Posted by: Zero Sunday, July 27, 2014


This is my list of the top five most common mistakes made by English native speakers when learning Spanish.

Who are you talking to? 
Wrong: ¿Quién estás hablando a? 

In Spanish, we can’t use a preposition at the end of a sentence. So, ¿Quién estás hablando a? should be ¿A quién le estás hablando? I know it is hard to get used to this change, but with practice, you will surely be able to do it!

☆Who do you work for?
☑¿Para quién trabajas?
☒¿Quién trabajas para?

☆When do you need it for?
☑¿Para cuándo lo necesitas?
☒¿Cuándo lo necesitas para?

☆Where did you get this from?
☑¿De dónde sacaste eso?
☒¿Dónde sacaste eso de?
☒¿Desde dónde sacaste eso?
☒¿Dónde sacaste eso desde?

To look for  
Wrong: Mirar para

In the number 4, we have to look for. English native speakers use it a lot! However, because to look also means mirar in Spanish, it is usually confused. To look for is buscar in Spanish, and to look at is the real mirar.

☆I’m looking for my glasses.
☑Estoy buscando mis gafas.
☒Estoy mirando para mis gafas.

☆I’m looking for inner peace.
☑Estoy buscando la paz interior.
☒Estoy mirando para paz interior.

Look at my eyes when I’m talking to you!
☑¡Mírame a los ojos cuando te estoy hablando!
☒¡Mírame a mis ojos cuando estoy hablando a ti!

I’m embarrassed 
 Wrong: Estoy embarazado/a.

I have came across this mistake many times. Embarazada means pregnant in Spanish. So, it is quite weird to listen to a man saying estoy embarazado. You can use both avergonzado or apenado when meaning embarrassed, and penoso/a, or vergonzoso/a, when meaning embarrassing. Plase be careful because if you are in a embarrassing situation and you say "estoy embarazada," it will be even more embarrassing.

☆What an embarrassing situation!
☑¡Qué situación tan vergonzosa!
☒¡Qué situación tan embarazada!
☒¡Qué situación embarazada!

☆I’m truly sorry for this. I’m embarrassed.
☑Lo siento muchísimo. Estoy apenado/avergonzado.
☒Lo siento muchísimo. Estoy embarazado/a.

☆I’m pregnant! My baby will be born in approximately eight months.
☑¡Estoy embarazada! Mi bebé nacerá en ocho meses aproximadamente.
☒¡Estoy avergonzada/apenada! Mi bebé nacerá en ocho meses aproximadamente.

I’m excited
Wrong: Estoy excitado/a

This is similar to the previous one. The word excited is confused with excitado. The Spanish word excitado means to be turned on or horny. Not a good word to confuse, is it? The correct expression is estar emocionado.

☆I’m excited about my vacation!
☑¡Estoy emocionado por mis vacaciones!
☒¡Estoy excitado por mis vacaciones!
☒¡Estoy emocionado para mis vacaciones!

☆Are you excited about the trip?
☑¿Estás emocionado por el viaje?
☒¿Estás excitado por el viaje?

☆This is exciting!
☑¡Esto es emocionante!
☒¡Esto es excitante!

To move to a new house
Wrong: Moverse a una nueva casa

Finally, the last mistake that, in my opinion, is the most often confused. Moverse means to move oneself to a near pleace, for example, from your computer until your kitchen. And mudarse is to change one’s house or living place, that is, the correct word for to move to a new house.

☆I will move next month.
Me mudaré el próximo mes.
☒Me moveré el próximo mes.

☆Get a move on, man!
☑¡Muévete, hombre!
☒¡Múdate, hombre! (change the place you are living in)

☆I will move to Japan next year.
☑Me mudaré a Japón el año que viene.
☒Me moveré a Japón el año que viene.

Thank you for having read this far. I hope this entry serves as a good reference.

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{ 2 comentarios ... read them below or Comment }

  1. Muy bien explicado.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Muchas gracias por tu comentario. Me alegra que mi explicación haya sido de tu agrado.

      Delete

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