Are you thinking about doing an exchange in Buenos Aires? If you want to improve your Spanish, this could be the perfect destination for you. The capital of Argentina offers quality education and a unique, vibrant, and lively cultural experience.

For Brazilian students, an exchange in Buenos Aires has everything going for it: it's close and feels familiar... but at the same time, it's a whole new world to discover.

At the don Quijote Spanish school, we'll tell you why an exchange program in Buenos Aires an excellent option is for perfecting your language skills. We'll also tell you what you can see and do while taking a Spanish course in Buenos Aires and what culinary delights you can't miss.

Why do an exchange program in Buenos Aires?

Here are some reasons why we recommend choosing an exchange program in Buenos Aires:

• Proximity and ease of adaptation. Traveling from Brazil to Argentina is easy and affordable. You don't need a visa for short stays, and the flight is short compared to other Spanish-speaking destinations. In addition, many Argentines are used to welcoming Brazilian students, so cultural adaptation is quick and friendly.
• Good value for money. The cost of living in Buenos Aires is lower than in other world capitals. That means you can live, study, eat well, and get around the city without spending a fortune. Spanish classes are also usually cheaper than in other countries such as Spain or Mexico.
• Clear and educational Spanish. Rioplatense Spanish (the variety spoken in Buenos Aires) is very distinctive due to its intonation and use of “vos” instead of “tú.” However, this accent and musicality will be very useful for developing your ear and learning to understand different variants of the language. In addition, many teachers are trained to teach Brazilians, which makes learning even more effective.
• Passionate and dynamic culture. Buenos Aires is a city that never sleeps. There are theaters, cinemas, concerts, cultural events, and fairs almost every day. It is impossible to get bored in the capital, giving you constant opportunities to practice the language in real-life contexts.
• European style with a Latin soul. The city has architecture reminiscent of Paris or Madrid, but with the warm heart of Latin America. Walking through its streets, you will come across bookstores, old cafes, squares full of students, and street musicians. Here you can learn and experience Spanish in every way.

What to see during your exchange in Buenos Aires?

One of the advantages of doing an exchange in Buenos Aires is that you can combine studying with exploring the city. Full of surprising corners, neighborhoods with their own identity, and activities for all tastes, the Argentine capital will not disappoint you.

• Recoleta is one of the most elegant neighborhoods, with its famous cemetery where historical figures such as Evita Perón are buried and museums such as the MALBA (modern Latin American art).
• San Telmo transports you to another era with its cobbled streets, antique fairs, and tango milongas on every corner. Ideal for weekends.
• La Boca is famous for its colorful Caminito, but also for its passion for soccer. If you can, don't miss a Boca Juniors game at La Bombonera. Even if you're not a soccer fan, the energy there is unforgettable.
• Palermo is the most modern and youthful neighborhood, full of cafes, bars, urban art, and parks such as the Bosques de Palermo, ideal for relaxing or studying outdoors.
• Puerto Madero combines modernity with river views and is the perfect place for a sunset stroll.

And if you have a few days off, we recommend escaping to Tigre, a delta on the outskirts of the city where you can go boating and enjoy nature. Or to Colonia del Sacramento in Uruguay, crossing the Río de la Plata by ferry. History, tranquility, and a great way to practice Spanish in another country close to Argentina.

Gastronomy during your exchange in Buenos Aires

An experience you must have wherever you go: the food. In Buenos Aires, eating is not only delicious, but also part of the learning experience. Every dish has a story, a new word, or a tradition.

For example, asado is the star of Argentine cuisine. More than just a meal, it is a social event.

Sharing an asado with locals is an ideal opportunity to integrate and practice the language amid laughter and good meat.

Don't miss out on empanadas, especially salteñas, which are juicy and full of flavor. Each province has its own style, so it's fun to try and compare. Milanesas, stone-baked pizzas, choripanes, and medialunas for breakfast are part of everyday life in Argentina.

And of course, mate: more than just a drink, it's a symbol in Buenos Aires and throughout the country. Although the taste can be strong at first, sharing a mate is a social act that connects you with the local culture.

They also have sweets. Alfajores (especially those with dulce de leche) and artisanal ice cream are another must-try. Buenos Aires has ice cream shops that rival the best in Italy.

A transformative experience

Doing an exchange in Buenos Aires means immersing yourself in a city that breathes art, history, and passion; it means making friends from all over the world, discovering new ways of seeing life, and stepping out of your comfort zone every day.

Buenos Aires has a special charm for Brazilian students because it is close and familiar, but different enough to offer you a truly transformative experience. So, if you are looking for a city where you can study Spanish, have adventures, eat well, and grow personally and academically, an exchange in Buenos Aires awaits you with open arms.

Spanish mistakes are common, especially if you are studying a second language like Spanish. Many of these mistakes can help you improve and understand the language so you can speak it fluently and communicate with all Spanish speakers. That's why don Quijote wants to help you in this article so you can learn what common Spanish mistakes students make and how to avoid them.

This article is also available in Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese.

Common Spanish mistakes

Learning a language from scratch is not easy, and Spanish, in particular, has a grammar and Spanish verbs tenses that are not easy at first. Spanish students often make several Spanish grammatical errors when they start out. Among the most common are:

• Pronunciation errors
• Confusion between gender and number of words
• Unnecessary use of pronouns
• Use of prepositions
• Grammatical errors in the use of verbs
• Changing the order of words
• Adding indefinite articles before professions
• Confusing homonymous words
• Not knowing the rules of capitalization
• False friends
• Forgetting the rules of accentuation
• Not differentiating between tú and usted

Below, don Quijote will break down some of these Spanish mistakes, why and how they are usually made, and how to avoid them so that your journey to learn Spanish in Spain is a success.

Pronunciation errors

Many students make mistakes in Spanish when pronouncing certain words because there is no similar or identical sound in their native language. The most difficult sounds for students to pronounce are “r”, “ll” and “j”, and sometimes the general intonation of the language.

The phonetic system of Spanish is very different from that of other languages, so many sounds do not exist in other languages. These Spanish mistakes are common when reading aloud or speaking quickly. Words with “r” such as ratón, guitarra, perro, or arroyo are quite difficult for many students to pronounce.

To try to avoid these types of mistakes in Spanish, you can listen to songs, podcasts, or programs in native Spanish and pay attention to the pronunciation of words with these sounds. You can also improve by repeating the words aloud at the same time and recording your voice to compare the sounds later.

Confusion in the gender and number of words

The use of nouns or adjectives with the incorrect gender and number is also one of the most common grammatical errors among Spanish learners. That's why don Quijote has several articles that can help you better understand the feminine and masculine gender of words, as well as the gender and number of adjectives in Spanish.

Why does this mistake occur in Spanish? Because in many languages, such as English, nouns do not have gender. Thus, students must learn the rules and how to use Spanish nouns.

How can you avoid this mistake? Learn Spanish nouns with their corresponding articles from the beginning. For example: el problema, la mano, el barco, el cuaderno, la galleta.

Unnecessary use of pronouns

In Spanish, it is often unnecessary to use a pronoun as the subject, as the meaning of the sentence does not change. For example, in the sentence: “Yo hablo español cada día” (I speak Spanish every day), the subject “yo” can be omitted and the sentence will sound more natural if you say: “Hablo español cada día”.

This grammatical Spanish mistake occurs because in other languages, such as English, pronouns are always required. If you translate literally, you may make this mistake.

To avoid it, remember that the conjugated verb already contains the subject in the previous sentence: hablo = yo. And, if you want, you can use pronouns only to emphasize or contrast a sentence.

Use of prepositions

Spanish learners can misuse Spanish prepositions, especially when they accompany a verb.

These Spanish mistakes occur because prepositions do not follow an exact logic and are different from those in the learner's native language. Thus, these types of errors occur when translating word for word.

You can avoid this by learning verbs together with their prepositions, for example, pensar en or soñar con. You can also make a list of real examples to help you understand and see how to use prepositions in Spanish.

Grammatical errors in the use of verbs

The misuse of verb tenses or conjugations is very common among Spanish learners. This is because the Spanish verbal system is very complex due to the tenses, modes, and conjugations of irregular verbs.

For example:

• Error: Ayer caminaba al parque
• Correct: Ayer caminé al parque

These types of grammatical errors occur when talking about past, future, or conditional actions. We recommend practicing verbs a lot, using online tools that can help you, or signing up for one of our intensive Spanish courses so that our teachers can help you with all your questions.

Changing word order

The word order can sometimes change the meaning of a sentence or make the sentence structure sound strange in Spanish. If the word order of adjectives has rules in your native language, this may influence your learning, especially if you translate a sentence literally.

For example, in Spanish “El coche rojo y grande” (The big red car) is correct. However, it is incorrect to say, “El coche rojo grande.”

Learn the common structure of a sentence in Spanish: subject + verb + predicate. And remember that adjectives in Spanish come after nouns. Example: coche rojo.

Adding indefinite articles before professions

Translating literally from your native language can lead to mistakes, especially when talking about professions in Spanish. When talking about professions in Spanish, the indefinite article is not used; instead, the verb is simply used followed by the profession.

In English, the article is used when talking about professions or identities. For example:

• Soy doctor --> I’m a doctor
• Soy artista --> I am an artist
• Eres profesora --> She is a teacher
• Tú eres jardinero --> You’re a gardener

Remember that in Spanish, you don't use an article with professions after the verb ser, unless it is modified, for example: “Es un excelente medico” (he is an excellent doctor).

In addition to all these, there are also common grammatical errors such as:

Confusing homonyms in Spanish because they are pronounced the same as other words but have different meanings. In our article on homonyms in Spanish, you will find examples and more details about this type of word.

Not knowing the rules of capitalization is another grammatical error, as Spanish and English do not follow the same rules. You can learn the capitalization rules in Spanish in our article.

Many false friends can lead you to misunderstand a word that looks similar in two different languages. For example: “exit” and “éxito” (English and Spanish); or “bizarre” and “bizarro”, which do not mean the same thing in French and Spanish.

Forgetting the rules of accentuation in Spanish and not putting accents on words written is a common mistake among international students. Another mistake is not knowing the difference between tú and usted and when to use each one in conversation.

These are some of the most common grammatical mistakes made by Spanish learners, but with practice and lots of follow-up, you'll be able to master them all and become fluent in the language. Come to don Quijote schools and explore cities in Spain with us while you learn all the tricks to speaking Spanish fluently.