Spanish words I mix up all the time...

Question

Today I was listening to a local spanish talk radio station in Arizona (1190 AM) and for some reason mixed up the words "paraje" and "pareja" which obviously affected my comprehension of the discussion.

What are some Spanish words you mix up? A couple of other examples that have caused me issues in the past are llevar and llegar and for a while I thought atras was the opposite of detras (I guess I was subconsciously following the pattern of antes and despues).

I'm iompressed you could even think to distinguish between paraje and pareja at normal talking sped... Brilliant topic! - annierats, Aug 26, 2011

Answer 1

Well, there is always

dolor/dolar (pain/dollar)

viejo/viaje (old/trip)

and my personal favorite,

pesado/pedoso (heavy, farty)!

Actually, I'm not sure how to officially make the adjective, but I once sat on a couch next to a 6 year old boy. The couch sagged alot and he said, "Pesa mucho!" and, being quite tired at the end of the day, I replied "Si, soy muy pedoso" meaning to say "pesado". General hilarity all around!

pesado/pescado heavy/fish :D - sentsent, Aug 24, 2011

And don't forget pecado. - lorenzo9, Aug 24, 2011

**Really** good story! - territurtle, Aug 24, 2011

Answer 2

I keep mixing up "llevar" (to carry or wear, etc) and "llegar" (to arrive) and sometimes other short verbs starting with "ll" (llorar, llover... lleno, llano).

Bingo! Those are my nemesises, too, Pesta. - territurtle, Aug 24, 2011

Yo tambien - Gillygaloo, Aug 28, 2011

Me too Pesta. I get these mixed up - Ace_Poppins, Sep 11, 2011

:) - pesta, Sep 11, 2011

Answer 3

For some reason I keep mixing up:

Fuente - fountain

and

Puente - bridge

At least I think I have them correct. LOL

Puente, from "pons, pontis" in Latin. Means bridge. Latin class IS useful :D :D - Felixlynx, Aug 25, 2011

Answer 4

Goodness you guys are all ahead of me I still screw up ser and estar.

Hay, Paco, nice to know I'm in good company! :-)) - territurtle, Aug 25, 2011

lol :)) Don worry. So do I. - mini_coral, Aug 26, 2011

Answer 5

Back when I started I would switch casado and cansado. It somehow always led to the most awkward moments.

I'll bet! ;) - territurtle, Aug 24, 2011

I've done this one too. - heliotropeman, Aug 24, 2011

Verdad, "mucho casado" got me some funny looks one time:) - teasip, Aug 25, 2011

jejeje Oh yeah, I made that mistake just once.;) - Yeser007, Aug 25, 2011

One teacher always says "ser casado es ser cansado" I remember the difference by thinking that to be CASAdo is to be in casa with someone. - elainepnj, Aug 25, 2011

I mixed those 2 as well, though as I agree with Elaine's teacher I didn't always think it was such a bad mistaker! - galsally, Aug 29, 2011

Answer 6

Meduza - jellyfish

merluza - hake (cod like fish)

Quisiera la Meduza por favor. Yum :) - teasip, Aug 25, 2011

Answer 7

I made a whole flash card set of little words and phrases I mix up and I'm working on a second set!

Those are great!! PM me when you put your next set online. - territurtle, Aug 24, 2011

Muchas gracias, LaBurra, las he puesto con mis favoritas . . . . . :) - Ingeteacher, Aug 24, 2011

Nice one Burra - just wondering if sobrevenir might be more to happen all of a sudden? rather than just happen suceder/pasar etc :) - Kiwi-Girl, Aug 28, 2011

Answer 8

I get miedo (and the other one) mixed up .I know the difference when I read it ,but I've messed up in saying it. I've done the fuente ,puente thing also. Lets see .I know there are more I mix up. Buena suerte

Answer 9

I get "puerta" and "puerto" confused... The look on people's faces when I ask where the port is

Answer 10

I mix up asistir and atender. I have to think twice before I decide which one to use

Excellent example! I, too, would have mixed them up till I read your post!! - territurtle, Aug 25, 2011

Answer 11

I mix up necesito and tengo que. Luckily that mix up doesn't change meaning too badly. Like paco I can mix up ser. y estar también. jeje

Answer 12

Another Spanglish mix-up that can get you into big trouble is using the word "embarazada" when you mean "vergüenza"!

haha good times, good times. lots of people confuse that one here because in california a lot of us just assume that all spanish words sound like the english ones. unfortunately a lot of them do :P - unMica, Aug 25, 2011

Answer 13

My common mix up is:

What I say...

Estoy abierto.

What I really want to say....

Estoy despierta.

If ever I get as fluent as you, I'm sure these will be mine, too!! ;) - territurtle, Aug 25, 2011

Answer 14

Cuatro (four) and Cuarto (a quarter)

And I really need to think for a long time whether to use lo, la, le for pronouns and whether "su" means his/her/your (formal)/their !!!

I sometimes think that primitive (!) Spanish speakers were short of words and they used lo, la or le whenever they came short

Anyway, I LOVE Spanish language with all of its difficulties and mix-ups.

That's cute, "short of words." I'll have to remember it in times of frustration! ;)) - territurtle, Aug 26, 2011

And cuadro (table), cuadra (block) - JoyceM, Aug 28, 2011

Answer 15

All of them!

You are so adorable, and I always find myself hoping you've posted one of your clever clips in a thread! ;)) - territurtle, Aug 26, 2011

jejeje thanks Terri, I'll keep that in mind. - Yeser007, Aug 26, 2011