30 Common Spanish Mistakes English Speakers Make (and What Spaniards Actually Hear)
You meant to say you were embarrassed. You told a room full of Spaniards you were pregnant. Congratulations.
I’m Mónica, a Spanish teacher from Madrid. In more than 11 years and 600+ students, I’ve heard every one of these mistakes, many times. They’re not stupid. They’re logical: your English brain translates word by word, and Spanish doesn’t work like that.
Here are the 30 most common Spanish mistakes English speakers make, grouped by type. For each one: what you say, what a Spaniard hears, and what to say instead.
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All 30 mistakes on 8 colourful pages you can stick on the fridge. Plus a little surprise inside that only lasts one day.
Spanish false friends that will get you in trouble
False friends (falsos amigos) are words that look like English but mean something else. They’re the source of the most embarrassing Spanish mistakes.
1. Estoy embarazada ≠ I’m embarrassed
A Spaniard hears: “I’m pregnant.”
Say: ¡Qué vergüenza! / Me da vergüenza.
The classic. Embarazada means pregnant. To say you’re embarrassed, use vergüenza: Qué vergüenza (how embarrassing) or Me da vergüenza (I’m embarrassed).
2. Estoy constipado ≠ I’m constipated
A Spaniard hears: “I’ve got a cold.”
Say: Estoy estreñido (if you really must).
In Spain, constipado means you have a cold. Which is a much better thing to tell your colleagues.
3. Estoy excitado ≠ I’m excited
A Spaniard hears: “I’m aroused.”
Say: ¡Qué ilusión! / Estoy emocionado.
Don’t tell your Spanish host family you’re muy excitada about dinner. Ilusión is the word you want, and it’s one of the most beautiful words in Spanish.
4. Actualmente ≠ actually
A Spaniard hears: “currently.”
Say: En realidad.
5. Librería ≠ library
A Spaniard hears: “bookshop.”
Say: Biblioteca.
You can study in a librería, but they’ll want you to buy something.
6. Éxito ≠ exit
A Spaniard hears: “Where is success?” (very philosophical).
Say: ¿Dónde está la salida?
7. Realizar ≠ to realise
A Spaniard hears: “to carry out.”
Say: Darse cuenta (Me di cuenta de que…).
8. Molestar ≠ to molest
A Spaniard hears: “to bother.”
Relax: ¿Te molesta si abro la ventana? is totally innocent.
The opposite problem: English speakers panic and avoid a perfectly normal word.
Grammar mistakes that give you away
These Spanish grammar mistakes won’t get you arrested, but they tell everyone in one sentence that you’re a guiri (a foreigner).
9. Soy aburrido vs estoy aburrido
“Soy aburrido” = I’m a boring person.
Say: Estoy aburrido (I’m bored).
Ser vs estar in one line: ser is what you are, estar is how you are right now.
10. Soy listo vs estoy listo
“Soy listo” = I’m clever (and modest).
Say: Estoy listo (I’m ready).
11. Gracias para todo vs gracias por todo
A Spaniard hears: “Thanks in order to everything.”
Say: Gracias por todo.
Por vs para, the eternal drama. Quick rule: you give thanks por something (the reason), and you do things para something (the goal).
12. Yo gusto el vino vs me gusta el vino
“Yo gusto el vino” = I’m attractive to the wine.
Say: Me gusta el vino.
In Spanish, the wine pleases you. You don’t like it. It likes you. Ok, it’s weird. Just go with it.
13. Yo, yo, yo
“Yo soy Ana. Yo vivo aquí. Yo trabajo…” = someone VERY into themselves.
Say: Soy Ana. Vivo aquí. Trabajo…
The verb already tells us who. Use yo only for emphasis.
14. Soy 30 años vs tengo 30 años
“Soy 30 años” = I am made of 30 years.
Say: Tengo 30 años.
15. Estoy frío vs tengo frío
“Estoy frío” = I’m dead. Or emotionally cold.
Say: Tengo frío (and for the weather: hace frío).
16. La problema vs el problema
A Spaniard hears: tourist alert.
Say: El problema, el tema, el día, la mano.
17. Espero que vienes vs espero que vengas
A Spaniard hears: grammar pain.
Say: Espero que vengas.
After wishes and hopes (espero que, quiero que, ojalá), Spanish uses the subjunctive. Yes, you need it. No, you can’t keep avoiding it.
18. Usted with everyone in Spain
A Spaniard hears: “Why is this person treating me like I’m 80?”
Say: ¿Quieres un café? In Spain, tú is the default.
Literal translations that don’t work in Spanish
19. Tener un buen tiempo → pasarlo bien
“Tener un buen tiempo” = to have good weather.
Say: ¡Pásalo bien! / Lo pasé genial.
20. Llamar de vuelta → devolver la llamada
“Te llamo de vuelta” = I’ll call you on my way back.
Say: Te devuelvo la llamada.
21. Aplicar para un trabajo → echar el currículum
“Aplicar” = to apply (cream).
Say: Echar el currículum / solicitar un puesto.
22. Hacer una decisión → tomar una decisión
“Hacer una decisión” = to manufacture a decision.
Say: Tomar una decisión.
23. Introducir a alguien → presentar a alguien
“Te introduzco a mi madre” = Let me insert you into my mum.
Say: Te presento a mi madre.
Please. For everyone’s sake.
24. Quiero un café → ¿me pones un café?
“Quiero un café” = a toddler ordering.
Say: ¿Me pones un café? / Un café, por favor.
Pronunciation mistakes
25. Pero vs perro
“Me encanta tu pero” = I love your “but”.
Say: Perro. Roll that r. Rrrr.
26. Papa vs papá
“Quiero mucho a mi papa” = I love my potato.
Say: Papá, with the stress at the end.
27. Años vs anos
“Tengo 30 anos” = I have 30 anuses.
Say: Años. The ñ is not decoration.
28. The h is silent
“Jola” = a cough.
Say: Ola. Always silent. Hola, hotel, hora.
Conversation mistakes
29. Freezing after “hola”
“Hola…” (silence) = the conversation is dead.
Say: ¿Qué tal? ¿Qué me cuentas? And use “pues…” to buy time.
This is the mistake I care about most. You know more Spanish than you think. You just freeze. The fix is not more vocabulary: it’s having two or three phrases ready to keep things going.
30. Waiting for your turn
In Spain, if you wait for silence to speak, you’ll never speak.
Jump in: ¡No me digas! ¡Qué fuerte! ¡Ya ves!
Talking over each other here isn’t rude. It’s love.
Want all 30 on one printable page?
Download the free PDF: 30 Spanish Mistakes That Make Locals Laugh. Stick it on the fridge, and next time, don’t freeze.
And there’s a little surprise inside. But it only lasts one day.
FAQ
What is the most common mistake English speakers make in Spanish?
Ser vs estar, and false friends like embarazada (pregnant, not embarrassed). In conversation, the biggest one is freezing after “hola” because you’re translating in your head.
Does “estoy embarazada” mean “I’m embarrassed”?
No. Estoy embarazada means “I’m pregnant”. To say you’re embarrassed, say Qué vergüenza or Me da vergüenza.
What does “constipado” mean in Spanish?
In Spain, estar constipado means having a cold. Constipated is estreñido.
Is it rude to use “usted” in Spain?
Not rude, but it can sound distant or make people feel old. In Spain, tú is normal with almost everyone, except in very formal situations.
How do I stop translating from English in my head?
Learn chunks, not single words: ¿me pones…?, pasarlo bien, qué fuerte. And practise real conversation with someone who corrects you kindly.
— Monica Bernabe Perez