While the exclusive use of French in commercial language courses has the advantage of maximizing student exposure to the target language, it also has the disadvantage of eliminating translation from pedagogical activities. However, translation can be a valuable instructional tool both for helping students assimilate the vocabulary and concepts of French correspondence and business practices and for enabling them to appreciate the cultural differences between the French and Anglo-Saxon business worlds. Translating sentences and brief passages with carefully chosen terminology and grammatical structures provides both practical and creative language use and allows both general and specific language practice. Occasional use of English in translation exercises will not undermine progress in French, and may serve to improve student understanding of English business language and emphasize the differences between French and English practices. Practice in translating business correspondence also underscores the importance of accurately conveying the message. Translation exercises need not be daily or central to the curriculum, but can be a valuable addition to it. (MSE)