Tips para evitar errores básicos

Tips for avoiding basic errors

A few common errors

• QU and CU: In Spanish, CU says “kwa” , QU makes a “k” sound (because K is rarely used)

• cuatro, not quatro• cuarto, not quarto • cual, not qual

• Que (kay), quien, (kien) quince (kinsay)

• Double consonants

• The only double consonants in Spanish are “LL”, “RR”, and “CC”. The first two are separate consonants, the second replaces the English “CT” in words like “correction” SS, TT, and NN, do not exist

• Clase, not classe• Anuncios not annuncios• Progreso not progresso

• N and Ñ

• In Spanish, the letters N and Ñ are not interchangeable, they are separate consonants. N makes the sound (na) while Ñ makes the sound (nya). GN doesn´t exist.

• Hay una gran diferencia entre decir • Tengo 25 años. (I’m 25 years old)• Y decir• Tengo 25 anos. (I have 25 anuses)

• Ph and F

• In Spanish, F, is the only letter pronounced as such. PH doesn’t exist.

• Teléfono not telephono• Filipinas not philipinas• Fotografía not photographía

• Mucho and Muy

• MUY in Spanish means very. • Hablo español muy bien. Hablo chino muy

mal.

• MUCHO means a lot, much or many. • Hay muchas mamacitas ricas en esta fiesta.

• Adjectives after nouns. Adjectives after nouns. Adjectives after nouns. Adjectives after nouns. Sing with me now…

• Adjectives (describing words) come after nouns (the thing being described) totally bass-ackwards from English.

• Chicas guapas not guapas chicas• Amigos mexicanos not mexicanos amigos

• Except…

• With the words “gran/grande”, “bueno/buen” and “mejor,”. These often go before the noun.

• Carlos es un buen amigo. • Tengo un gran problema.

• Accents are always found on the o in –ión, and on the i in --ía,

• Biografía• Lección• Fotografía • Razón

• They are also frequently found on the third to last syllable of a word when that syllable is stressed. Sounds like da DA da da

• Capítulo lápida• Número película.• ridículo