Verbs that work differently

Several core Spanish verbs split into two or more English verbs. Teach them as pairs. ser vs estar → both are to be: English uses be for permanent and temporary states, so students never have to choose (Es médico → She is a doctor; Está cansada → She is tired). haber vs tener → tener is have (possession); haber is there is/are (existence).

hacer → do vs make. Broadly, do for activities and unnamed tasks; make for creating or producing something:

get has no clean Spanish equivalent — it stretches across obtener, conseguir, llegar, volverse, recibir (get a job, get home, get angry, get a letter). Present it as a family of meanings learned through examples. take and bring vs carry work the same way: bring is movement toward the speaker (traer), carry is holding while moving — "bring it to me" vs "carry the box upstairs."