Dominican Slang Flashcards
Arretao´
a very bold person, stupidly brave
Asorao
surprised
A caco
to shave a head bald, especially when trying to hide their hair loss
A nivel
used to describe when something is pleasurable, almost like “really cool”
A po’ ta’ bien
“Ah, it’s OK”
Abombao
when someone had lots to eat.
Abombarse
rotten or spoiled food, fruit and water
Abur – Abur
equal to bye bye
Ace
powdered soap, laundry soap
Acechar
to watch or control
Acetona
Nail polish remover
Aficiao
(pronounced ah Fee Chow) to be enamored with, in love with or complexly asphyxiated with another person.
Agallú (or Agayú)
greedy, when one has more than enough and does not share. Selfish.
Aguajero
BS’er, full of it, speaks a lot and does nothing, brags and boasts all the time.
Agolpear
(Golpear) to strike, hit
Ahora
now
Ahorita
Soon,later, maybe never in “Dominican time”
Anchoas, anchoitas
pin curls (thanks Nicole)
Anjá
sort of like saying “What!” “Wow!”
Ajebrarse
to physically fight with another person
Ajumao
drunk
Al trisito
when something is about to happen or almost happened. “We al tristo wrecked”
Alante
(similar to adelante) to move ahead, go forward, to call the next person in a line
Alelao
a man who is a little slow or stupid
Allantoso
Bragger, phony
AMET
(El AMET) the traffic police
Amorcita (o)
my little love (feminine or masculine) used as a term of endearment not necessarily love
Anda el Diablo (sometimes spoken as one word Andaeldiablo)
It is usually said as an exclamation with the emphases on the word anda. Used like the word Damn! when surprised or frustrated. Translated loosely as The devil walks or hanging out with the devil.
Añuga
to choke
A su orden
Your welcome or “It’s nothing”
Apechurrao, Apiñao, Apeñucao
to be very tight, to be packed in like sardines
Aplatanado
another name for Dominicans. Many do not like being called this.
Aplicar
apply for a job
Apota
intentionally, deliberately
Arma una piña
to look for a fight
Arrecho
for a man to be excited sexually, erect
averiguao
(from the spanish word averiguador) a person who is very nosey (thanks Nicole)
Avion
(literally means airplane) a woman that does sexual favors for free; an easy woman
Baboso
(pronounced ba bozo) idiot, to speak lies, talks way too much crap.
Bacano
one cool dude
Bago
person that does not like to work
Baisma
The Basement
Bajo
bad smell
Bakebo
Basketball
Banca
place to place a bet, gamble (baseball, lottery)
Barajo
“eso se barajo” literally it was shuffled. Used when a plan was changed or did not happen.
Batea
metal wash tub, usually used for laundry
Bayonesa
mayonnaise in spanglish
Beepear
pager, beeper
Beibol
baseball
Bengue
Ben Gay
Bembe
(big) lips / Bembú person with big lips
Bemberria
a small party for friends
Bidón
aluminum container,usually used to hold and transport milk
Bi Ma
Big Mac
Bloque
Sidewalk
Blumen
women’s panties, bloomers
Boca aguá
someone who talks without thinking
Bohío
hut
Bolsa
be careful with this word. In Spain Spanish it is bag. In DR it is (ball) bag. We use the word funda for bag.
¡Bomba!
Wow!
Bomba
gas station
Bonche
party for a bunch of friends
Bote llón de agua
the large 5 gallon blue jug of water that holds clean drinking water.
un bote
boat
Bozo
big moustache on an old person
Brasier
bra
Brecha
spy
Brechador
(acechar to watch) men who like to watch women
Brechero
peeping Tom
Brechar
someone that likes to brag a little
Buquí
when someone makes a pig of themselves
Bufeando
making fun of something or someone
Bufeo
relax
Bugarron
dominate gay man
Buquí
when someone makes a pig of themselves
Burén
flat griddle
Burriquero
The guy in the country that rides around doing errands for people on his burro, ie:runs to the grocery store
Caballo
person similar to a tigre but a little more decent
*Cabron
a large male goat,also means displeased
*Cacaito
candy
*Cacata
tarantula type spider, bad woman (more on a cacata/ tarantula and a picture)
*Cacharra
a vehicle in bad shape
*Cachu
when you can do something fast and not complicated, easy for you “Cocinar arroz es cachu para el dominicano”
*Caco
head
*Cacú
someone with a large head
*Cajeta
bag, can have many meanings depending on the context
*Callejones
a small road, alley. A side road with no lights where delinquents, robbers and other shady people hang out.
*Can
Celebration or party
*Canillas
skinny legs
*Canoa
canoe
*Carajo
(pronounced ca rah ho)
*Carey
tortoise shell
*Carro
car (coche)
*Carro Publicos
public taxis (more on transportation)
*Cepillo
an old volksweign
*Chepa
(used much in the Cibao region) luck
*Champola
a drink made of guanábana and milk.
*Champú
Shampoo
*Chancleta
flip flop, sandal
*Chata
when a person hasaflat behind, no bum. It is the small back pocket sized alcohol bottle. Many men carry a chata in their pocket
*Chatica
the flat bottles of rum that easily fit into a pocket
*Checkear
to check, investigate
*Chele
Centavo, penny
*Chepa
stroke of luck,”que chepa!”Que Cheposo!” what luck
*Cherchar
to talk in an animated way. Came from people gathering after church
*Chichí
a baby boy
*Chichigua
kite
*Chicle
chicklet, the gum
*Chimicuí
can be a bad odor or a bad looking face
*Chin
a little bit “chin chin” (“dame un chin” give me a little bit)
*Chininin o Chililin
a very little bit, smaller than chin
*Chinchilín
blackbird used to describe a really bad odor
*Chivito harto de jobo
(pronounced chivito jartuejobo) someone that thinks their important but really they are no one
*Chivo
goat, to be suspicious of something. doubtful, doesn’t have trust in a person (cabra)
*Chol
Shorts, Short Pants
*Chopa
a not nice word meaning a cleaning lady or domestic servant. It is very rude to call someone this
*Chopo
a person of the lowest class very rude (do not call anyone this)
*Chula
sugar mama, a term of endearment used frequently in the streets.
*Chulea
to cover with kisses
*Cicote
foot odor
*Cielito
(literally little piece of heaven) used to describe a small tip that is customarily given as a reward
*Cloo
club
*Cloro
“tu ta cloro” “estas cloro” the word cloro is used instead of the word claro (clear). So it would mean I understand, you are coming across very clear.
*Cloro
Clorox, bleach
*Cobrador
fare collector on a guagua
*Cocaleka
popcorn
*Cocote
neck (of a person)
*Cocuyo or Cucuyo
firefly, lightning bug, also known in legends as nimitas (the legend of nimitas)
*Colín
Machete
*Colmado
corner store in most neighborhoods. Sells drinks, food, necessities. Anything and everything.
*Colmadón
a larger version of a Colmado. Usually has music, dancing, food. Closely resembles a local bar
*Compai / Copai
Compadre, friend
*Comparona
person who likes to show off
Con flei
corn flakes, all cold cereals are called by this name
*Concho
(Con Cho) 1) a softer non curse form of the word damn (coño). 2) moto
*Coño
an expression close in meaning to Damn! (a little vulgar). Can also mean a woman’s private part (very vulgar)
*Cota
the dirt in the creases around the neck
*Cote
Kotex
*Cotorra
parrot, a person that talks too much. Cotorra tuya.
*(una) Crica
a little bit, the same as saying un chin or un poquito.
*Cuartos
money
*Cuero
a female sanky panky. A woman that picks up tourists, claims love and uses them for cash, gifts and other gains. Usually a resort worker. This is not a nice word to use casually.
*Cuquear
to bother
*Cutafara
Ugly woman
*Cuté
nail polish
Dame Lu
(dam eloo) a greeting “What’s up?” or “What’s happenin’?” literally give me light (enlighten me)
*Deguabine
someone in bad physical shape
*Deplayarse
laying around for hours doing nothing, maybe laying in bed and watching tv
*Detutanao
canceled
*¿Dime ave?
(deemehabe) “Whats up?” “Tell me what’s going on” (literally enlighten me, tell me so I can see)
*Dímelo?
sort of like “What’s happenin’”, “How are you?”, used much when answering the phone
*¡Diachi!
it’s a way to soften the word diablo (devil). Used in place of the word damn ie: “Diache! You look good” or Diache! I stubbed my toe. Also can be astonished or surprised. (gracias Tito for the definition)
*Dios te Bendigas
God bless you respond with “Amen”)
*Dí que
similar to saying “uhhmm”…in place of a pause in a sentence, uh el Dueño, el Amo
*Dry Clean
to clean up yourself especially before a party or after going to the beach
Emparchao
when the stomach hurts from indigestion
*Emperchado
someone that dresses in the high fashion of the time
*Enchivao
clogged
*Enchulao
to be in love
*Enchumbao
to be full of it; I am all wet, used to refer to wet shoes after a rain
*Enculillarse
to have a bad itch
*Enjaretar
(verb) gorge on food, when your really hungry this is what you do.