The 10 Most Common English Mistakes Spanish Professionals Make
Speaking English at work can be the difference between landing an international project and losing it, between leading a meeting with clients in London and staying silent while other people make the decisions. Yet even Spanish professionals with an advanced level of English keep making the same mistakes again and again — mistakes that immediately give away the Spanish speaker and, more importantly, undermine credibility in business contexts.
This article walks through the 10 most frequent mistakes we hear every week in our professional English classes, with real examples and fixes you can apply today. If your goal is to improve your English for work and project the image of a global professional, this is your go-to guide.
Why these mistakes happen, and why fixing them matters
Most of these errors aren’t about vocabulary; they’re about Spanish interference. We translate literally, apply Spanish grammatical structures and carry over pronunciation habits learned at school. They’re fossilised mistakes. The kind that don’t disappear without conscious effort and, above all, without spoken practice with native teachers.
In professional contexts, these small slips have a real cost: they confuse listeners, suggest a lack of precision, and at worst create misunderstandings that cost contracts. The good news is that almost all of them can be corrected with awareness and repetition.
The 10 most common mistakes
- Confusing “actually” with “currently”
Actually means “in fact” or “in reality”, not “at the present time”. For that, use currently or at the moment.
❌ Wrong: Actually, I work for a fintech in Madrid.
✅ Right: Currently, I work for a fintech in Madrid.
- Saying “I have 30 years” instead of “I am 30”
Spanish uses the verb tener (“to have”) for age, but English uses to be. It’s one of the first errors that gives away a Spanish speaker in an interview or introduction.
❌ Wrong: I have 35 years and 10 years of experience.
✅ Right: I am 35 years old and I have 10 years of experience.
- Adding an “e” sound to words starting with “s + consonant”
“Spain” isn’t pronounced “Espain”, and “Spanish” isn’t “Espanish”. In English, words beginning with sp-, st-, sk-, sm- don’t take a supporting vowel. Practise: school, Spain, student, Spanish, sport, Stockholm.
❌ Pronunciation: “Estockholm”, “Espain”, “Estudent”
✅ Pronunciation: “Stockholm”, “Spain”, “Student”
- Treating “people” as singular
“People” is plural in English, even though to a Spanish ear it can sound singular. The verb must agree with the plural.
❌ Wrong: The people in my team is very motivated.
✅ Right: The people in my team are very motivated.
- Saying “I’m agree” instead of “I agree”
“Agree” is already a verb in English. It doesn’t need “to be” in front of it. You’ll hear this in almost every cross-border meeting between Spanish and English speakers.
❌ Wrong: I’m totally agree with your proposal.
✅ Right: I totally agree with your proposal.
How to stop making these mistakes
- Confusing “actually” with “currently”
Actually means “in fact” or “in reality”, not “at the present time”. For that, use currently or at the moment.
❌ Wrong: Actually, I work for a fintech in Madrid.
✅ Right: Currently, I work for a fintech in Madrid.
- Saying “I have 30 years” instead of “I am 30”
Spanish uses the verb tener (“to have”) for age, but English uses to be. It’s one of the first errors that gives away a Spanish speaker in an interview or introduction.
❌ Wrong: I have 35 years and 10 years of experience.
✅ Right: I am 35 years old and I have 10 years of experience.
- Adding an “e” sound to words starting with “s + consonant”
“Spain” isn’t pronounced “Espain”, and “Spanish” isn’t “Espanish”. In English, words beginning with sp-, st-, sk-, sm- don’t take a supporting vowel. Practise: school, Spain, student, Spanish, sport, Stockholm.
❌ Pronunciation: “Estockholm”, “Espain”, “Estudent”
✅ Pronunciation: “Stockholm”, “Spain”, “Student”
- Treating “people” as singular
“People” is plural in English, even though to a Spanish ear it can sound singular. The verb must agree with the plural.
❌ Wrong: The people in my team is very motivated.
✅ Right: The people in my team are very motivated.
- Saying “I’m agree” instead of “I agree”
“Agree” is already a verb in English. It doesn’t need “to be” in front of it. You’ll hear this in almost every cross-border meeting between Spanish and English speakers.
❌ Wrong: I’m totally agree with your proposal.
✅ Right: I totally agree with your proposal.
Fossilised mistakes don’t disappear by reading; they disappear by speaking. The professionals who progress fastest combine three things: regular classes with native teachers who correct them in real time, daily exposure to professional English (podcasts, meetings, reading), and deliberate practice on the areas they find difficult, not the ones they already master.
At Teachify we work with Spanish professionals who need concrete results: a critical interview in six weeks, an investor pitch in two months, a role change that requires certifying C1. Our live classes with native teachers are designed to identify and correct exactly these kinds of errors.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to improve my English for work?
With regular classes (around 3 hours per week) plus self-study, most professionals see clear gains in pronunciation, fluency and confidence within 8–12 weeks. Moving up a full CEFR level (e.g. B1 to B2) usually takes 6–9 months of consistent work.
Should I study general English or business English?
If your goal is professional, business English will produce visible results much faster. The vocabulary and structures map directly onto meetings, emails and presentations, which keeps motivation high and makes daily practice easy.
Is it worth paying for native English teachers?
Yes. A native teacher catches pronunciation issues and nuances that even excellent non-native teachers can miss. They also expose you to real English — the kind you’ll hear in international meetings — rather than textbook English.
How can I practise professional English when I work all day?
The trick is to integrate English into your routine rather than add it on top. Switch a daily podcast to English, write internal emails in English when possible, and book 30 minutes a week with a native teacher. Consistency beats intensity every time.
Can my company subsidise English classes?
Yes. In Spain, companies can subsidise employee training through FUNDAE; in France, through the CPF. Teachify manages the full subsidy process at no extra cost.
Start your Teachify trial today and work with a native Business English teacher from your very first class. No long contracts. No wasted time. Just results. → teachifyapp.com
Take the next step
At Teachify we help Spanish professionals correct these mistakes and communicate with confidence in English in any business context. If you want to improve your English for work with live classes from native teachers, a communicative methodology and a 100% sector-specific approach, book a free trial class on our website.