Have you ever needed to express your decision-making process in Spanish? Whether you're deciding what to order at a restaurant, choosing a career path, or making important life choices, knowing how to talk about making decisions in Spanish is essential for effective communication. Today, we'll explore the key vocabulary, verbs, and expressions that Spanish speakers use when making and discussing decisions.
The foundation of expressing decisions in Spanish starts with knowing the right verbs. Here are the most important ones you'll need:
This is the most direct verb for expressing decisions in Spanish.
Hoy he decidido hacer unas compras por el centro de la ciudad.
Today I've decided to do some shopping in the city's downtown.
Caption 2, Raquel Haciendo compras
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You can conjugate it in different tenses depending on when the decision was or will be made:
He decidido estudiar medicina. (I have decided to study medicine.)
Decidimos irnos de vacaciones este verano. (We decided to go on vacation this summer.)
Decidirán mañana quién será el nuevo gerente. (They will decide tomorrow who will be the new manager.)
When selecting between alternatives, "optar" is a perfect choice.
y los colegios han tenido que optar por el aprendizaje virtual
and schools have had to opt for virtual learning
Caption 37, El coronavirus Efectos y consecuencias
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This verb is typically followed by "por":
Optamos por quedarnos en casa. (We opted to stay home.)
Ha optado por un estilo de vida saludable. (He/She has opted for a healthy lifestyle.)
Opté por no decir nada en ese momento. (I chose not to say anything at that moment.)
"Elegir" is used when selecting from multiple options.
Eligieron esta vía porque el banco dispone de almacenes,
They chose this route because the bank has warehouses,
Caption 26, Los Reporteros Sembrar, comer, tirar - Part 3
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Let's see 'elegir' in action across different time frames:
Elegí el vestido rojo para la fiesta. (I chose the red dress for the party.)
Ellos eligieron un destino diferente. (They chose a different destination.)
Elegiremos al ganador la próxima semana. (We'll choose the winner next week.)
Beyond single verbs, Spanish offers many expressions for discussing decision-making processes:
tomé la decisión hace tiempo de reformar la terraza,
I made the decision some time ago to remodel the terrace,
Caption 33, Soledad El insomnio - Part 2
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This expression is widely used in both personal and professional contexts:
Tomé la decisión de mudarme a otro país. (I made the decision to move to another country.)
Tenemos que tomar una decisión pronto. (We have to make a decision soon.)
Han tomado la decisión de cerrar la empresa. (They have made the decision to close the company.)
Has hecho una buena elección.
You've made a good choice.
Caption 67, Fermín y Manuel El pasado - Part 1
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Let's see how to use this expression:
Hice una elección difícil pero necesaria. (I made a difficult but necessary choice.)
Tendremos que hacer una elección entre las dos opciones. (We'll have to make a choice between the two options.)
This phrase is perfect for decisions still in progress:
No me vengás con el cuento que estás pensando en trabajar,
Don't come to me with that story that you're thinking about working,
Caption 17, La Sucursal del Cielo Capítulo 3 - Part 4
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Notice how this expression works in practice:
Estoy pensando en comprar un coche nuevo. (I'm thinking about buying a new car.)
Estamos pensando en cambiarnos de casa. (We're thinking about moving houses.)
Sometimes we're uncertain about what to choose. Here's how to express that:
Estoy indeciso entre estudiar medicina o ingeniería. (I'm undecided between studying medicine or engineering.)
Están indecisas sobre qué película ver. (They are undecided about which movie to watch.)
No puedo decidirme entre el azul o el verde. (I can't decide between blue or green.)
No se pueden decidir todavía. (They can't decide yet.)
When a choice has been made, these expressions come in handy:
Hemos llegado a la conclusión de que necesitamos más personal. (We've reached the conclusion that we need more staff.)
He tomado la determinación de seguir adelante con el proyecto. (I've made the determination to move forward with the project.)
Now you have the essential vocabulary and expressions to discuss making decisions in Spanish! From the initial thought process with "estar pensando en," to the moment of choice with "decidir" or "elegir," to expressing your final decision with "he tomado la decisión," you're equipped to navigate decision-related conversations with confidence.
Remember that like in any language, context is key. The formality of your situation might determine which expressions are most appropriate. In casual settings with friends, you might simply say "Creo que voy a..." (I think I'm going to...), while in business contexts, more formal expressions like "Hemos determinado que..." (We have determined that...) might be more suitable.
Don't forget to send us your questions and comments about decision-making vocabulary in Spanish!
Are you struggling with Spanish despite studying diligently? You're not alone. Common Spanish mistakes plague learners at all levels, from beginners to nearly-fluent speakers. In this comprehensive guide, we'll examine 13 of the most frequent errors English speakers make when learning Spanish, with clear examples of incorrect and correct usage. By understanding these common Spanish mistakes, you'll avoid embarrassing situations and sound more like a native speaker.
One of the most frequent Spanish grammar mistakes is directly translating "I am 30 years old" to Spanish. While in English we use the verb "to be" to express age, in Spanish we use the verb tener (to have).
❌ Incorrect: Yo soy 30 años. ["I am 30 years old." (literally: "I am 30 years.")]
✅ Correct: Yo tengo 30 años. ["I am 30 years old." (literally: "I have 30 years.")]
This mistake happens because in English we say "I am [age]," but in Spanish, you literally say "I have [age] years."
Hola, yo me llamo Miguel. Tengo veinte años y estudio composición.
Hi, my name is Miguel. I'm twenty years old and I study composition.
Captions 5-6, Amigos D.F. Consejos para la calle
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✏️ Related lesson: "Todo sobre los cumpleaños (All About Birthdays) in Spanish"
English speakers often use the present continuous tense to describe ongoing situations that started in the past. This is one of the common Spanish mistakes with tenses.
❌ Incorrect: Estoy viviendo aquí por 3 años. ["I am living here for 3 years."]
✅ Correct: He vivido aquí por 3 años. / Vivo aquí desde hace 3 años. ["I have lived here for 3 years." / "I have been living here for 3 years."]
When referring to an action that began in the past and continues into the present, Spanish prefers the present perfect ("he vivido") or a present tense construction with "desde hace."
Soy mariachi, soy papá, soy músico y vivo aquí desde hace veinte años en Alemania,
I'm a mariachi musician, I'm a dad, I'm a musician, and I've lived here in Germany for twenty years,
Captions 3-4, Hispanoamericanos en Berlín Fernando y el mariachi
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✏️ Related lesson: "The Present Perfect In Spanish"
Collective nouns like gente (people) are singular in Spanish, even though they refer to multiple individuals.
❌ Incorrect: La gente son amables. ["The people are nice." (incorrectly using plural verb with singular collective noun)]
✅ Correct: La gente es amable. ["The people are nice." (literally: "The people is nice.")]
Remember that agreement must be maintained both with the verb and any adjectives that follow.
la gente es superhospitalaria,
the people are super hospitable,
Caption 72, Adriana y Laura Mijas
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✏️ Related lesson: "Grammatical Agreement in Spanish"
This is a frequent error made by English speakers because of the way we think about remembering in English.
❌ Incorrect: Me recuerdo de mi infancia. ["I remember myself of my childhood." (incorrect reflexive usage)]
✅ Correct: Me acuerdo de mi infancia. / Recuerdo mi infancia. ["I remember my childhood." (two correct ways to express remembering)]
The confusion stems from the fact that in English, we say "I remember," which might lead learners to translate it directly as me recuerdo. However, in Spanish, there are two distinct verbs: acordarse (reflexive, requiring "me acuerdo de") and recordar (non-reflexive, simply recuerdo). The incorrect form "me recuerdo" combines elements of both verbs incorrectly.
Pero ya no recuerdo cuándo fue la última vez que estuvimos juntos viendo un partido.
But now I don't remember when the last time was that we were together watching a game.
Captions 6-7, Fermín y Manuel El pasado - Part 1
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✏️ Related lesson: "35 Spanish Phrasal Verbs"
Many Spanish learners struggle with irregular past participles, often applying regular verb patterns to irregular verbs.
❌ Incorrect: He ponido mis llaves en la mesa. ["I have putted my keys on the table." (incorrect participle)]
✅ Correct: He puesto mis llaves en la mesa. ["I have put my keys on the table." (correct participle)]
Spanish has many irregular past participles that don't follow the standard -ado/-ido pattern. Common mistakes include saying ponido instead of puesto (to put), hacido instead of hecho (to do/make), abrido instead of abierto (to open), and escribido instead of escrito (to write).
Entonces, a las chicas les hemos puesto una flor,
So, we've put a flower on the girls,
Caption 98, Amaya Evento
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✏️ Related lesson: "The Different Uses of the Word Hecho in Spanish"
Prepositions rarely translate directly between languages, creating common Spanish mistakes for English speakers.
❌ Incorrect: Voy en España. ["I'm going in Spain." (incorrect preposition)]
✅ Correct: Voy a España. ["I'm going to Spain."]
In Spanish, en indicates location (being in a place), while a indicates movement or direction (going to a place).
Pues, me voy a Barcelona.
Well, I'm going to Barcelona.
Caption 7, El Aula Azul Conversación: Planes de fin de semana
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✏️ Related lesson: "The Preposition a in Spanish"
This is perhaps one of the most notorious common Spanish mistakes that English speakers make. Both por and para can be translated as "for" in English, but they have different uses in Spanish.
❌ Incorrect: Gracias para la cena. (When thanking someone) ["Thanks by the dinner." (incorrect preposition)]
✅ Correct: Gracias por la cena. ["Thanks for the dinner."]
The correct preposition to use when expressing gratitude in Spanish is por, not para. This is because por is used to indicate reason or cause - you're thanking someone because of the dinner they provided. Por expresses the reason behind your gratitude, while para would incorrectly suggest purpose or destination. In Spanish, we always say "gracias por..." when expressing thanks for something someone has done or given.
Gracias por la toalla.
Thank you for the towel.
Caption 12, Mónica El baño
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✏️ Related lesson: "Por vs. Para: How and When to Use These Spanish Prepositions"
Another common preposition mistake involves thinking "about" something.
❌ Incorrect: Estoy pensando sobre mi futuro. ["I am thinking on/about my future." (incorrect preposition)]
✅ Correct: Estoy pensando en mi futuro. ["I am thinking about my future."]
While sobre does mean about in some contexts, with verbs like pensar, the correct preposition is en.
Yo "estaba en las nubes", pensando en la tortilla que me iba a comer después.
I "was in the clouds" thinking about the tortilla that I was going to eat later.
Captions 48-49, Beatriz Expresiones relacionadas con el clima
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✏️ Related lesson: "The Preposition en in Spanish"
False friends (or falsos amigos) are words that look similar in both languages but have different meanings, causing frequent Spanish language errors.
❌ Incorrect: Estoy embarazada por tu pregunta. ["I am pregnant because of your question." (false friend mix-up)]
✅ Correct: Estoy avergonzada por tu pregunta. ["I am embarrassed by your question."]
Embarazada means "pregnant," not "embarrassed"! The correct word for feeling embarrassed is avergonzado/a.
✏️ Related lesson: "Top 10 False Cognates in Spanish"
This is a classic false cognate trap that English speakers often fall into when speaking Spanish.
❌ Incorrect: Realizé mi error. ["I carried out/fulfilled my error." (false cognate mistake)]
✅ Correct: Me di cuenta de mi error. ["I realized my error." (correct expression for becoming aware)]
The Spanish verb realizar means "to carry out," "to fulfill," or "to make real," not "to realize" in the sense of becoming aware of something. When you want to express that you've realized or become aware of something, use "darse cuenta de" instead.
Mire, yo me di cuenta de algo muy importante,
Look, I realized something very important,
Caption 13, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 5 - Part 11
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✏️ Related lesson: "Darse Cuenta: The Real "Realize""
English speakers often mix up these two words for expressing "very" and "much" in Spanish, creating common Spanish grammar mistakes.
❌ Incorrect: Tengo muy calor. / Estoy mucho cansado. ["I have very heat." (incorrect intensifier) / "I am much tired." (incorrect intensifier)]
✅ Correct: Tengo mucho calor. / Estoy muy cansado. ["I'm very hot" / "I am very tired"]
Remember that muy modifies adjectives and adverbs (muy cansado), while mucho can be an adjective itself (mucho calor) or can modify verbs (estudia mucho).
"Llevo un mes durmiendo fatal y estoy muy cansado".
"I've been sleeping horribly for a month, and I'm very tired."
Caption 47, Fermín y Manuel El verbo "llevar" - Part 2
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✏️ Related lesson: "Muy vs. Mucho in Spanish"
Some basic expressions in Spanish are constructed completely differently than in English.
❌ Incorrect: Estoy caliente. ["I am hot." (but with sexual connotations)]
✅ Correct: Tengo calor. ["I have heat." (meaning "I am hot" temperature-wise)]
In Spanish, you "have" sensations rather than "being" them. "Estoy caliente" would be understood as "I'm aroused," not "I'm hot temperature-wise."
Tenemos mucho calor.
We are very hot.
Caption 26, El Aula Azul Estados de ánimo
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✏️ Related lesson: "Idiomatic Expressions with The Verb Tener"
The distinction between ser and estar remains one of the most challenging aspects of Spanish, even for advanced learners.
❌ Incorrect: Soy aburrido. ["I am boring." (permanent characteristic)]
✅ Correct: Estoy aburrido. ["I am bored." (temporary state)]
Ser refers to permanent characteristics, while estar refers to temporary states or conditions.
Yo estoy aburrido y usted es... como tener una carga encima.
I'm tired of you, and you are... like having a weight on my shoulders.
Captions 66-67, Confidencial: Broma pesada Capítulo 2 - Part 7
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✏️ Related lesson: "Ser vs. Estar: An Easy Trick for Using These Verbs"
Being aware of these common Spanish mistakes will help you sound more natural and fluent in Spanish. Remember that making errors is a natural part of the language learning process – even native speakers sometimes make these mistakes! The key is to recognize them and gradually incorporate the correct forms into your speech and writing.
Practice identifying these errors in your own Spanish, and don't be afraid to ask native speakers for feedback. With time and attention, you'll avoid these common Spanish mistakes and develop more authentic, confident Spanish communication skills.
Which common mistake are you making when speaking in Spanish? Please, send us your comments and suggestions!
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