Basic differences between Spanish and English

that cause great confusion among new English

language learners
1. Dropped subject pronouns. Spanish verb endings change depending on the
noun or pronoun they refer to. When the subject of a sentence can be identified
based on the verb ending, it is unnecessary to include a subject pronoun at the
beginning of the sentence. Hence many Spanish speakers fail to include a
subject pronoun when speaking English.
Spanish sentence Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
Hablo inglés. I speak English. Speak English.
Estamos cansados. We are tired. Are tired.

This error is especially common when two consecutive sentences refer to the
same subject.
Spanish sentence Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
Laura está enferma. Está Laura is sick. She is at Laura is sick. Is at home.
en casa. home.

2. Omitting It. The subject pronoun it is “understood” or assumed in Spanish.

Thus Spanish-speakers often omit it.
Spanish sentence Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
Mi carro es nuevo. Está My car is new. It is My car is new. Is broken.
roto. broken.

3. The the problem. There are four words for the in Spanish:
• lo (for singular, masculine nouns)
• la (for singular feminine nouns)
• los (for plural masculine nouns)
• las (for plural feminine nouns)
Many students don’t know that each of these words means the.

4. The you confusion

Spanish sentence Correct English translation
You are from Peru. Tú eres de Perú.
You are from Peru. Usted es de Perú.
You are from Peru. Ustedes son de Perú

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5. Confusion with do and does. Do and Does, when used to ask a question,
do not exist in Spanish. In Spanish, to change a statement to a question, you
usually either invert the subject and verb or simply raise your voice at the end of
the sentence. For this reason, questions that include do and does require lots of
practice!
Spanish sentence Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
¿Tienes un carro? Do you have a car? You have a car?

6. Incorrect negative sentences. In most cases, Spanish speakers make

sentences negative by placing no before the verb. Thus, they often do this in
English as well.
Spanish sentence Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
No puedo venir a clase I can’t come to class I no can come to class
mañana. tomorrow. tomorrow.
No estoy cansado. I am not tired. I no am tired.
No me gusta el brócoli. I don’t like broccoli. I no like broccoli.

7. Confusion about in, on, and at. In, on and at can all translate to en in
Spanish.
Spanish phrase Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
en el parque in the park
en el piso on the floor in the floor
en la tienda at the store in the store

8. Adding “s” to adjectives. In Spanish, adjectives agree with the subject in

number and gender. Thus, Spanish speakers often put an “s” on adjectives that
refer to plural nouns.
Spanish sentence Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
Los carros son blancos. The cars are white. The cars are whites.

9. Incorrect adjective placement. In Spanish, adjectives usually follow nouns.

Spanish sentence Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
El carro blanco es mío. The white car is mine. The car white is mine.

10. Incorrect use of possessive nouns. Possessive nouns don’t exist in

Spanish.
Spanish phrase Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
El carro de David David’s car The car of David

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11. Using to have instead of to be. When speaking in Spanish about your age,
you use the verb tener, to have.
Spanish sentence Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
Tengo 22 años. I am 22 years old. I have 22 years old.

Other instances in which you use tener in Spanish but to be in English include:
Spanish sentence Correct English Incorrect English
translation translation
Tengo hambre. I am hungry. (I have I have hungry.
hunger.)
Tengo sed. I am thirsty. (I have I have thirsty.
thirst.)
Tengo sueño. I am sleepy. (I have I have sleepy.
sleep.)

12. Differences in capitalization: In Spanish, days of the week, months of the

year, and foreign languages aren’t capitalized.

13. Punctuation: What’s that? For whatever reason, many students from Latin
America use serial commas between sentences or don’t use punctuation at all.
Teachers need to emphasize that punctuation is not optional.