Embarrassing speaking mistakes

Question

Would you like to share any embarrassing mistakes you have made when trying to speak the language you are learning (either English or Spanish)? When I was in Spain recently I made a couple!

I was having a few beers in a bar and speaking my very basic Spanish to an old Spanish guy who could not speak a word of English.

I said to him....." Voy a volver el año que viene y será mucho major" He seemed confused so I kept repeating the phrase lol.

Of course what I thought I was saying was "I am going to return next year and I will be much better (at speaking Spanish)!

No wonder he was confused, as I was actually saying repeatedly....I am going to return next year and you will be much older!

Also, I kept referring to my wife as "mi marida" lol. I'd heard the phrase "mi marido" quite a lot so just assumed that there would be a version for wife!

I believe there was a post very similar to this one that was active within the past week. You will find a few good stories shared there. - danrivera, Jun 18, 2011

Were you pronouncing "major" as "mayor"? - lazarus1907, Jun 18, 2011

yes, i think so - the beer was flowing lol. I was definitely not saying mEjor! - billygoat, Jun 18, 2011

danrivera. thanks, i wasnt aware of that. I was just reflecting on some of my spanish attempts and thought id start the thread. I'm not surprised I didnt receive many answeres then lol! - billygoat, Jun 18, 2011

Answer 1

Sometimes, when I am in my Spanish class, I have a 100% idea of what I want to say when I go up to the teacher and ask her a question.

However, when I get there, my brain gets a brain freeze, and I embarass myself in front of the whole class!

I was much the same when I took formal Spanish lessons. When somebody talked to me my brain would just go completely blank! I think this is why I learn so much better from a site like this! I do need to improve my speaking skills though - billygoat, Jun 18, 2011