Hey buddies! A menudo utilizamos el verbo explain de manera incorrecta en inglés. En el post de hoy os lo explicamos -we will explain it to you– para que os resulte muy fácil.
Es frecuente que muchos hispano hablantes utilicemos estructuras similares a las que conocemos y utilizamos en nuestra lengua materna a la hora de aprender un nuevo idioma. Pero en algunos casos, como en el del verbo explain, no es una estructura correcta en inglés.
El error más común que cometemos a menudo a la hora de utilizar el verbo explain es utilizar el pronombre personal como lo haríamos en español:
I’ll explain you how it works.
He explained us the new program.
La forma de utilizarlo correctamente en inglés sería:
He explained to us the new program, or he explained the new program to us.
I’ll explain to you how it works.
Es decir, la estructura correcta es:
To explain to someone something
To explain something to someone
¿Ves la diferencia? 😉
Éstos serían algunos ejemplos:
She explained the problem to her boss.
We tried to explain the situation with all detail.
They will explain to us the benefits of e-commerce.
You explained it to me very clearly.
También podemos simplemente utilizar la estructura:
To explain something
Como por ejemplo:
Can you explain the meaning of these expressions?
Let me explain that in a different way.
«Something», además puede ser una frase subordinada, como en los siguientes ejemplos:
I’ll explain (to you) how it works.
They explained how to use the corporate mail account.
He will explain when we need to change our email address.
She explained why it was not a good idea.
Esperamos que ahora os resulte más fácil. I hope I explained it clearly 😉
Now, you know how to use the verb «explain» in English!
Hey buddies, el post de hoy es una recopilación de errores comunes en inglés que cometemos a menudo, a veces porque cambiamos la preposición que toca, o porque nos equivocamos con una palabra o también porque traducimos literalmente. Ponte cómodo porque te detallamos nada más y nada menos que 30 common mistakes que no debes cometer más.
1 We say coworkers, work mates or colleagues, not partners para referirnos a nuestros compañeros de trabajo
My partners are really helpful.
My coworkers are really helpful.
2 We say at work, not in the job en expresiones como
I sometimes surf on the internet in the job.
I sometimes surf on the internet at work.
3 We say hire mejor que contract, cuando contratamos a un empleado
Things are going well, we will contract more employees.
Things are going well, we will hire more employees.
4 We say a business grows, not grows up para decir que el negocio crece
Our business is growing up and increasing sales.
Our business is growing and increasing sales.
Utilizamos grow up para referirnos a las personas cuando crecen / maduran
He’s now a grown up person.
Children grow up really fast.
5 We say I agree, not I am agree para mostrar nuestro acuerdo
I am agree with your idea.
I agree with your idea.
6 We say I think so / I don’t think so, not I think that yes / no para decir creo que sí / no
Would you come? I think that yes / no.
Would you come? I think so / I don’t think so.
7 We say I have no idea, not I don’t have an idea para decir no tengo ni idea
Is she here? I don’t have an idea.
Is she here? I have no idea.
8 We say leave me alone, not leave me in peace cuando queremos que nos dejen en paz
Please, leave me in peace, I’m busy now.
Please, leave me alone, I’m busy now.
9 We say from now on, not since now para decir de ahora en adelante
We will have new regulations since now.
We will have new regulations from now on.
10 We say so far, not until now para decir hasta ahora, hasta este momento
What have they done until now?
What have they done so far?
11 We say it depends on, not it depends of
I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow. It depends of the weather.
I don’t know what I’m going to do tomorrow. It depends on the weather.
12 We say related to, not related with
This is a problem related with the internet signal.
This is a problem related to the internet signal.
13 We say contact someone, not contact with someone
I’ll contact with her because I need more information.
I’ll contact her because I need more information.
14 We say trust someone, not trust in someone
I trust in my employees to do a good job when I’m not in the office.
I trust my employees to do a good job when I’m not in the office.
15 We say worry about, not worry for algo o alguien
Her mother worries for her a lot.
Her mother worries about her a lot.
16 We say think about / of, not think in. Si imaginamos algo, utilizamos think of / about, si estamos considerando algo utilizamos think about
I’m thinking in my future and deciding what I want to do.
I’m thinking about my future and deciding what I want to do.
17 We say similar to, not similar than
This app is very similar than another one.
This app is very similar to another one.
18 We say the same as, not the same than or the same to
He’s the same than his father. They have similar personalities.
He’s the same as his father. They have similar personalities.
19 We say in the world, not of the world para decir del mundo
Lionel Messi is one of the best soccer players of the world.
Lionel Messi is one of the best soccer players in the world.
20 We say arrive in/at a place, not arrive to a place
I arrived to work at 9 a.m.
I arrived at work at 9 a.m.
We use arrive in con lugares como ciudades (London, Paris, etc.).
We arrived in Paris last Friday.
We use arrive at al referirnos a un sitio en concreto (the bank, the restaurant, work, home, etc.).
They arrived at the restaurant 20 minutes late.
21 We say go home, not go to home
She decided to go to home after the theatre.
She decided to go home after the theatre.
22 We say parking lot, not parking para referirnos a un aparcamiento
The parking was full, so we parked on the street.
The parking lot was full, so we parked on the street.
23 We say on the bus / train / plane, not in the bus / plane / train
Sometimes I read when I’m in the bus.
Sometimes I read when I’m on the bus.
We say in with cars, vans, trucks, etc.
Let’s get on the car.
Let’s get in the car.
24 We say to miss, not to lose a bus / train / plane
You will lose the train if you don’t hurry up.
You will miss the train if you don’t hurry up.
25 We say waste time, not lose time para decir perder el tiempo
Sam loses a lot of time watching TV.
Sam wastes a lot of time watching TV.
26 We say spend time, not pass time para decir pasar tiempo con
On the weekend, she likes to pass time with her husband.
On the weekend, she likes to spend time with her husband.
27 We say to have (or to throw) a party, not to make or do a party
They are making a party next Saturday.
They are having / throwing a party next Saturday.
28 We say to have a drink, not to take a drink
Let’s take a drink after work.
Let’s have a drink after work.
29 We say to sunbathe, not to take the sun
She loves taking the sun on the beach.
She loves sunbathing on the beach.
30 We say to make mistakes, not to have errors or have mistakes.
My English is okay, but I have a lot of mistakes.
My English is okay, but I make a lot of mistakes.
No te preocupes si te identificas con algunos (o muchos) de ellos, son los errores más comunes que cometemos los hispano hablantes. Anota con los que más te equivocas para repasarlos, pero vuelve a esta lista siempre que lo necesites o tengas dudas.
PS: Si te atreves con más meteduras de pata typical Spanish, lee este post sobre false friends
