Common mistakes in Spanish: how to avoid them

By Marta Díaz on Thursday, March 27, 2025

Making mistakes when learning a language is normal. So, if you're just starting out with Spanish, these common Spanish mistakes are familiar to you.

Learning Spanish is a challenge for many students, mainly due to the variety of grammatical rules and exceptions that exist. But don't worry, at Enforex we know that learning a new language is a long and complicated road, so here are the most common mistakes in Spanish that you should avoid as a student.

Confusing the verbs ser and estar

Unlike English, where there is only the verb “to be”, in Spanish there are two different verbs: ser and estar. Therefore, one of the most frequent errors is the incorrect use and confusion of these verbs.

The verb ser is used for permanent characteristics, while the verb estar is used for temporary or permanent states.

For example, the adjective cansado (tired). It is incorrect to say: “Soy cansado”; on the contrary, it is correct to say: “Estoy cansado” (I’m tired).

The incorrect use of por and para

Many students tend to confuse these two prepositions. The Spanish preposition an>poran>an> is used to indicate a cause or reason. On the other hand, the preposition para is used to indicate a purpose or destination:an>

• Incorrect: “Este regalo es por ti”
• Correct: “Este regalo es para ti” (This gift is for you)

However, these prepositions in Spanish are not the only ones that can be confused. It can be difficult to master this aspect of Spanish, but with practice you will get there.

For example, the verb depender (depend on) is always accompanied by the proposition de, so it is not correct to say “Depende cómo lo haces”. On the contrary, it is correct to say “Depende de cómo lo haces”.

Agreement in gender and number

In Spanish it is inevitable that nouns and adjectives agree in gender and number. For this reason, it is common for students to not correctly agree with the gender and number of many nouns and adjectives when speaking or formulating sentences. For example:

• It would be incorrect: “La problema es difícil”
• It is correct: “El problema es difícil” (The problema is difficult)

Incorrect use of verb tenses

If Spanish is characterized by anything, it is by having several verb tenses and by the fact that their conjugation is different depending on the person speaking. The use of verb tenses in Spanish can be quite a challenge and many students make the Spanish mistake of confusing them.

For example, the preterit is used for actions completed in the past, while the imperfect is used for descriptions or repetitive actions. A common mistake is: “Ayer iba al cine”. The correct form of this sentence is: “Ayer fui al cine” (I went to the cinema yesterday).

Another common mistake in Spanish is the use of the subjunctive, a verb tense used in subordinate clauses that express desire, doubt or uncertainty. It is often used incorrectly:

• Incorrect: “Espero que vengas pronto”
• Correct: “Espero que vengas pronto” (I hope you come soon)

Forgetting the articles

Another common mistake in Spanish is forgetting the definite and indefinite articles. Many students omit the articles when speaking or writing in Spanish: “Me gusta pizza”. This sentence would be incorrect as the article is missing. The correct form is: “Me gusta la pizza” (I like pizza).

Because in Spanish, nouns almost always take a definite article (el, la, los, las) or an indefinite article (un, una, unos, unas).

Use of false friends

Some Spanish words resemble words in other languages but have different meanings. In English this practice is very common, and many students make the mistake of believing that an English word has the same meaning in Spanish.

For example:

• It’s incorrect: “Estoy embarazado” (when you mean embarrassed)
• The correct form is: “Estoy avergonzado” (I’m embarrassed)

“Estar embarazado” in Spanish means being pregnant, while avergonzado is the translation for embarrassed.

Literal word-for-word translation

Spanish students often translate phrases directly from their native language, but this is a mistake. Often the meaning changes, the expression is not correct or that word simply does not exist in the language you want to use.

For example, the Spanisih expression “pasarlo bien” is very common, but often the mistake is made of saying: “He tenido un buen tiempo contigo”. When the correct expression is: “Me lo he pasado bien contigo”.

Ignoring accents in words

Spanish is a language in which accents can change the meaning of a word and its intonation. Therefore, it is necessary that you learn the basic grammatical rules to express yourself correctly or write in an orderly manner.

Orthographic accents in Spanish can make a difference in pronunciation and meaning:

• It is incorrect: “Esta en tu casa?” (without an accent on the verb and without the question mark at the beginning of the sentence)
• The correct form is: “¿Está en tu casa?” (Is he at your house?)

Avoid speaking out loud

Many students are afraid of making mistakes in Spanish and avoid speaking out loud. However, oral practice is essential for improving fluency and confidence. Speaking Spanish, even with mistakes, helps you learn faster and correct mistakes over time. Therefore, a simple way to avoid all these common mistakes in Spanish is to speak without fear with all your classmates.

Although it may seem complicated at first, learn Spanish in Spain or learn any language consists of working to study and correct the most common Spanish mistakes. Practice, patience and immersion in the language are key to improving fluency and accuracy in Spanish.