Let’s talk about a Spanish-speaking mistake that even native Spanish speakers make. Today, I heard a Gringo here in Medellín, Colombia make the same mistake when speaking Spanish.
How To Say Shopping Center In Spanish
I was having lunch in a “centro comercial” (shopping center) and an middle-aged American man and a Colombian woman were sitting next to me.
Apparently, this was his first time going out with her because he was telling her a lot about himself, his family, etc.
He actually spoke Spanish very well.
How To Say Lawyer In Spanish
But I heard him INCORRECTLY make the following statement:
Mi hermanita es una abogada.
My younger sister is a lawyer.
Do you see what he said wrong?
Don’t feel bad if you don’t see the error.
This is actually an error that I have heard MANY native Spanish speakers make in New York City, especially native Spanish speakers who have lived in New York City or other parts of the USA for a long time.
My theory is that after one lives in a foreign country for a very long time when speaking one begins to think like the “natives.”
The error that the “caballero” (gentleman) made was that in Spanish you do not use the indefinite article “un” or “una” in this instance.
That is, you do NOT say:
Mi hermanita es una abogada.
My younger sister is a lawyer.
Instead you MUST say:
Mi hermanita es abogada.
My younger sister is a lawyer.
On the other hand, if he would have tried to say:
“My younger sister is an expensive lawyer.”
Then it would have been necessary to use the indefinite article “una”:
Mi hermanita es una abogada costosa.
My younger sister is an expensive lawyer.
In Spanish, it is necessary to use the indefinite article “un” or “una” when modifying a noun of nationality, profession, etc.
