Improving Accuracy in your French and Spanish Writing

Accuracy in writing is essential for all types of tasks, particularly summaries and translations.

I recommend you review your text at least twice to check for errors and omissions.

Beware of these common mistakes, with examples in Spanish and French:

1. Gender of Nouns and Adjective Agreement

The gender of nouns in Spanish and French can be confusing. Remember that adjectives must match the gender and number of the noun they modify.

Spanish:

• Incorrect: La problema es muy grande. ❌ ("Problema" is masculine, not feminine)

• Correct: El problema es muy grande. ✅

  
  

French:

• Incorrect: Un grande erreur. ❌ ("Erreur" is feminine, so the adjective must agree)

• Correct: Une grande erreur. ✅

  
  

2. Incorrect Verb Forms

Irregular verbs can be particularly challenging, especially in complex tenses.

Spanish:

• Incorrect: Yo hacía mi tarea ayer. ❌ (Incorrect use of the imperfect instead of the preterite - the imperfect suggests, "I was doing my homework when...")

• Correct: Yo hice mi tarea ayer. ✅

  
  

French:

• Incorrect: Hier, je allais au marché. ❌ (Incorrect use of the imperfect instead of the past perfect - the imperfect suggests, "I was going to the market when...")

• Correct: Hier, je suis allé au marché. ✅

  
  

3. Incorrect Use of the Subjunctive and Indicative

The subjunctive is used to express desires, doubts, or uncertainty, while the indicative is used for concrete facts.

Spanish:

• Incorrect: Creo que ella tenga razón. ❌ ("Creo que" expresses certainty, so the indicative is required)

• Correct: Creo que ella tiene razón. ✅

  
  

French:

• Incorrect: Il est possible qu'il est là. ❌ (After "Il est possible que," the subjunctive must be used)

• Correct: Il est possible qu'il soit là. ✅

  
  

4. Word Order and Literal Translations

Word order in English does not always translate directly into Spanish or French.

Spanish:

• Incorrect: Me gusta el chocolate mucho también. ❌

• Correct: También me gusta mucho el chocolate. ✅

French:

• Incorrect: J'aime chocolat beaucoup aussi. ❌

• Correct: J'aime beaucoup le chocolat aussi. ✅

  
  

5. False Friends

Some words look similar between languages but have different meanings.

Spanish:

• Incorrect: Estoy embarazada porque perdí el tren. ❌ ("Embarazada" means "pregnant," not "embarrassed")

• Correct: Estoy avergonzado porque perdí el tren. ✅

French: I attended the meeting =

• Incorrect: J'ai attendu la réunion. ❌ ("attendre" in French means "to wait," and "assister" means to "attend")

• Correct: J'ai assisté à la réunion. ✅

  
  

6. Confusion Between "Por" and "Para"

These prepositions can be tricky for Spanish learners.

• Incorrect: Este regalo es por ti. ❌ (It should indicate destination, not cause)

• Correct: Este regalo es para ti. ✅ ("Para" suggests destination/recipient.)

  
  

7. Incorrect Use of Accents

Accents can completely change the meaning of a word.

Spanish:

• Correct: Tú libro está aquí. ❌ (Incorrect, because "tú" cannot be used as a possessive)

• Correct: Tu libro está aquí. ✅("Tu" without an accent is possessive)

French:

• Incorrect: Ou est mon portable ? ❌ ("Où" must have an accent otherwise it means "or")

• Correct: Où est mon portable ? ✅

Conclusion

To improve accuracy in writing, always review your texts carefully (twice!) and keep these common mistakes in mind. Invest some time practising with multiple concrete examples. Try and appreciate how languages are different and enjoy noticing the words to watch out for!