The Most Confusing and Difficult Words in Spanish: Get to Know Them and Master Them All!
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Learning Spanish can be a great challenge, both for those who are just starting and for those who are already native speakers.
There are many words that can change meaning depending on their context or by changing something as simple as an accent or the article that accompanies them. There are also words that are so long or complex that they can sound like tongue twisters.
But don’t worry! That’s why we prepared this guide to help you better understand these words that can be a bit intimidating at first, so you can master them.
Let’s go!
Homonymous Words
In Spanish, there are some words that, despite being spelled in the exact same way, can have completely different meanings depending on the context. This can be confusing at first, but the trick is to pay attention to the complete sentences to understand the context. Examples:
Llama
- Fuimos al zoológico ayer y vimos a una llama. (We went to the zoo yesterday and saw a llama.) (Animal)
- Los bomberos corrieron para extinguir la llama. (The firefighters ran to extinguish the flame.) (Fire)
- Por favor, llama a la tienda y pregunta si tienen vinagre. (Please call the store and ask if they have vinegar.) (Action of calling)
Banco
- Carla fue a cobrar un cheque al banco. (Carla went to cash a check at the bank.) (Financial institution)
- Vamos a sentarnos en ese banco del parque. (We are going to sit on that bench in the park.) (Seat)
Sal
- El espagueti tenía demasiada sal. (The spaghetti had too much salt.) (Condiment)
- Sal de la avenida y da vuelta a la derecha. (Exit the avenue and turn right.) (Action of leaving)
Words with Confusing Prepositions
There are some combinations of verbs and prepositions in Spanish that can also completely change the meaning of a sentence. Keep in mind that in Spanish, there are many prepositions that are used differently than in other languages like English. Examples:
Enamorar
- Incorrect: Me enamoré con mi mejor amiga.
- Correct: Me enamoré de mi mejor amiga. (I fell in love with my best friend.)
Pensar
- Estoy pensando en mis vacaciones. (I am thinking about my vacation.) (Thinking about something)
- ¿Qué piensas de esta película? (What do you think of this movie?) (Having an opinion)
Hablar
- Hablamos de nuestro reporte de resultados. (We talked about our results report.) (To introduce the topic of conversation)
- Hablaré con mi abuelita mañana. (I will talk to my grandmother tomorrow.) (To talk to [someone.])
Words with Double Gender and Double Meaning
Believe it or not, there are also some words in Spanish that have double gender (that is, they can be masculine or feminine) and, therefore, they can have double meaning. This means that the form of the word (whether it is masculine or feminine) can change the meaning of the sentence.
Although this can be confusing at first, with some practice you will learn to identify these differences through context. Examples:
Capital
- Invertí el capital en mi negocio. (I invested the capital in my business.) (Money)
- Madrid es la capital de España. (Madrid is the capital of Spain.) (Main city)
Orden
- Mis libros están en el orden en el que los compré. (My books are in the order I bought them.) (Organization)
- El presidente dio la orden de cerrar la calle. (The president gave the order to close the street.) (Mandate)
- Realicé la orden de ese juguete en línea. (I placed the order for that toy online.) (Order)
Policía
- El policía me ayudó a encontrar al niño. (The policeman helped me find the boy.) (Male officer)
- Llamé a la policía porque mis vecinos hacían demasiado ruido. (I called the police because my neighbors were making too much noise.) (The institution)
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Long and Complicated Words in Spanish
Some words are long and seem difficult to pronounce, but don’t be scared; they just need a little practice. Examples:
- El otorrinolaringólogo es especialista en oídos, nariz y garganta. (The otolaryngologist is a specialist in ears, nose, and throat.)
- El paralelepípedo es una figura geométrica. (The parallelepiped is a geometric figure.)
- Los electrodomésticos son los aparatos electrónicos que usamos en nuestros hogares. (The appliances are the electronic devices we use in our homes.)
- La hipopotomonstrosesquipedaliofobia es el miedo a pronunciar palabras largas. (Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of pronouncing long words.)
- El esternocleidomastoideo se contrae cuando giras la cabeza hacia los lados. (The sternocleidomastoid contracts when you turn your head to the sides.)
Words Difficult to Pronounce
Some combinations of sounds in Spanish are complicated to pronounce at first, especially for non-native speakers. We recommend breaking these types of words into syllables and repeating them slowly until you can master their pronunciation fluently. Examples:
- El murciélago salió de su cueva. (The bat flew out of its cave.)
- El ferrocarril conecta varias ciudades en el sur del país. (The railroad connects several cities in the south of the country.)
- Desarrollar habilidades para el estudio es muy importante. (Developing study skills is very important.)
- Marcela es una estudiante excepcional, siempre saca diez. (Marcela is an exceptional student; she always gets a ten.)
- El ácido desoxirribonucleico (ADN) contiene información genética. (Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) contains genetic information.)
Words with Multiple Meanings Depending on the Country
Spanish is a rich language, as it has variations in every country where it is spoken, and therefore some words can have very different meanings depending on where you hear them. Researching the meanings of these words in each region will help you avoid misunderstandings. Examples:
Torta
- In some countries, like Spain and Argentina, torta means cake.
- In Mexico, a torta is a type of sandwich made with bolillo or telera (savory bread).
Guagua
- In countries like Cuba and Puerto Rico, guagua means bus.
- In Chile, guagua refers to a baby.
Fresa
- In most countries, the word fresa means strawberry.
- In Mexico, it is also a way to call someone elitist, pretentious, or superficial.
Final Tips for Mastering Confusing Words
- Context is key: Always pay attention to the complete sentences so you can deduce and learn the correct meaning of the words that are new or hard for you.
- Don’t forget to practice pronunciation: As we recommended earlier, try breaking long or complex words into small syllables so you can learn them more easily. As you progress, you will be able to say them quicker and more naturally.
- Pay attention to how native speakers use Spanish: You can learn a lot by reading or listening to how the language is used in real contexts. If it’s not possible for you to listen to real conversations, you can also read books, watch movies or series produced in Spanish-speaking countries, or listen to songs or podcasts in this language.
- Use physical and digital resources to learn words: Rely on reliable resources like dictionaries and the Promova blog to guide you in defining words you don’t know.
- Ask for help if you need it: Don’t hesitate to ask a native speaker, your classmates, or your teacher for help if you need it.
Summary
Learning Spanish can sometimes feel like a roller coaster with so many rules and new words to learn, but there is nothing that practice through your Promova app, a little time, and a lot of curiosity can’t fix.
Don’t give up! If there is any word that we didn’t list but that always confuses you, share it in the comments. We would love to help.
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