Every learner has a story. Spaniards will laugh, but with you, not at you. Still, it’s nice to choose which mistakes you make.
The 11 most embarrassing ones
| You say | It means | Say instead |
|---|---|---|
| Estoy caliente | I’m horny | Tengo calor |
| Estoy bueno / buena | I’m hot (sexy) | Estoy bien |
| Estoy embarazado/a | I’m pregnant | Me da vergüenza |
| Estoy excitado/a | I’m aroused | Estoy emocionado/a / ¡Qué ilusión! |
| Tengo hombre | I have a man | Tengo hambre (I’m hungry) |
| Tengo 30 anos | I have 30 anuses | Tengo 30 años (the ñ matters!) |
| ¿Puedo coger el autobús? (in Mexico) | vulgar in Mexico/Argentina | tomar el autobús (Latin America); in Spain coger is fine |
| Polla (in Spain) | vulgar word for penis | pollo = chicken (watch the ending!) |
| Estoy listo/a vs soy listo/a | I’m ready vs I’m clever | know which one you mean |
| Soy aburrido/a | I’m a boring person | Estoy aburrido/a (I’m bored) |
| Papa vs papá | potato (LatAm) / Pope vs dad | papá = dad |
Why ser vs estar causes so many laughs
Some adjectives change meaning with ser and estar:
- Ser listo = to be clever / estar listo = to be ready
- Ser aburrido = to be boring / estar aburrido = to be bored
- Ser rico = to be rich / estar rico = to be tasty (or, of a person, attractive)
- Ser malo = to be bad (a bad person) / estar malo = to be ill
See also: 15 Spanish false friends, Spanish swear words explained and how to stop freezing when you speak.
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What does “estoy caliente” mean?
It means “I’m horny”. To say you’re hot because of the weather, say “tengo calor”.
How do you say “I’m hot” in Spanish?
“Tengo calor” (I feel hot) or “hace calor” (it’s hot weather).
Is coger a bad word?
In Spain it means to take or catch and is totally normal. In Mexico and Argentina it’s vulgar slang for sex.
What does “estoy bueno” mean?
“I’m hot/sexy”. To say you’re fine, say “estoy bien”.
Why is the ñ important in años?
Because “años” means years and “anos” means anuses. “Tengo 30 años” is what you want.
— Monica Bernabe Perez
$20 symbolic price · 30 minutes · with Mónica
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