Common Mistakes Spanish Speakers Make in English

If you translate literally from Spanish to English, you might end up saying things that sound funny or incorrect. Here are some of the most common mistakes Spanish speakers make—and how to fix them!

1. «I have 30 years» ❌ → «I am 30 years old» ✅

In Spanish, you say «Tengo 30 años», but in English, you don’t «have» years—you are a certain age!

✅ She is 25 years old.
(Ella tiene 25 años.)

2. «I have cold» ❌ → «I am cold» ✅

Just like age, in English, we use «to be» for temperature feelings, not «to have.»

✅ I am cold!
(¡Tengo frío!)

✅ She is hot, so she opened the window.
(Ella tiene calor, así que abrió la ventana.)

3. «It has sense» ❌ → «It makes sense» ✅ (Yes, it’s correct!)

Many Spanish speakers say «Has sentido» instead of «It makes sense» when speaking English. The correct phrase is «It makes sense», not «It has sense».

✅ Your explanation makes sense.
(Tu explicación tiene sentido.)

4. «People is nice» ❌ → «People are nice» ✅

The word «people» is plural, not singular, so it needs «are» instead of «is.»

✅ People are friendly in this city.
(La gente es amable en esta ciudad.)

5. «I said him no» ❌ → «I told him no» ✅

In English, we «say something» but «tell someone».

✅ I told her the truth.
(Le dije la verdad.)

✅ She said she was tired.
(Ella dijo que estaba cansada.)

6. «I am agree» ❌ → «I agree» ✅

In English, «agree» is a verb, not an adjective, so we don’t use «am» with it.

✅ I agree with you.
(Estoy de acuerdo contigo.)

7. «More bigger» ❌ → «Bigger» ✅

Never say «more bigger»—in English, adjectives like «big» already have a comparative form.

✅ This house is bigger than mine.
(Esta casa es más grande que la mía.)

✅ This book is more interesting than the other one.
(Este libro es más interesante que el otro.)

8. «I lost the bus» ❌ → «I missed the bus» ✅

In English, we use «miss» for transport (buses, trains, planes), not «lose.»

✅ I missed the bus this morning.
(Perdí el autobús esta mañana.)

✅ I lost my keys.
(Perdí mis llaves.)

9. «She explained me the problem» ❌ → «She explained the problem to me» ✅

In English, «explain» needs «to» before the person.

✅ She explained the rules to us.
(Ella nos explicó las reglas.)

10. «I think in you» ❌ → «I think about you» ✅

In English, we «think about» something or someone, not «think in.»

✅ I was thinking about my childhood.
(Estaba pensando en mi infancia.)

Final Tip: Think in English!

Instead of translating everything literally, try to think in English. Read, listen, and practice speaking every day! Have you ever made one of these mistakes?

Written by Aimee Wilkinson, Principal at The Harrogate International Academy