5 common Spanish mistakes that make you sound like a beginner
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In this episode of Coffee Break Spanish, host Anabel highlights five common mistakes that learners make when speaking Spanish, focusing on subtle but impactful errors that can make even intermediate speakers sound beginner-level. She begins by explaining that possessive adjectives like 'mi' or 'tu' are not used with body parts or personal belongings in Spanish—such as 'me duele la cabeza' instead of 'me duele mi cabeza'—because the ownership is assumed. She then covers gender agreement issues with words like 'la noche' and 'la televisión', emphasizing that while some patterns exist, memorization and exposure are key. Next, she tackles the misuse of the preposition 'a' versus 'en' for location, clarifying that 'en' is used for static locations (e.g., 'trabajo en la universidad'), while 'a' implies movement. The fourth error involves the reflexive verb 'acordarse de' versus the non-reflexive 'recordar', stressing the need for the preposition 'de' with the former. Finally, she addresses literal English translations like 'mi primo es 12 años', explaining that age is expressed with 'tener' (e.g., 'mi primo tiene 12 años') and that 'tener' is also used for sensations like 'tengo frío'. Anabel encourages listeners to be mindful of these patterns through repetition and exposure.
Do not use possessive adjectives (mi, tu, su) with body parts or personal belongings in Spanish—ownership is assumed.
Use 'en' for static locations (e.g., 'trabajo en la universidad'), not 'a', which implies movement.
Use 'acordarse de' (with 'de') for 'remember' when referring to something specific, and 'recordar' without a preposition.
Use 'tener' to express age (e.g., 'tiene 12 años') and sensations (e.g., 'tengo hambre'), not 'ser'.
Pay attention to gender agreement in Spanish—some words like 'noche' or 'televisión' don't follow the -o/-a rule and must be memorized.
Introduction to Common Spanish Mistakes
Anabel introduces the episode by outlining five common mistakes that make learners sound like beginners, emphasizing that these are core, foundational errors beyond basic grammar like ser/estar or the subjunctive.
Mistake 1: Using Possessive Adjectives with Body Parts
“If I am saying that something hurts to me, it must be my head or my hand or my leg. That's why we don't need the possessive adjective.”
Mistake 2: Incorrect Gender Agreement for Common Nouns
The episode covers gender errors with words like 'la noche' and 'la televisión', explaining that despite patterns, many common nouns don't follow the -o/-a rule and must be memorized through exposure.
Mistake 3: Misusing 'a' vs. 'en' for Location
“En is for a location where the thing or person is not moving in any direction, while a means that the thing or person is moving towards.”
Mistake 4: Confusing 'recordar' and 'acordarse de'
“If using the verb recordar with a reflexive pronoun as ¿te recuerdas? then you are saying or you are asking if you remember yourself.”
“En is for a location where the thing or person is not moving in any direction, while a means that the thing or person is moving towards.”
“If I am saying that something hurts to me, it must be my head or my hand or my leg. That's why we don't need the possessive adjective.”
“If using the verb recordar with a reflexive pronoun as ¿te recuerdas? then you are saying or you are asking if you remember yourself.”
Host
Anabel
person
tener
other
mi
other
acordarse
other
universidad
other
recordar
other
Radiolingua Limited
organization
estación
other
Coffee Break Spanish
media
noche
other
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