Common Grammar Mistakes by Spanish Speakers in English

CEFR B1-B2 • Grammar • The 15 most frequent errors and the patterns behind them

Why these errors are predictable

Spanish and English share enough grammar that you can get fluent fast — but the mismatches are concentrated in a small number of patterns. Knowing the common errors saves you years of confusing feedback. This page covers the 15 most frequent grammar mistakes by native Spanish speakers writing English, with the underlying reason for each. Most of them are visible in business emails, code reviews, and meeting notes.

Error 1: "I have 5 years" → "I have 5 years OF"

Spanish "tengo 5 años de experiencia" → direct translation drops "of."

"I have 5 years experience"

"I have 5 years of experience"

Error 2: "Make a question" → "Ask a question"

"Hacer una pregunta" → directly translates to "make" but English uses "ask."

"I want to make a question about the proposal."

"I want to ask a question about the proposal."

Error 3: "Have/has" vs "have got"

Spanish "tener años" works literally for age. English uses "be" for age.

"She has 30 years." ("Ella tiene 30 años.")

"She is 30 years old."

Error 4: "Since" + present

Spanish "trabajo aquí desde 2022" uses present tense. English requires present perfect with "since."

"I work here since 2022."

"I have worked here since 2022." or "I have been working here since 2022."

Error 5: "I am agree"

Spanish "estoy de acuerdo" uses "estar" (be). English "agree" is itself a verb — no "am" needed.

"I am agree with the plan."

"I agree with the plan."

Error 6: "Explain me" / "Tell me about"

Spanish "explícame" → direct translation drops the preposition.

"Can you explain me the process?"

"Can you explain the process to me?" or "Can you walk me through the process?"

Note: "Tell me" works without "to" — but "explain" always needs "to me." The rule depends on the specific verb.

Error 7: "I have a doubt"

Spanish "tengo una duda" = "I have an uncertainty" (= I have a question). In English, "doubt" implies "I do not believe you."

"I have a doubt about the timeline."

"I have a question about the timeline."

Error 8: "Actually" vs "currently"

Spanish "actualmente" = "currently" or "right now." English "actually" = "in fact" (used to correct or clarify).

"Actually, I am working on the report." (you mean "currently")

"Currently, I am working on the report." or "I am currently working on the report."

Error 9: "People is" → "People are"

Spanish "la gente" is grammatically singular ("la gente está"). English "people" is plural.

"People is excited about the launch."

"People are excited about the launch."

Error 10: Article overuse before "the"

Spanish uses articles before abstract nouns ("la vida es difícil"). English drops them.

"The life is difficult in startups."

"Life is difficult in startups."

"I love the music." (you mean music in general)

"I love music."

Error 11: "Make/do"

Spanish "hacer" covers both English "make" and "do." Choosing wrong is the hallmark Spanish-speaker English error.

Use "do"	Use "make"
do work, do homework, do business, do a favor	make a decision, make a plan, make money
do exercise, do the dishes	make a mistake, make a mess, make sense
do research, do an analysis	make a presentation, make a deal, make progress

"I will make my work tomorrow."

"I will do my work tomorrow."

"We did a decision."

"We made a decision."

Error 12: "Sensible" vs "sensitive"

"Sensible" in Spanish = "sensitive" in English. The English word "sensible" means "practical." Classic false friend.

"He is very sensible to criticism."

"He is very sensitive to criticism."

Error 13: "Assist" vs "attend"

Spanish "asistir a una reunión" = "attend a meeting." English "assist" = "help."

"I will assist the meeting tomorrow."

"I will attend the meeting tomorrow."

Error 14: Adjective placement

Spanish puts most adjectives AFTER the noun ("la casa grande"). English puts them BEFORE.

"It is a contract big and complex."

"It is a big and complex contract."

Error 15: "Last" vs "latest"

Spanish "el último" can mean either "final" or "most recent." English distinguishes:

Word	Meaning	Example
Last	Final, no more after	"This is my last day at Acme."
Latest	Most recent	"Have you read the latest report?"

"Have you read the last report?" (you mean most recent)

"Have you read the latest report?"

Listen to the corrections

Click each to hear the correct version with natural rhythm.

"I have five years of experience at this company."

"Could you walk me through the proposal? I have a question about the timeline."

"I have been working on the migration since Monday."

"People are excited about the launch — we made the right decision."

"I will attend the meeting at 3 PM and discuss the latest results."

Quick self-test

Identify the error in each sentence:

1. "I am agree with the timeline."

Fix: "I agree with the timeline." (No "am" before "agree.")

2. "She has 28 years."

Fix: "She is 28 years old." (Use "be" for age in English.)

3. "Can you explain me the rollback?"

Fix: "Can you explain the rollback to me?" or "Can you walk me through the rollback?"

4. "I work here since 2021."

Fix: "I have worked here since 2021." (Present perfect with "since.")

5. "Actually, I am working on the migration."

Fix: "Currently, I am working on the migration." ("Actually" means "in fact" in English.)

Practice: Test yourself

Tap each question to reveal the answer.

Where to go next

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