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Kateryna Velyka
Professionele leerkracht🇬🇧 Why Spanish speakers make the same English mistakes
After teaching English to Spanish-speaking students (and living in Spain 🇪🇸), here is I’ve noticed:
Different students. Different levels. Same mistakes. Every time. 😅
But the good news? We fix them!
1. ❌ “I have 20 years”
This one is a classic.
“I have 20 years” ❌
“I am 20 years old” ✔
👉 In Spanish you “have” age. In English… you just are your age. English is philosophical like that.
2. ❌ “Do you can speak English?”
English just says: pick ONE verb system please 😄
“Do you can…?” ❌
“Can you…?” ✔
👉 Modal verbs don’t like helpers. They are independent.
3. ❌ Prepositions chaos (aka English doesn’t care about logic)
depend on, not “of”
interested in, not “on”
good at, not “in”
👉 There is no rule. Only survival and repetition. 😄
4. ❌ False friends = betrayal words 😭
actually ≠ actualmente
embarrassed ≠ embarazada (this one causes panic 😅)
library ≠ librería
👉 Spanish learners quickly learn: English is not your friend here.
5. ❌ Pronunciation: “bery good English”
very → “bery”
sheet vs sh*t (danger zone 🚨)
missing final sounds
👉 English needs strong endings. Spanish prefers to relax at the end of words.
6. ❌ “How is called?”
English hears this and just… freezes 😄
“How is called?” ❌
“What is it called?” ✔
💡 What actually works (and what we do in class)
✔ we stop translating
✔ we learn phrases, not grammar trauma
✔ we repeat, repeat, repeat
✔ we accept mistakes as part of the process !
I lived in Spain and work with Spanish-speaking students all the time — so I see these patterns every day.
And honestly? We do very well with them.
Step by step, mistake by mistake… until suddenly it just clicks 💡✨
18 mei 2026 14:25
Kateryna Velyka
Taalvaardigheden
Chinees (Mandarijn), Engels, Overige, Russisch, Oekraïens
Taal die wordt geleerd
Overige
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