Common English Mistakes South African Learners Make

South Africa is one of the most linguistically rich countries in the world, with eleven official languages. Most South African English learners grow up speaking Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Afrikaans, or another home language first — and the patterns of those languages naturally influence the way they use English. This is not a flaw; it is simply how languages work. The key is identifying the specific patterns that cause misunderstandings and gently correcting them over time.

The following are the most common errors I hear from South African students, along with the reasoning behind each mistake and a simple correction to apply immediately.

Mistake 1 — Saying "I am coming" when you mean "I am on my way"

The phrase "now-now" is a beloved South African English expression that communicates immediacy — but it only makes sense to other South Africans. In international or formal settings, replace it with "shortly," "in a moment," or "I'm on my way."

Mistake 2 — Dropping the article "the" or "a"

Many Bantu languages and Afrikaans do not use articles (the words "a," "an," and "the") in the same way English does. As a result, learners often drop them entirely. A reliable rule is: use "a" or "an" the first time you mention something, and "the" when you refer to it again or when both you and the listener know which specific thing you mean.

Mistake 3 — Confusing "bring" and "take"

Bring means movement towards the speaker. Take means movement away from the speaker. Think of it this way: you bring a gift to someone's party (towards them), but you take your child to school (away from where you are).

Mistake 4 — Using "will" instead of "going to" for plans

Both forms are grammatically correct, but native speakers use "going to" for plans that were already decided, and "will" for spontaneous decisions made in the moment. Overusing "will" for pre-planned events sounds slightly unnatural and overly formal in everyday speech.

Mistake 5 — Saying "I am having" for states, not actions

Certain verbs in English — called stative verbs — describe states rather than actions, and they are almost never used in the continuous (-ing) form. Common stative verbs include: have, know, understand, believe, like, love, hate, want, need, own, belong. These verbs describe a condition that simply exists, not something that is actively happening in this moment.

Mistake 6 — Pronunciation of "th" sounds

The "th" sound is genuinely rare in the world's languages — it does not exist in Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, or Afrikaans, so learners naturally substitute "d" or "t." The fix requires physical practice. Put your finger in front of your mouth and practise: you should feel a tiny puff of air when you say "the" correctly. Do this exercise for one minute a day and the muscle memory will develop within a few weeks.

Mistake 7 — Using "must" when "should" is more appropriate

"Must" in many South African languages translates as a strong recommendation or obligation, and this carries over into English. However, in standard British or American English, "must" often sounds like a strict command or rule. For friendly recommendations, use "should," "ought to," or "you've got to" instead — they sound warmer and more natural.

How to fix these mistakes permanently

Reading about mistakes is useful, but the only way to eliminate them is through spoken practice with feedback. When you speak and immediately hear a correction, your brain registers the error in a way that silent reading simply cannot achieve. The more you practise — especially in realistic conversation — the more the correct patterns become automatic, until you no longer have to think about them at all.