / 4 Min.

Tip: listen to the episode twice before you start the test. · Worksheet (PDF)

✓ To the comprehension test

Paul — Sales director, British supplierAnke — Head of purchasing, German automotive supplier

Listen first, then answer. No penalties — every explanation points to the moment in the conversation.

01Which point is blocking the negotiation?

02Why does Anke insist on sixty days?

03In the agreed solution, the payment terms on paper stay at sixty days.

04Paul rejects the idea of reviewing the agreement after one year.

05Which word is missing?

___, all our suppliers accept sixty days.

06Which word is missing?

Option one: we meet ___ at forty-five days, full stop.

07Put the steps of the conversation in the correct order.

Transcript

The full transcript opens after the comprehension test — so you train real listening instead of reading along.

German support

PaulAnke, thanks for making time again. Let's be honest with each other: we've agreed on price, volume and delivery, and for two weeks we've been stuck on one single point. I'd like today to be the day we break the deadlock on payment terms.

AnkeSo would I, Paul. But my position hasn't changed overnight. Actually, we pay all our suppliers after sixty days.Gemeint ist „aktuell" – doch das englische „actually" heißt „tatsächlich, in Wirklichkeit".

PaulActually? As in: I'm mistaken about something? Or do you mean currently — that sixty days is your standard at the moment?

AnkeAh — currently, of course. The German aktuell trips me up every time. Currently, all our suppliers accept sixty days. Actually would suggest I'm correcting you, which I'm not.Das deutsche „aktuell" heißt auf Englisch „currently" – „actually" wäre eine Richtigstellung.

PaulThank you — that small word matters at this table. So, sixty days is your current standard. Help me understand the reason behind it: is it a group-wide policy, or a cash flow decision within your plant?

AnkeGroup policy. Our own customers pay us after ninety days, so every invoice we pay earlier opens a gap in our cash flow. If I sign thirty days for you, forty other suppliers will ask for the same tomorrow.

PaulAnd on my side, sixty days means I'm financing your production for two months — as a mid-sized company, my bank charges me for exactly that gap. So neither of us is being difficult; we both have a financing problem. That's actually good news: financing problems can be priced.

AnkeGo on. What are you proposing?

PaulTwo options, and you choose. Option one: we meet halfway at forty-five days, full stop. Option two: your sixty days stay on paper, but we add an early-payment discount — pay any invoice within fourteen days and take two per cent off. Your group policy survives, and whenever your cash flow allows it, we both win.Option eins: Wir treffen uns bei fünfundvierzig Tagen. Option zwei: Skonto von zwei Prozent bei Zahlung binnen vierzehn Tagen.

AnkeThe second option is clever, Paul. Two per cent is more than our treasury earns on that money, so finance will love it — and on paper nothing changes for the other suppliers. Let me test the common ground: terms remain sixty days, discount of two per cent within fourteen days, reviewed after one year?Lassen Sie mich die gemeinsame Basis festhalten.

PaulAgreed — with one addition: the review after one year looks at actual payment behaviour. If most invoices are paid within fourteen days, we keep the model; if not, we talk about forty-five days again. I'll put the whole package in writing this afternoon.Die Überprüfung nach einem Jahr betrachtet das tatsächliche Zahlungsverhalten.

AnkeThat's fair, and it gives both sides a reason to make the discount work. Send me the draft, and I'll take it to our finance director tomorrow morning. I'm glad we moved past the deadlock, Paul — this was the last open point.

Key phrases

deadlock

a point where neither side will move

After three rounds, the talks ended in deadlock.

payment terms

the agreed conditions for when invoices are paid

Our standard payment terms are thirty days net.

currently

at the present time

Currently, all our contracts run on sixty-day terms.

cash flow

the movement of money in and out of a business

Long payment terms put pressure on our cash flow.

invoice

a document requesting payment for goods or services

Please pay the invoice within fourteen days.

to meet halfway

to compromise between two positions

We met halfway at forty-five days.

early-payment discount

a price reduction for paying an invoice early

The contract includes a two per cent early-payment discount.

common ground

the points both sides agree on

Let's summarise the common ground before we continue.

Language notes

In this episode a British sales director and a German head of purchasing resolve a deadlock over payment terms: asking for the interests behind positions, offering two options, an early-payment discount instead of stubbornness. Plus the aktuell/actually false friend that accidentally turns a statement into a correction (level B2).

Interests, not positions

The turning point is Paul's question "Help me understand the reason behind it" — he stops negotiating against the number sixty and asks for the interest behind it (group policy, cash flow, precedent). Only that makes the win-win possible: on paper the policy stays untouched, economically Paul gets his money earlier. Deadlocks are rarely resolved on the disputed number — almost always on the reason behind it.

Aktuell is not actually

German "aktuell" is currently or at the moment. English "actually" means "in fact" — and for native speakers it often introduces a correction or contradiction. Anke's sentence "Actually, we pay all our suppliers after sixty days" therefore sounds sharper than intended: like a lecture rather than information. In negotiations where every signal is weighed, that single word can tip the tone of an entire conversation.

Offer two options, let them choose

Paul's proposal follows a proven pattern: "Two options, and you choose." The first option (forty-five days) is the classic compromise, the second (the discount) the creative solution — and the choice itself makes the yes easy, because Anke can carry the decision into her company as her own. Her closing move is equally valuable language: "Let me test the common ground" followed by a point-by-point list is the professional way to lock in a verbal agreement before it goes on paper.

Keep practising: Learn business English online — with real teachers from Simmonds, since 2004.

Frequently asked questions

What language level is this episode for?

Level B2 (CEFR). The dialogue uses upper-intermediate finance and purchasing English; all eight key terms are explained bilingually.

How do I break a deadlock in a negotiation in English?

Following this episode's pattern: name the deadlock openly, ask for the interest behind the position ("Help me understand the reason behind it"), offer two options and summarise the common ground.

What is the difference between "aktuell" and "actually"?

German "aktuell" means currently. English "actually" means "in fact" and often sounds like a correction. "Actually, we pay after sixty days" reads as a contradiction — the intended meaning was just "currently we pay after sixty days".

Is there a transcript to read along?

Yes, the full transcript with German support notes is on this page — listen first, then take the test, then read along.

Where can I practise payment negotiations live in English?

In the online business English courses from Simmonds Language Services (englisch-lehrer.com/online): live lessons with real teachers on Zoom, for companies and individuals across Germany — starting with a free consultation.

Want to practise these phrases in a real conversation?

The podcast trains your ear — in our online lessons you practise the conversation yourself, with real teachers. For companies across Germany since 2004.

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