Common Spanish Mistakes

Top errors English speakers make. Personal a, ser vs estar, gender agreement.

Top mistakes English speakers make

1. Using "ser" for location

Location = ESTAR, not ser

Madrid es en España.
Madrid está en España. ✓
¿Dónde es el banco?
¿Dónde está el banco? ✓

2. Translating "to be" as one verb

English has one "to be" — Spanish has two + tener

I am tall = Soy alto. (ser — trait)
I am tired = Estoy cansado. (estar — state)
I am hungry = Tengo hambre. (tener — sensation)

3. Wrong gender agreement

Everything must agree: article + noun + adjective

El problema es malo. — Wait, this is correct! (problema is masculine)
La sistema es buena. ✗ → El sistema es bueno. ✓
El agua frio. ✗ → El agua fría. ✓ (agua is feminine despite "el")

4. Forgetting personal "a"

Direct object = human → needs "a"

Veo mi madre. ✗ → Veo a mi madre. ✓
Llamo María. ✗ → Llamo a María. ✓
Veo la casa. ✓ — things don't need personal "a"

5. Literal "it" translation

Spanish often drops "it" — the verb ending says enough

Ello es importante. ✗ → Es importante. ✓
Ello llueve. ✗ → Llueve.
"It" as direct object: ¿El libro? Lo tengo. (I have it.)

6. Word-for-word translation of phrasal verbs

English phrasal verbs don't translate literally

To look for ≠ mirar parabuscar
To look after ≠ mirar despuéscuidar
To turn off ≠ girar fueraapagar
To get up ≠ obtener arribalevantarse

Quick quiz

1. "Madrid is in Spain" = Madrid _____ en España.

2. "I am hungry" = _____ hambre.

3. "I see my mother" = Veo _____ mi madre.

4. "It's important" = _____ importante.

5. "The system is good" = _____ sistema es bueno.

6. "To look for" = _____.

7. "I am tired" = _____ cansado.

8. "El agua" is _____ despite using "el".

9. "It's raining" = _____.

10. "To turn off" = _____.

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