Common Mistakes English Speakers Make When Learning Spanish

English and Spanish share a lot of vocabulary, which is a huge advantage. It is also the source of the most persistent errors. Most mistakes are not random: they follow patterns that you can recognise. Below are six of the most common, the reason behind each one, and a practice habit to fix it.

Mistake 1: Trusting false friends

A false friend (falso amigo) is a word that looks like an English word but means something different. Some of the most common examples are listed below. The fix is simple: when a Spanish word looks familiar, check its meaning before you use it.

• Embarazada means pregnant, not embarrassed. Say “avergonzado” for embarrassed.
• Actualmente means currently, not actually. For “actually”, say “en realidad”.
• Soportar means to tolerate or endure, not to support. For “support”, say “apoyar”.
• Asistir means to attend, not to assist. For “assist”, say “ayudar”.

Mistake 2: Using the wrong verb for “to be”

Many learners know ser and estar exist but still choose the wrong one. A reliable check is to ask yourself whether you are describing a permanent quality or a temporary state. For a full explanation, see the article on ser and estar.

Mistake 3: Mixing up saber and conocer

English uses “to know” for both facts and people, but Spanish separates them. Use “saber” for facts, information, and skills. Use “conocer” for people, places, and things you have experienced. When “conocer” is followed by a person, add the personal “a”.

• Sé la respuesta. (I know the answer.)
• Sé nadar. (I know how to swim.)
• Conozco a tu hermana. (I know your sister.)
• Conozco Barcelona muy bien. (I know Barcelona very well.)

Mistake 4: Confusing por and para

Both words are often translated as “for”, which is why learners struggle. A useful way to remember is: “para” points forward to a destination, purpose, recipient, or deadline. “Por” points to a cause, a route, an exchange, or a duration.

• Para: recipient (un regalo para ti), destination (voy para casa), deadline (para mañana)
• Por: cause (por la lluvia), route (pasar por el parque), exchange (pagué diez euros por el libro), duration (por dos horas)

Mistake 5: Forgetting that gustar works backwards

In English you say “I like pizza”, so the subject is the person. In Spanish, “gustar” is like saying “pizza is pleasing to me”. The thing you like is the grammatical subject, so the verb agrees with it. This is why it is “me gusta el café” but “me gustan los libros”.

• Me gusta la música. (I like music.)
• Me gustan los perros. (I like dogs.)
• Le gusta bailar. (He/she likes dancing.)
• ¿Te gustan las películas de terror? (Do you like horror films?)

Mistake 6: Translating English word order word for word

Spanish allows much freer word order than English, and it often places the verb or the emphasised element in a different position. Problems arise when learners put adjectives in front of nouns out of habit. In Spanish, most descriptive adjectives come after the noun.

• Una casa grande (a big house), not una grande casa
• El coche rojo (the red car), not el rojo coche
• Un restaurante bueno y barato (a good, cheap restaurant)

Some adjectives come before the noun, especially very common ones like “buen”, “mal”, “gran”, “primer”, and “último”. You will learn them naturally with practice: “un buen amigo”, “el primer día”.

A simple practice habit

Pick the two mistakes that you make most often. For each one, write three sentences about your own life, then read them out loud. Over a few weeks, you will start to notice the correct form before you say the wrong one. Native speakers notice effort, not perfection, and this habit makes your progress visible.