“Soy un desastre” is a more informal way to say “I am bad” in Spanish. This phrase can be used in a lighthearted way to express that you are not good at something. “Soy malĂ­simo” is a more emphatic way to say “I am very bad” in Spanish. This phrase is appropriate when you want to express that you are extremely bad at something. While literally meaning "My Spanish isn't bad" saying that something "no estĂĄ mal" usually transmits the sentiment that it's "ok". It's a little bit more positive than the English equivalent. Edit: other option is to say "Me defiendo" which means "I get by" and sounds modest while making it clear you can have conversations. 2. Cl in Spanish is a very graceful, elegant sound that is pronounced softly and swiftly. English speakers spend far too much time attempting to enunciate both the c and the l. Try saying the English word “clomp.” You likely made a very hard “c” sound and lingered on the “l.” This sound is way rougher in English than in Spanish. a. me siento mal. I feel bad that I couldn't be there for his funeral.Me siento mal que no pude estar para su funeral. b. me sabe mal. (Spain) I feel bad for the refugees who were turned away by my government. Me sabe mal por los refugiados que fueron rechazados por mi gobierno. 3. (I feel evil) a. me siento malo. The most common mistakes of beginners include making the l of fĂștbol sound like the "ll" in "football," making the b and v sound different from each other (the sounds are identical in Spanish), and failing to trill the r . 7. Not Learning the Subjunctive Mood. In English, we seldom make a distinction when verbs are in the subjunctive mood, a My neighborhood is small, quiet and nice. There are houses with gardens, a park, and a church. The houses are white or in other light colors. My school is in front of the park. Now say we want to describe a modern town in Spanish: Mi ciudad es grande y diversa. En el centro, hay muchos edificios altos y es ruidoso. In Spanish, “Son” and “EstĂĄn” can be a bit like two sides of a coin. “Son” (from “ser”) is typically used for things that are permanent or not likely to change. On the flip side, “EstĂĄn” (from “estar”) is for stuff that’s temporary or happening right now. Let’s dive into each one! Gilipollas. One of the most common curse words in Spanish is ‘gilipollas’ which translates as idiot or jerk. Try it out on the idiot in your life with the phrase, ‘no seas gilipollas’ which in English is along the lines of ‘don’t be a dumbass.’. Cute. 4. Listen to Spanish-language music to test your ear for Spanish. Music is a good way to start identifying individual words and connecting them in your mind with their written form. It’s also a great way to memorize words since they tend to be repeated in songs during the chorus. Presumably, part of the difficulty of being a Latino in the US is facing criticism from English speakers and criticism from Spanish speakers (friends, family) for not speaking up to their standards. Having faced that criticism doesn't justify turning and doing the same to others. That just perpetuates the gatekeeping. db9X.