False friend«¿No estás caliente?», le preguntaste, muy amable.
Their face said it all.
You meant to ask "aren't you hot?" But "estar caliente" means to be turned on, so you politely asked if they were feeling horny.
GrammarQuerías decir «me gustas». Te salió «te gusto».
You just told them the exact opposite.
"Me gustas" = I like you. "Te gusto" = you like me. Swap them and you have just told them that they fancy you.
False friend«Estoy muy excitado con el viaje».
The word was “emocionado”. That one.
You wanted to say "I am so excited about the trip". But "excitado" means aroused, so you announced that the trip turns you on. The word you needed was "emocionado".
GrammarEn la fiesta dices: «soy aburrido».
You just confessed you're a bore.
You said "soy aburrido", which means "I am boring". You meant "estoy aburrido", "I am bored". Ser vs estar: you just called yourself dull.
GrammarDices «la problema» con toda la seguridad.
It's “el problema”. Yes, it looks like a trap.
You confidently said "la problema" (the problem). It is "el problema": masculine, despite the -a ending. Spanish loves an exception.
False friend«Estoy constipado», anuncia tu jefe a todo el equipo.
You freeze. Way too much information.
Your boss tells the whole team "estoy constipado" and you freeze: did he really just announce that he is constipated? Relax. In Spanish it only means he has a cold.
GrammarLe dices a una amiga: «estás muy guapo».
One little letter, and it falls apart.
Spanish adjectives change with gender. To a woman it is "guapa", not "guapo". One letter, and it no longer agrees.
False friend«¿No estás caliente?», le preguntaste, muy amable.
Their face said it all.
You meant to ask "aren't you hot?" But "estar caliente" means to be turned on, so you politely asked if they were feeling horny.
GrammarQuerías decir «me gustas». Te salió «te gusto».
You just told them the exact opposite.
"Me gustas" = I like you. "Te gusto" = you like me. Swap them and you have just told them that they fancy you.
False friend«Estoy muy excitado con el viaje».
The word was “emocionado”. That one.
You wanted to say "I am so excited about the trip". But "excitado" means aroused, so you announced that the trip turns you on. The word you needed was "emocionado".
GrammarEn la fiesta dices: «soy aburrido».
You just confessed you're a bore.
You said "soy aburrido", which means "I am boring". You meant "estoy aburrido", "I am bored". Ser vs estar: you just called yourself dull.
GrammarDices «la problema» con toda la seguridad.
It's “el problema”. Yes, it looks like a trap.
You confidently said "la problema" (the problem). It is "el problema": masculine, despite the -a ending. Spanish loves an exception.
False friend«Estoy constipado», anuncia tu jefe a todo el equipo.
You freeze. Way too much information.
Your boss tells the whole team "estoy constipado" and you freeze: did he really just announce that he is constipated? Relax. In Spanish it only means he has a cold.
GrammarLe dices a una amiga: «estás muy guapo».
One little letter, and it falls apart.
Spanish adjectives change with gender. To a woman it is "guapa", not "guapo". One letter, and it no longer agrees.
By earEntiendes cada palabra por separado. Juntas, ni idea.
Speed changes everything.
Every Spanish word makes sense on its own. Strung together at full speed, you catch nothing.
By earTe hablan rápido y sonríes.
Praying it wasn't a question.
They talk fast, you smile and nod, praying it was not a question.
Grammar«Estudio español por tres años».
It was “desde hace”. Time always trips you up.
You said "estudio español por tres años" for "I have studied Spanish for three years". English "for" pushes you straight to "por", but Spanish wants "desde hace tres años" if you are still studying, or "durante tres años" for a finished stretch. Never "por".
By ear«¿Mande?» «¿Cómo?» «¿Perdona?»
And you still didn't catch the sentence.
"¿Mande?", "¿Cómo?", "¿Perdona?" are three ways of saying "sorry, what?" and you still did not catch the sentence.
Grammar«¿Sabes a mi amigo Juan?»
People you “conocer”, facts you “saber”.
English has one verb, "to know". Spanish has two: "conocer" for people and places you are acquainted with, and "saber" for facts and skills. So "¿Sabes a mi amigo Juan?" asks whether you know Juan the way you know a phone number. It should be "¿Conoces a mi amigo Juan?"
OopsTuteaste al jefe de toda la empresa el primer día.
Their face said it all (again).
On day one you used the casual "tú" with the big boss of the whole company instead of the formal "usted". His face said it all.
Grammar«Soy 32», dices cuando te preguntan la edad.
You are not a number. Age is something you have.
For age, Spanish uses "tener", not "ser". You do not "are" 32, you "have" 32 years: "tengo 32 años". "Soy 32" sounds like you are a number.
By earEntiendes cada palabra por separado. Juntas, ni idea.
Speed changes everything.
Every Spanish word makes sense on its own. Strung together at full speed, you catch nothing.
By earTe hablan rápido y sonríes.
Praying it wasn't a question.
They talk fast, you smile and nod, praying it was not a question.
Grammar«Estudio español por tres años».
It was “desde hace”. Time always trips you up.
You said "estudio español por tres años" for "I have studied Spanish for three years". English "for" pushes you straight to "por", but Spanish wants "desde hace tres años" if you are still studying, or "durante tres años" for a finished stretch. Never "por".
By ear«¿Mande?» «¿Cómo?» «¿Perdona?»
And you still didn't catch the sentence.
"¿Mande?", "¿Cómo?", "¿Perdona?" are three ways of saying "sorry, what?" and you still did not catch the sentence.
Grammar«¿Sabes a mi amigo Juan?»
People you “conocer”, facts you “saber”.
English has one verb, "to know". Spanish has two: "conocer" for people and places you are acquainted with, and "saber" for facts and skills. So "¿Sabes a mi amigo Juan?" asks whether you know Juan the way you know a phone number. It should be "¿Conoces a mi amigo Juan?"
OopsTuteaste al jefe de toda la empresa el primer día.
Their face said it all (again).
On day one you used the casual "tú" with the big boss of the whole company instead of the formal "usted". His face said it all.
Grammar«Soy 32», dices cuando te preguntan la edad.
You are not a number. Age is something you have.
For age, Spanish uses "tener", not "ser". You do not "are" 32, you "have" 32 years: "tengo 32 años". "Soy 32" sounds like you are a number.
