Don't be afraid of making mistakes! If you're a language student, you're going to make mistakes, and that's a fact. Sometimes you'll mix up verb tenses or make literal translations from your native language that don't make any sense. Every now and then, you'll say something embarrassing that you'll never forget, like the hilarious mistake you can see in this video: https://www.instagram.com/reel/C9upZRlIckA/ Believe it or not, it's more common than you think! If you're not familiar with these phrases, 'tengo miedo' means 'I'm scared', whereas 'tengo mierda' is something completely different: 'I have 💩' From a very early age, we're told that mistakes are a bad thing, that we should be embarrassed by them or try to hide them. Nothing could be further from the truth! Making mistakes is an essential part of learning any language, and here's why: When you make a mistake, it shows you exactly where you need to focus. Is it grammar? Vocabulary? Pronunciation? Each mistake is a clue that will lead you to improvement. And let's be real, there are some mistakes you'll never forget. If you ask for 'polla' instead of 'pollo' at a restaurant, you'll remember that one forever! The embarrassment will burn the correct word into your memory. Mistakes also push you out of your comfort zone. If you're not afraid of messing up, you'll try new words, phrases, and grammar. This experimentation is what speeds up your learning. Sticking to what you know is safe, but it doesn't help you improve. Plus, mistakes make you more resilient. Learning a language is a marathon, not a sprint. Each mistake you overcome builds your confidence and determination, showing you that you can handle setbacks and keep going. And here's a fun fact: native speakers make mistakes too. Sometimes, you might even know more about certain aspects of the language, like the subjunctive, than they do.