Learning Spanish is quite a journey full of awesome and difficult moments, especially in terms of making mistakes. And let’s be honest, you can’t help but make mistakes when learning a new language. It’s totally normal!
But it can also be fun and embarrassing, sometimes both at the same time! Because when we say something embarrassing, other people – and even ourselves – laugh at it! It can create an awkward moment, but depending on the person we’re with, it can also be a fun one.
So check some of those funny and embarrassing mistakes people make when speaking Spanish. So you can try to avoid them! And if you can’t avoid them, laugh them off.
Estoy Embarazado / Embarazada
This is a very common mistake that people make when they’re learning Spanish. It happens a lot when a person is talking to a native Spanish speaker and this person says or does something embarrassing. So this person wants to say they feel embarrassed.
But the situation turns even more embarrassing when they end up saying “estoy embarazado” (male) or “estoy embarazada” (female). Oh no! By saying this, you’re saying you’re pregnant!
Haha we totally understand the confusion, though. Both words sound and seem similar, so it’s normal that people assume they mean the same.
Instead, you should say “estoy avergonzado / avergonzada”. So:
“Estoy embarazada” = I’m pregnant
“Estoy avergonzado” (male) or “avergonzada” (female) = I’m embarrassed
Here are some examples:
- Estoy muy cansada, porque estoy embarazada. (I’m very tired because I’m pregnant).
- ¡Le dije “mamá” a mi maestra y me sentí super avergonzado! (I call my teacher “mom”, and I felt so embarrassed!)
Estoy Caliente
Do you remember how when it’s super sunny and you’re sweating, you take off your jacket while saying “I’m hot”? Well, be careful when translating this to Spanish, because that’s when this mistake happens.
Many people say “estoy caliente” or “estoy muy caliente” to say they’re hot. When they should be saying “tengo calor” or “tengo mucho calor”. Because:
“Estoy caliente” = “I’m horny”.
“Tengo calor” = “I’m hot”.
Here are some examples:
- Estoy caliente, deberíamos besarnos. (I’m horny, we should make out).
- ¿Me puedes comprar un refresco, por favor? Es que tengo calor. (Can you buy me a soda, please? Because I’m hot).
Soy Aburrido / Aburrida
If you ever feel bored, say “estoy aburrido / aburrida”. But never say “soy aburrido / aburrida”, because you’ll be putting yourself down, as this phrase means “I’m boring”.
So, now you know what to never say to a native Spanish speaker that you’re talking to. In fact, never say it to anybody, because we bet you’re not a boring person!
It’s okay to express that you’re bored, just do it the right way. So:
“Soy aburrido” (male) or “aburrida” (female) = I’m boring
“Estoy aburrido” = I’m bored
Here are some examples:
- No sé por qué te gusto, soy aburrido. (I don’t know why you like me, I’m boring).
- Estoy aburrida, deberíamos ir a patinar sobre hielo. (I’m bored; we should go ice skating).
Soap = Sopa?
This is quite a fun and very innocent mistake! Let’s say you’re at a Spanish restaurant and you go to the bathroom there to wash your hands. When you go out you tell your guests and the staff: “¡El sopa del baño huele deliciosa!”.
You might have a different reaction than the one you expected from everyone. Because “soap” in Spanish is “jabón”, not “sopa”. What you just told everybody was that the soup in the bathroom smells delicious. Haha, honest mistake.
This is a common mistake that happens because of the false cognates. Also, let’s remember that the Spanish article for “sopa” is “la”, and for “jabón” is “el”. So:
“La sopa” = the soup
“El jabón” = the soap
Here are some examples:
- Gracias por la sopa, mamá. Me hizo sentir mejor. (Thanks for the soup, mom. It made me feel better).
- El nuevo jabón que compraste hace mucha espuma. (The new soap you bought makes a lot of foam).
Estoy Bueno / Buena
This is a common embarrassing mistake, because it can take place in the most casual or formal environments! It’s especially embarrassing if it takes place in formal situations and with formal people. When somebody asks you “how are you?” never answer “Estoy bueno / buena”.
Spanish learners often answer that when they want to say: “I’m good”. But they’re actually saying they’re sexy/hot. Oh oh! Imagine your boss asking you that and you say you’re sexy. Oops!
You should actually say: “Estoy bien” (I’m good/fine). So:
“Estoy bueno” (male) or “buena” (female) = I’m sexy
“Estoy bien” = I’m good
Here are some examples:
- Uff, estoy bueno, voy a atraer muchas miradas. (Uff, I’m sexy; I’m going to attract a lot of attention).
- Gracias por la preocupación, pero estoy bien. (Thanks for the concern, but I’m fine).
Estoy Excitado / Excitada
Here’s one of the most embarrassing mistakes in Spanish that people make. When a Spanish student wants to say they’re excited about something, they often say “estoy excitado / excitada”. Oh no! That’s a huge mistake!
By saying that, they’re saying they’re horny!
We totally get the confusion, as “excited” and “excitado” are truly very similar! But it can lead to really embarrassing situations! What you need to say is “estoy emocionado / emocionada”. So:
“Estoy excitado” = I’m horny
“Estoy emocionado” (male) or “emocionada” (female) = I’m excited
Here are some examples:
- Le dije a mi amigo que estaba excitado por haber clasificado para los Juegos Olímpicos. ¡Qué vergüenza! (I told my friend I was horny for having qualified to the Olympic Games. How embarrassing!)
- ¡Estoy muy emocionada de ver la nueva película de Superman! (I’m so excited to see the new Superman movie!)
TruFluency Will Guide You Through Your Mistakes Towards Spanish Fluency
As fun as some mistakes are, we’re sure you want to improve more in your Spanish journey. So, you should start taking some lessons. They will keep challenging your knowledge and constantly upgrading your skills. If that’s what you want, we recommend TruFluency.
We offer Spanish classes with native teachers! So you’ll learn from people that know the language in depth and with all its nuances.
What makes it better is that our lessons are customized to your language goals and needs. We’ll discuss your goals from the very first sessions and create a plan to achieve them!
Oh, and as if that weren’t enough, through our Bellieu Method we encourage students to speak in their target language in every single class!
So you’ll actually get to put into practice what you learn. And don’t worry, TruFluency classes are a safe space to make mistakes. There’s no shame in that!
We know that you’re learning. So you WILL make mistakes. But you’ll improve and grow from there! But don’t believe us, check our testimonials!
When you’re ready, take two one-hour trial classes for only $59! Then, select from our 4, 12 or 24 session packages and start your journey with us.
