Some common mistakes Spanish speakers make in English

If you have Chinese as a mother tongue, learning English is very difficult, as there are no shared roots between the two languages. However, native Spanish speakers have an advantage; 30-40% of English comes from Latin, the root of all Romance languages. Despite how useful these similarities are, they can also create some confusion. Having taught English to Spanish speakers for a long time, these are some recurring problems I have noticed.

Practise examples at the bottom of the page.

Pregnant

It can be pretty embarrassing to get this one wrong. Although preñada is only used in the animal world in Spanish, the English pregnant is used for humans and animals alike. Expecting is a more old fashioned way to say the same.
The Spanish equivalent of ‘to be embarrassed’ is tener verguenza.

Thinking about…

Whatever you do, don’t tell the girl that you like that you’ve been thinking in her. It sounds weird. You’ve been thinking about her.

Actually

This might seem difficult to understand, but it’s actually not that hard. Actually is a synonym of in fact. If you want to say actualmente then say ‘at the moment’. If you want to say ‘en ese momento’, talking about the past, say “at that time”.

Make a Mistake

When I am speaking Spanish, a mistake I often make is to say hacer un error, instead of cometer. This is because in English, a mistake is something that you ‘make’ (not do!) Also, Spanish speakers often overuse the word ‘error’, when in English ‘mistake’ is more common. See differences here.

Career

In Spanish a carrera can be either (1) a synonym for profession, (2) university studies aiming for a particular profession or (3) a competition of speed! In English career is only the first option; a profession. The university studies are called a degree, and what Usain Bolt always wins are races. Races are also for cars, horses and snails.

There is nothing wrong with using the similarities between Spanish and English to help you expand your language skills. Actually, many linguists recommend making the most of familiar words and phrases to give you a quick boost when learning a new language. Just be cautious that some words may be deceiving, such as this final example:

Lawyer
The word for abogado is lawyer. The delicious fruit known as palta  or aguacate in different places in South America and Spain, is known in English as avocado.

Test Yourself!

Correct these sentences:

1. I spilt my wine all over the table. I had so embarrassed!
2. “Everyone, I have some great news! My wife is embarrassed!”
3. “Have you decided where to go on holiday this year?”
   “I’m not sure, but I’m thinking in Chile.
4. If you don’t do mistakes you’re not learning!
5. I am actually studying for a career in Physics.
6. In Le Mans they have the longest car career in the world – 24 hours non-stop!
7. “Have you met my friend Diego? He’s a fantastic avocado”

Answers:

1.  I spilt my wine all over the table. I was so embarrassed!
2. “Everyone, I have some great news! My wife is pregnant!”
3. “Have you decided where to go on holiday this year?”
   “I’m not sure, but I’m thinking about Chile.
4. If you don’t make mistakes, you’re not learning!
5. I am currently studying for a degree in Physics.
6. In Le Mans they have the longest car race in the world – 24 hours non-stop!
7. “Have you met my friend Diego? He’s a fantastic lawyer”