English Phrases That Spanish Speakers Use That Sound Off to Native Speakers

Your English is good. You know it is. But sometimes you get a look from a native speaker, or a slightly awkward pause after you say something, and you cannot quite figure out why.

It is probably not your grammar. It is likely one of these.

After years of teaching business English to professionals in Barcelona, the same phrases come up again and again. They are not wrong exactly. They are just... not quite right. And once you know about them, you cannot unhear them.

"I will assist you with that"

This one shows up a lot in customer-facing contexts. It sounds like a direct translation of "le atenderé" or "le ayudaré" and feels very formal in Spanish. In English it lands as robotic, almost like a call centre script from 2003.

What to say instead: "I will help you with that" or just "Let me sort that out for you."

"Please, find attached..."

The comma after "please" is a giveaway, but the bigger issue is the phrase itself. "Please find attached" is technically correct and very common in Spanish business email culture. Native English speakers do still use it, but the fresher, more natural version is simply "I have attached..." or "Attached is the report you asked for."

It is a small thing but it is the kind of thing that makes an email sound like it was written by someone following a template rather than an actual person.

"Actually" used as emphasis

In Spanish, "en realidad" or "de hecho" are used to add emphasis or reinforce a point. Spanish speakers often reach for "actually" to do the same job. The problem is that in English, "actually" often implies a correction. It suggests the person you are talking to was wrong about something.

"Actually, the meeting is at three" sounds like you are correcting someone. If you just want to confirm something or add information, try "The meeting is at three" or "Just to let you know, the meeting is at three."

"It is that..." to explain something

"Es que..." is one of the most useful phrases in Spanish. It softens explanations, provides context, and is completely natural in everyday speech. The direct translation "It is that I cannot make it" or "It is that we need more time" reads strangely in English because the construction does not exist in the same way.

Just drop it and start with the explanation itself. "I cannot make it on Thursday" is cleaner and sounds more confident.

"I go often to the gym" (word order with adverbs)

Spanish allows a lot more flexibility with adverb placement than English does. Adverbs of frequency in English almost always go before the main verb or after the verb "to be." So "I go often" should be "I often go." "She is always late" is correct. "She always is late" is not.

This one slips through even for people with strong grammar because it feels natural in Spanish and the meaning is still clear in English. But it marks you as a non-native speaker in a very specific way.

"Make me a favor"

"Hacer un favor" translates to "do a favor" in English, not "make a favor." You make a cake. You do a favor. This is one of those false friends of structure rather than vocabulary, and it is extremely common.

"I have 30 years"

In Spanish you "have" an age. In English you "are" an age. "I am 30" not "I have 30 years." Most people know this one but it still slips out in spoken English, especially when speaking quickly.

"Assist to an event"

"Asistir a un evento" looks like it should translate to "assist to an event" but in English, "assist" means to help someone. To be present at an event, you "attend" it. "I attended the conference" not "I assisted to the conference."

"The people is..."

In Spanish, "la gente" is singular and takes a singular verb. In English, "people" is plural. Always. "People are talking about it" not "people is talking about it." Same goes for "the team are..." actually being acceptable in British English even if it feels wrong.

Saying "yes" at the start of every answer

In spoken Spanish, starting your answer with "sí" before you continue is completely natural and shows you are engaged and listening. A lot of Spanish speakers do this in English too, saying "yes, yes, I think that..." or "yes, the problem is..." In English it can come across as slightly impatient or dismissive depending on the tone, almost like you are cutting the other person off.

You do not need to drop it entirely, but being aware of how it lands can help you choose when to use it.

Why This Matters

None of these mistakes will stop people from understanding you. But language is not just about being understood. It is about how you come across, the confidence you project, and the impression you leave.

In a business context, the small things add up. The person who writes naturally and speaks fluently does not just communicate better. They tend to be taken more seriously.

The good news is that these patterns are easy to fix once you spot them. Most of my students notice a real difference in how they feel writing and speaking English after just a few sessions focused on exactly this kind of thing.

Working in English every day in Barcelona and want to feel more confident? I offer one-to-one business English coaching tailored to your industry and level. Get in touch to find out more.