Avoid These Common Mistakes While Learning Spanish

You want to learn Spanish but still sound like you know what youre doing? If so, here are 10 mistakes you can avoid in your studies: 10. Being Afraid To Make Mistakes The truth is that nobody learns a foreign language without making mistakes along the way, and thats true even with our native language. The good news is that wherever you go in the Spanish-speaking world, your sincere attempts to learn the language will almost always be appreciated, even when your grammar is inadequate and your vocabulary is less than complete. And if someone corrects one of your mistakes, take that as an opportunity to learn rather than being offended. 9. Assuming That the Textbook Knows Best Even educated people dont always talk according to the rules. Although Spanish according to the rules will almost always be understood, it can lack the texture and sincerity of Spanish as it really is spoken. Once you feel comfortable using the language, feel free to imitate the Spanish you hear in real life and ignore what your textbook (or this site) tells you. Just be aware that you may learn words on the street that may be offensive when talking in more formal situations or with people outside your peer group. 8. Ignoring Proper Pronunciation Spanish pronunciation isnt all that difficult to learn, and you should make an effort to imitate native speakers whenever possible. The most common mistakes of beginners include making the l of fà ºtbol sound like the ll in football, making the b and v sound different from each other (the sounds are identical in Spanish), and failing to trill the r. 7. Not Learning the Subjunctive Mood In English, we seldom make a distinction when verbs are in the subjunctive mood, a type of verb form usually used when not making factual statements. But the subjunctive cant be avoided in Spanish if you wish to do more than state simple facts and ask simple questions. You will be understood if you stick to the indicative mood, the one first learned by Spanish students, but youll sound like you dont care about getting verbs right. 6. Not Learning When To Use Articles Foreigners learning English often have a hard time knowing when to use or not use a, an and the, and its similar for English speakers trying to learn Spanish, where the definite articles (el, la, los, and las) and indefinite articles (un, una, unos, and unas) can be confusing and the rules often unclear. Using articles incorrectly usually wont keep you from being understood, but even when writing it will mark you as a foreigner. 5. Translating Idioms Word for Word Both Spanish and English have their share of idioms, phrases whose meanings cannot readily be determined from the meanings of the individual words. Some idioms translate exactly (for example, bajo control means under control), but many dont. For example, en el acto is an idiom meaning on the spot rather than in the act, and en efectivo means in cash rather than in effect. 4. Always Following English Word Order You can usually follow English sentence order (except for putting most adjectives after the nouns they modify) and be understood. But as youre learning the language, pay attention to the many times where the subject is placed after the verb. Changing the word order can sometimes subtly change the meaning of a sentence, and your use of the language can be enriched as you learn different word orders. Also, some English constructions, such as placing a preposition at the end of a sentence, should not be imitated in Spanish. 3. Not Learning How To Use Prepositions Prepositions can be notoriously challenging. It can be helpful to think about the purpose of the prepositions as you learn them, rather than their translations. This will help you avoid mistakes such as using pienso acerca de ti (Im thinking near you) instead of pienso en ti for Im thinking about you.. 2. Using Pronouns Unnecessarily With very few exceptions, English sentences require a subject. But in Spanish, that frequently isnt true. Where it would be understood by the context, pronoun subjects such as she, we, and it can and usually should be omitted in translation to Spanish. It usually isnt grammatically incorrect to include the pronoun, but doing so can sound clunky or give it unnecessary attention. 1. Assuming That Spanish Words That Look Like English Words Mean the Same Thing Words that have the same or similar form in both languages are known as cognates. Since Spanish and English share a large vocabulary derived from Latin, more often than not words that are alike in both languages have similar meanings. But there are plenty of exceptions, known as false friends. Youll find, for example, that embarazada usually means pregnant rather than embarrassed, and that an actual event is one that is happening now rather than one that is really happening.