¿Cuáles son los errores típicos más comunes que cometen los españoles al hablar inglés?
En este post se presentan 8 de estos errores. Se parte de un ejemplo de cada error, con su corrección y una explicación del error.
Something you need to be cautious of are small “typical” errors.
In this post we are going to look at some typical Spanish L1 (first language) errors.
This post is directed at native speakers of Spanish, or people who may speak a different L1 but are also natively fluent in Spanish, since they started to learn it at a very young age.
Individuals who may speak other Romance languages like Italian or Romanian as their L1 may also have some similar problems.
If you are a TOEFL student with a different L1, be aware that your L1 will influence your English writing differently. For example, native Turkish speakers tend to have a lot of problems with the correct usage of “A” and “The.”
The sentences listed below are real errors from real students collected over about a week, and the other errors have been collected over years of teaching Spanish L1 students.
Most of these sentences have various errors, but the “typical” Spanish error will be in bold and that will be the one we look at and explain.
1. Some people believe that people have a different way of behave when traveling than staying at home.
✅ Correction:
Some people believe that people behave differently when traveling than when they are at home.
A little less natural would be: Some people believe that people have a different behavior when traveling than when they are at home.
📌 Explicación:
En español decimos: “Tener una manera diferente de actuar”.
Este error es una traducción estructural directa. «Way of behave» intenta describir un “método”, por lo que debemos usar el sustantivo «behavior».
📝 Ejemplos similares:
- Behave in a different way → differently
- In a natural way → naturally
- In a complete way → completely
- In a fashion way → fashionably
2. a. I wanted to see how they live the dictatorship of Fidel Castro.
b. You live more the place where you stay.
c. The student who lives outside the campus, live the city more.
✅ Corrections:
- a. I wanted to see how they experience living under Fidel Castro’s dictatorship.
- b. You experience the place you live at better than…
- c. The student who lives off campus, experiences the city more.
📌 Explicación:
“To live” es el acto de residir en un lugar.
“Vivir una experiencia” se traduce como “to experience”.
“To stay” implica permanecer en un lugar por poco tiempo.
3. a. I can study while taking a Coca Cola.
b. The women should take a coffee instead of taking a nap.
c. When did you take lunch today?
✅ Corrections:
- a. I can study while drinking Coca Cola.
- b. The women should have a/drink coffee instead of taking a nap.
- c. When did you have lunch today?
📌 Explicación:
En inglés no usamos “take” para comida o bebida, salvo para llevarla (takeaway).
Usamos “drink” o “have” para bebidas y “eat” o “have” para alimentos.
4. The museum is at the north of Spain.
✅ Correction:
The museum is in northern Spain.
📌 Explicación:
“At the north” implica un punto específico. Para hablar de una región general, se usa “in northern Spain”.
5. The cooker was a famous cooker called Juan.
✅ Correction:
The chef was a famous cook called Juan.
📌 Explicación:
- Cooker → es un electrodoméstico.
- Cook → persona que cocina.
- Chef → cocinero profesional con prestigio.
6. a. The crisis avoids the entry into the enterprise of employers.
b. They give animals anesthesia to avoid the pain.
✅ Corrections:
- a. The financial downturn / the economic recession limits the entry of employees into that company.
- b. They give animals anesthesia to limit their pain.
📌 Explicación:
- “Crisis” necesita un adjetivo para ser más claro.
- “Avoid” es evitar (mantenerse alejado), mientras que “limit” es restringir.
- “Enterprise” es el nombre de una nave (Star Trek); la palabra adecuada es “company”.
- “Employers” son quienes ofrecen empleo, “employees” quienes lo aceptan.
7. The economical problems cause Spain not to grow.
✅ Correction:
The economic problems have caused Spain not to grow.
📌 Explicación:
- Economical → algo eficiente en coste (ahorrativo).
- Economic → relacionado con la economía (adjetivo de economy).
8. We practice sports together.
✅ Correction:
We play sports together.
📌 Explicación:
“Practice” se usa para habilidades que se perfeccionan con técnica (piano, tiro, guitarra).
Para deportes recreativos o habituales, usamos “play”.
