The grammar mistakes Spanish speakers make most in English
Almost every Spanish speaker makes the same six mistakes when speaking English. They aren't a sign of a low level: they're direct translations from Spanish — you carry the Spanish structure over and it comes out wrong. The good news: there are only a handful, and once you can see them, they fade fast. These are the ones that give you away most.
1. "I have 25 years"
In Spanish you have years (tener); in English you are an age. Use be, not have.
Age in English uses 'be', not 'have'. This is the most common direct translation from Spanish.
2. "People is very nice"
People is plural in English (they are persons), so it takes are, not is.
'People' is already plural: always 'people are'. Same with 'the police are'.
3. "I am agree"
Agree is already a verb. It doesn't need be in front of it — that "am" is extra.
'Agree' is a verb on its own; it takes no 'be'. Same with 'I am understand'.
4. Dropping the -s on he / she / it
In the present simple, the third person takes an -s. It's tiny, but people notice it a lot.
With he / she / it, the verb takes -s in the present simple: works, lives, does.
5. "Explain me"
Several verbs in English need to before the person: explain to me, say to him.
'Explain' needs 'to' + person: explain it to me. Same with: describe it to me, say it to her.
6. "Actually" when you mean "currently"
The classic false friend. Actually means in fact / in reality, not currently. For "at the present time", use currently or right now.
Actually, I don't agree. = in fact, I disagree
I currently work in Lima. = at present (not 'actually')
The pattern behind them all
Notice: five of the six come from translating word for word from Spanish. The cure isn't memorizing rules — it's producing the correct version out loud until it comes on its own. Reading "I am 25 years old" isn't enough; you have to say it, several times, until "I have 25 years" sounds wrong to your own ear.
Practice this out loud. These mistakes disappear when you say the correct version, not when you read it. Speakwell makes you produce it — try it free.