10 Common Spanish Mistakes English Speakers Make (And How to Fix Them)

Every Spanish learner makes mistakes—it's part of the process. But some errors are so common among English speakers that knowing about them in advance can save you months of confusion. Here are the top 10 mistakes and how to avoid them.

1. Confusing Ser and Estar

Both mean "to be," but they're not interchangeable.

Ser is for permanent characteristics:

• Soy alto. (I am tall.)
• Ella es doctora. (She is a doctor.)

Estar is for temporary states and locations:

• Estoy cansado. (I am tired.)
• El libro está en la mesa. (The book is on the table.)

Tip: If it can change, use estar. If it's inherent or permanent, use ser.

2. Forgetting Gender Agreement

Spanish nouns have gender, and adjectives must match:

• La casa blanca (the white house) - feminine
• El carro blanco (the white car) - masculine

Tip: Learn nouns with their articles. Don't just learn "casa," learn "la casa."

3. Using "Yo" Too Much

Unlike English, Spanish doesn't require subject pronouns because the verb conjugation shows who's acting:

• ❌ Yo tengo hambre. Yo quiero comer.
• ✅ Tengo hambre. Quiero comer.

Tip: Only use "yo" for emphasis or contrast.

4. False Cognates (False Friends)

Words that look like English but mean something different:

• **Embarazada** = pregnant (not embarrassed)
• **Actualmente** = currently (not actually)
• **Sensible** = sensitive (not sensible)
• **Éxito** = success (not exit)

Tip: When a word looks too familiar, double-check it.

5. Mixing Up Por and Para

Both can translate to "for," but they're used differently:

Por is for:

• Cause/reason: Gracias por tu ayuda.
• Duration: Estudié por dos horas.
• Exchange: Pagué $10 por el libro.

Para is for:

• Purpose/goal: Estudio para aprender.
• Destination: Voy para Madrid.
• Deadline: Es para mañana.

6. Incorrect Verb Tense Usage

English speakers often use present tense where Spanish requires subjunctive or different past tenses:

• ❌ Espero que vienes. (I hope you come.)
• ✅ Espero que vengas.

Tip: Learn which expressions trigger the subjunctive.

7. Direct Translation of Idioms

English expressions don't translate literally:

• ❌ Tengo 25 años viejos. (I have 25 old years.)
• ✅ Tengo 25 años. (I have 25 years.)
• ❌ Estoy caliente. (I am hot - but this means something else!)
• ✅ Tengo calor. (I have heat.)

8. Forgetting the Personal "A"

When the direct object is a person, you need "a":

• ❌ Veo mi madre.
• ✅ Veo a mi madre. (I see my mother.)

Tip: Person or pet as direct object? Add "a" before them.

9. Word Order Errors

While Spanish word order is flexible, some patterns are fixed:

• Adjectives usually come after nouns: "casa grande" not "grande casa"
• Object pronouns come before conjugated verbs: "Lo quiero" not "Quiero lo"

10. Pronunciation of H and J

• **H** is always silent: "hola" sounds like "ola"
• **J** sounds like a strong English "h": "José" sounds like "Ho-say"

How to Fix These Mistakes

The best way to eliminate errors is through practice with immediate feedback. When you construct sentences and see corrections in real-time, your brain learns to avoid the same mistakes.

That's exactly what Sentence Lab is designed for—you build Spanish sentences and get instant feedback on every attempt.

Conclusion

Everyone makes these mistakes at first—they're a natural part of learning. The key is recognizing them early and practicing the correct forms until they become automatic. Don't be afraid to make errors; just keep practicing and you'll improve.

Ready to practice avoiding these common mistakes? Start learning now with interactive sentence building.