English for Spanish speakers · part 9 of 22
Translation traps
Some very common Spanish expressions cannot cross into English word for word at all — they need a different structure entirely. Good candidates for a dedicated drill.
| Spanish | Literal | Natural English |
|---|---|---|
| Hace frío. | ✕ It makes cold. | It's cold. |
| Tengo sueño. | ✕ I have dream. | I'm sleepy. |
| Me gusta. | ✕ Me pleases. | I like it. |
| Hace dos años… | ✕ It makes two years… | Two years ago… |
| Hace falta… | ✕ It makes lack… | It's needed / We need… |
| Llevo tres años aquí. | ✕ I carry three years here. | I've been here for three years. |
| Darse cuenta. | ✕ To give oneself count. | To realise. |
| Tener ganas de. | ✕ To have desires of. | To feel like / to want to. |
Many hinge on hacer, llevar, and reflexive verbs — structures Spanish uses freely and English simply lacks. Teach students to notice when they are about to translate hace, llevo, or me gusta directly, and to ask instead what an English speaker would say, not what the words are.