Most Common Mistakes When Learning Spanish (Part 4): In this article, we will examine the common mistakes that English Speakers frequently make while learning Spanish and how to avoid them. You will find tips on pronunciation, misleading words, and other challenges. By being aware of these mistakes, you can improve your Spanish more quickly. The two main topics covered in this article are “Word Order Mistakes” and “Politeness Level ”
7. Word Order Mistakes
English-speakers often make word order mistakes when learning Spanish. This usually happens for two reasons:
1) They directly translate English phrases into Spanish, word for word.
2) They believe that the first noun they hear is always the subject of the sentence.
Let’s see some examples.
- Adjectives
By now, you should know that in Spanish, the adjectives usually go after the subject:
| English Sentence | Incorrect Translation | Correct Translation |
| “That’s a red car.” | Ese es un rojo coche. | Ese es un coche rojo. |
| “The white door” | La blanca puerta | La puerta blanca |
| “A large stadium” | Un grande estadio | Un estadio grande |
- The Effect of Word Order on the Sentence’s Meaning
In Spanish, the meaning of a sentence can be the same even if the word order is changed.
Example:
- Sarah le cantó una canción a Marco.
- A Marco le cantó una canción Sarah.
In both sentences, Sarah sang the song. It doesn’t matter that Marco’s name came first in the second sentence.
8. Politeness Level
First things first, let’s talk about what this means in Spain vs. Latin America: In Spain, courtesy is less common than in Latin American countries.
Here’s an example of things you would hear in Spain:
- ¿Me pone una caña, cuando pueda? (“Can I have a beer when you can?”)
- ¿Tiene usted la hora? (“Do you have the time?”)
In Latin America, they use more formalities when speaking:
- Hola, ¿me das una cerveza, por favor? (“Hello, can you give me a beer, please?”)
- ¿Buenas tardes, me podría indicar esta dirección? (“Good afternoon, could you give me this address?”)
Tú vs. Usted
Tú is used more with family and friends, while usted is used with people who are older than you and strangers.
- Speaking to Strangers / Older People
¿Me podría ayudar con esta dirección, please? (“Could you help me with this address, please?”)
- Speaking to Family / Friends
¿Me dices la dirección? / ¿Dime la dirección? (“Can you tell me this address, please?”)
9. The Most Common Embarrassing Mistakes
To end on a lighter note, here are some mistakes often made by Spanish-learners when they mis-speak a phrase. Pay close attention to avoid the potential embarrassment yourself!
| What you think you’re saying: | What you’re saying in Spanish (Incorrect form) | What you’re really saying: | What you should say(Correct form) |
| “I’m hot.” | Estoy caliente. | “I have heat.” | Tengo calor. |
| “I’m embarrassed.” | Estoy embarazado (a). | “I’m pregnant.” | Tengo vergüenza. |
| “I’m excited.” | Estoy excitado. | “I’m horny.” | Estoy emocionado (a). |
| “I’m 25 years old.” | Tengo 25 anos. | “I have 25 anuses.” | Tengo 25 años. |
10. To Sum Up…
In this article, you learned the nine most common Spanish mistakes. There are many others, but this list is a good place to start; by avoiding these issues, you’ll soon be able to speak with confidence. Believe me, you’ll feel great! Join ESTUDIA and improve your Spanish.
