Puerto Rican Culture

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Puerto Rican Slang Dictionary

Learn to speak like a real boricua

wepa

Expressions

Expression of joy, enthusiasm or surprise

Example: Wepa! We won the game!

dímelo

Expressions

Casual greeting, like saying "what's up?"

Example: Dímelo, brother. What are you up to?

ay bendito

Expressions

Expression of pity, sympathy or surprise

Example: Ay bendito, the kid fell down.

ay Dios mío

Expressions

Oh my God, expression of surprise

Example: Ay Dios mío! What happened here?

dale

Expressions

Ok, alright, let's go

Example: Dale, see you at 8.

pa'l carajo

Expressions

To hell with it, expression of anger or frustration

Example: I'm out of here, I can't take it anymore.

puñeta

Expressions

Expression of frustration or anger (like "damn")

Example: Puñeta! I forgot my keys.

qué volá

Expressions

What's up? What's going on?

Example: Qué volá, bro. Everything good?

¿qué lo que?

Phrases

What's up? Casual greeting

Example: Qué lo que, cousin? How are you?

ponte las pilas

Phrases

Wake up, pay attention, get with it

Example: Ponte las pilas, we're leaving now.

está cabrón

Phrases

It's difficult or it's awesome (depends on context)

Example: That test is tough, bro.

no jodas

Phrases

No way, seriously, don't mess with me

Example: He won the lottery? No jodas!

ya tú sabes

Phrases

You know how it is, you get me

Example: I was late to work... ya tú sabes.

qué será será

Phrases

Whatever will be, will be

Example: Don't worry so much, qué será será.

pa'lante

Phrases

Forward, keep moving forward with strength

Example: No matter what happens, always pa'lante.

qué es la que hay

Phrases

What's happening? What's new?

Example: Qué es la que hay, bro. All good?

pendejo/a

Insults

Stupid, idiot (common insult but not too harsh)

Example: Don't be pendejo, that doesn't make sense.

bobo/a

Insults

Silly, dumb, softer than pendejo

Example: Ay, you're so silly.

cabrón/cabrona

Insults

Can be an insult or compliment depending on tone

Example: That guy is a cabrón, he did it.

mamón/mamona

Insults

Show-off, stuck-up, arrogant

Example: What a mamón he is, thinks he's better than everyone.

lambón/lambona

Insults

Kiss-ass, brown-noser

Example: He's a lambón with the boss.

jodón/jodona

Insults

Annoying, someone who bothers a lot

Example: Don't be jodón, leave me alone.

comelon/comelona

Insults

Someone who eats a lot

Example: That kid is a comelón, he ate everything.

mi amor

Endearment

My love, term of endearment

Example: Hi mi amor, how are you?

papi/mami

Endearment

Term of endearment, not just for parents

Example: Papi, bring me a coffee please.

nene/nena

Endearment

Baby, kid, also endearment for adults

Example: Nena, come here.

mai/pai

Endearment

Mom/dad (abbreviated)

Example: Mai, what's there to eat?

manito/manita

Endearment

Little brother/sister, close friend

Example: What's up, manito. All good?

primo/prima

Endearment

Cousin, but used for friends too

Example: Dímelo primo, are we going out?

bro/bori

Endearment

Brother, friend (from brother and boricua)

Example: Bro, what happened with you yesterday.

janguear

Verbs

To hang out, chill with friends

Example: Let's janguear at the mall.

perrear

Verbs

To dance reggaeton in a sensual way

Example: Everyone was perreando at the club.

joder

Verbs

To annoy, bother, or to have sex (context)

Example: Stop messing around, I have to work.

bregar

Verbs

To deal with something, handle a situation

Example: I have to bregar with a lot of work today.

arrancar

Verbs

To leave, get going, start moving

Example: It's late, let's arrancar.

llegar

Verbs

To arrive, but also "to succeed"

Example: He really llegó, now he has his business.

flechar

Verbs

To win over, make someone fall for you

Example: He flechó her with his smile.

pelear

Verbs

To fight physically or argue

Example: They're always fighting.

tripear

Verbs

To party, have a good time, be on a vibe

Example: We were tripeando all night.

guayar

Verbs

To grind, dance close

Example: They were guayando on the dance floor.

chevere

Adjectives

Cool, great, nice

Example: That guy is really chevere.

brutal

Adjectives

Incredible, excellent, awesome

Example: That party was brutal!

arrecho/a

Adjectives

Angry, annoyed, or turned on (context)

Example: I'm arrecho with the traffic.

bellaco/a

Adjectives

Horny, sexually aroused

Example: That song makes me bellaco.

jodon/jodona

Adjectives

Difficult, complicated, annoying

Example: This problem is jodón.

guapo/a

Adjectives

Brave, bold (not just "handsome")

Example: You're really guapo to do that.

aguajao/a

Adjectives

Nerdy, boring, lame

Example: Don't be aguajao, let's go to the party.

avispao/a

Adjectives

Smart, clever, sharp

Example: That kid is really avispao.

joseador/a

Adjectives

Hardworking, hustler, go-getter

Example: He's a joseador, always working.

charro/a

Adjectives

Funny, amusing, comical

Example: Your brother is really charro.

el pegao

Food

The rice stuck to the bottom of the pot (the best part)

Example: Give me a little bit of pegao.

tostones

Food

Fried and smashed green plantains

Example: I want tostones with mayo-ketchup.

amarillos

Food

Fried sweet plantains

Example: The amarillos are perfect today.

mofongo

Food

Mashed plantains with garlic, pork cracklings and lard

Example: Let's eat shrimp mofongo.

alcapurria

Food

Fried fritter made with yautía or yucca filled with meat

Example: Give me two crab alcapurrias.

bacalaíto

Food

Codfish fritter

Example: The beach bacalaítos are the best.

piragua

Food

Shaved ice with syrup

Example: It's hot, let's get a piragua.

limber

Food

Homemade frozen ice pop in a cup

Example: I bought a coconut limber.

tripleta

Food

Sandwich with three meats (chicken, pork, steak)

Example: One tripleta well loaded, please.

cuchifritos

Food

Assorted fried pork parts

Example: Let's go to the cuchifritos spot.

medalla

Food

Puerto Rico's official beer

Example: Bring me an ice cold Medalla Light.

coquito

Food

Christmas coconut drink with rum and spices

Example: My grandma's coquito is the best.

acho

Expressions

Interjection, like "man" or "dude"

Example: Acho, it's so hot today.

diache

Expressions

Expression of surprise or frustration (mild)

Example: Diache! I dropped my phone.

por si acaso

Expressions

Just in case

Example: I'm bringing an umbrella por si acaso.

qué sé yo

Expressions

I don't know, whatever

Example: You can bring pizza, chicken, qué sé yo.

coño

Expressions

Interjection of surprise or anger (strong)

Example: Coño! What are you doing?

vete pa'l carajo

Phrases

Go to hell, leave me alone

Example: If you don't like it, vete pa'l carajo.

me tienes harto/a

Phrases

I'm tired of you, you're getting on my nerves

Example: Me tienes harto with your complaints.

de aquí y de allá

Phrases

A little of this and that, mixed

Example: We ate de aquí y de allá at the party.

sin cojones

Phrases

No balls, coward, no way

Example: He got sin cojones to jump.

qué vaina es esa

Phrases

What is that? What's going on?

Example: Qué vaina es esa that you're doing.

fiebrú

Adjectives

Fanatic, obsessed, groupie

Example: That guy is a fiebrú of Bad Bunny.

vacano/a

Adjectives

Cool, awesome, great

Example: That movie is vacana.

sato/a

Adjectives

Street dog, mutt (also clever person)

Example: I picked up a sato from the street.

tiguere/tiguera

Adjectives

Cunning, street-smart, slick

Example: He's a tiguere, always knows everything.

ñángara

Adjectives

Ugly, unpleasant

Example: That car is ñángara.

tocar

Verbs

To have to do something (it's his turn)

Example: Te toca to wash dishes today.

zafar

Verbs

To escape, get out of something

Example: I zafé from work early.

cotorrear

Verbs

To chat, gossip, shoot the breeze

Example: We were cotorreando on the corner.

botar

Verbs

To throw away, discard (also "to fire from job")

Example: They fired him from work.

coger

Verbs

To grab, take (also sexual meaning)

Example: I'm going to catch the bus.

los chavos

Expressions

The money, cash

Example: I don't have chavos to go out today.

un chin

Expressions

A little bit, a small amount

Example: Give me un chin of rice.

ahora mismo

Expressions

Right now (but sometimes means "later")

Example: I'm going ahora mismo... (in 20 minutes)

eso mismo

Expressions

Exactly, that's right

Example: Eso mismo is what I said.

qué barbaridad

Expressions

Expression of surprise or disapproval

Example: Qué barbaridad, everything is so expensive.

no me digas

Expressions

Really? You don't say

Example: He won the lottery? No me digas!

bendición

Expressions

Greeting to ask elders for blessing

Example: Bendición, grandma. - God bless you.

pa' fuera

Expressions

Outward, out

Example: Let's go pa' fuera to eat.

coquí

Expressions

Small frog that's a symbol of Puerto Rico

Example: The coquíes sing every night.

el coco

Food

The coconut

Example: Give me cold coconut water.

rayao/a

Adjectives

Crazy, out of it, wild

Example: That guy is rayao.

fino/a

Adjectives

Good, cool, nice

Example: Everything is fino, bro.

safao/a

Adjectives

Shameless, bold, cheeky

Example: You're so safá, asking for that.

pichear

Verbs

To ignore someone, to ghost

Example: She picheó me after the date.

tecato/a

Insults

Drug addict, junkie

Example: That guy is a tecato.

gufear

Verbs

To joke, tease, mess around

Example: We were gufeando all night.

tiraera

Expressions

Diss track, attacking someone lyrically

Example: He made a terrible tiraera at him.

bichote

Expressions

Drug kingpin, big boss

Example: He thinks he's a bichote but he's nobody.

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