Grammar for Spanish learners (3): "the" + adjective + "thing"

Hello again. I'm writing another article to help my friends who are finding learning Spanish so hard. If I can help them a little, I'll sleep happy tonight.

Today I want to tell you about another mistake commonly made by Spanish learners, especially English speakers or those who have previously studied English as a second language. I don't think that's It's nothing too important but it can make the speaker sound a little unnatural.

The mistakes consist of writing some sentences in Spanish in the same way we would do it in English. These are, in particular, some phrases using the construction "the" + adjective + "thing". The problem is that in Spanish is often used we use a slightly different construction that surely sounds familiar to many of you: "lo" + adjective.

Better let's see some examples:

• The same thing → Lo mismo (not "la misma cosa").
• The only thing → Lo único (not "la única cosa").
• The most common thing → Lo más común (not "la cosa más común").
• The first thing → Lo primero (not "la primera cosa").
• The last thing → Lo último (not "la última cosa").
• The right thing → Lo correcto (not "la cosa correcta").
• The best thing → Lo mejor (not "la mejor cosa").
• The most important thing → Lo más importante (not "la cosa más importante").
• The most practical thing → Lo más práctico (not "la cosa más práctica").

I hope this helps, my friends. And as always, I thank you in advance for your efforts to correct me and also forgive/excuse my mistakes, because you know that my level is just basic.

Your level is not just basic!  

Thanks for the interesting post.  I have definitely made some of these mistakes.  I guess the key is to think twice before using the word "cosa".  

I absolutely love this series of entries!  MORE!!

Grammar for Spanish learners (3): "the" + adjective + "thing"

Hello again. I'm writing another article to help my friends who are working so hard to learn Spanish so hard. If I can help you a little, I'll sleep happy tonight.

Today I want to tell you about another mistake commonly made by Spanish learners, especially English speakers or those who have previously studied English as a second language. I don't think it's a big deal too important but it can make the speaker sound a little unnatural.

The mistake is phrasing sentences in Spanish in the same way you would do it in English. Particularly phrases using the construction "the" + adjective + "thing". The problem is that in Spanish, we use is often used a slightly different construction that surely sounds familiar to many of you: "lo" + adjective.

Better Let's see some examples:

• The same thing → Lo mismo (not "la misma cosa").
• The only thing → Lo único (not "la única cosa").
• The most common thing → Lo más común (not "la cosa más común").
• The first thing → Lo primero (not "la primera cosa").
• The last thing → Lo último (not "la última cosa").
• The right thing → Lo correcto (not "la cosa correcta").
• The best thing → Lo mejor (not "la mejor cosa").
• The most important thing → Lo más importante (not "la cosa más importante").
• The most practical thing → Lo más práctico (not "la cosa más práctica").

I hope this helps, my friends. And as always, I thank you in advance for your efforts to correct me and also forgive my mistakes, because you know that my level is just basic.  (Sorry - I'm crossing out this last part because it is a lie!!)

Fernando - just a few corrections here to make you sound more native. Please don't stop giving us this priceless information. Love it.

Grammar for students of Spanish (3): "the" + adjective + "thing" (Iwas going to write ''Spanish students'''but that could refer to Spanish people rather than people studying Spanish)

Hello again. I'm writing another article to help my friends who are learning Spanish. so hard. If I can help them a little, I'll sleep happy/well tonight.

Today I want to tell you about another mistake commonly made by Spanish learners, especially English speakers or those who have previously studied English as a second language. I don't think that it is too important but it can make the speaker sound a little unnatural.

The mistake consists of writing some sentences in Spanish in the same way that we/you would do it in English. These are, in particular, some phrases using the construction "the" + adjective + "thing". The problem is that in Spanish we use a slightly different construction that will  surely sound familiar to many of you: "lo" + adjective.

Let's see some examples:

• The same thing → Lo mismo (not "la misma cosa").
• The only thing → Lo único (not "la única cosa").
• The most common thing → Lo más común (not "la cosa más común").
• The first thing → Lo primero (not "la primera cosa").
• The last thing → Lo último (not "la última cosa").
• The right thing → Lo correcto (not "la cosa correcta").
• The best thing → Lo mejor (not "la mejor cosa").
• The most important thing → Lo más importante (not "la cosa más importante").
• The most practical thing → Lo más práctico (not "la cosa más práctica").

I hope this helps, my friends. And as always, I thank you in advance for your efforts to correct me and also forgive my mistakes, because you know that my level is just basic.

Very useful Fernando, your level of English is extremely high Fernando.

Kind regards