DOMINICAN SAYINGS and IDIOMATIC EXPRESSIONS
Funny sayings and terms used by our Native Dominican Speakers in their everyday conversations. Many are very difficult to understand but when you finally get the idea they can be quite funny. When you use these idiomatic expressions in Dominican Republic make sure you pronounce them like a Dominican and be sure you are able to laugh at yourself. This way people know you are making a joke so you are not taken the wrong way. In time, you will know more of the Dominican way and will be talking in true Dominican style.
*A buen hambre no hay pan duro - (When you are really hungry no bread is too hard to eat) Where there is a will there is a way
*A caballo resaldo no se le mira el diente - Never look a gift horse in the mouth
*A falta de pan, casabe, dice el pueblo. - Make do with what is available.
*A la brigandina - to do something fast
*A paso de tortuga - when someone is too slow. Walks like a turtle.
*Abrir gas - To run away
*Acostarse con las gallinas - To go to bed the same time as the hens
*Amarrando la chiva - (literally means roping the goat)To do nothing when supposed to be working, because roping a goat is too easy
*Amarrar los perros con longanizas - To be very naive and give away opportunities to the enemies
*¡Ay, mi madre! - (literally oh, my mother) An exclamation to mean "oh man!" or can also mean like Wow! sort of a surprised expressive remark
*Caerle a la conga - (literally playing the drums) To jump on someone intending on beating him up
*¿Cómo e'tamo' ? - country way of saying ¿Cómo estamos? How are we today?
*¿Como 'ta la cosa? - How's things?, How's it goin'?
*Conocer al cojo senta'o - (Literally, to recognize the cripple, even when he's sitting down.) to know someone's intentions when they haven't told anyone.(updated by Rachel)
*Cuando cuca bailaba - when people refer to the good old days, when they talk about the old times
*Curarse en salud - to practice prevention even before there is a problem
*Date brillo cadenita que tu mojo llega - Shine now for your day will come
*Despues de la excusa, nadie se queda mal - After the excuses were given, everybody got along fine
*E' palante que vamo - We are going to go forward (election campaign slogan)
*E' pa' fuera que va - out it will go (election campaign slogan)
*El carro quedó debaratao' - when a car receives a violent blow
*El que anda con perro a ladrar aprende - He who hangs out with a dog will learn how to bark
*El que quiere moños bonitos tiene que aguitar halones - (literally: If you want nice hair you have to pull it tight) If you want something you need to work hard for it.
*Entrar a comer ojos -to go - Between a rock and a hard place
*Es mejor andar solo que mal acompañado - Better to go alone than to keep bad company
*Eso lo sabe hasta la madre de los tomates - Everyone knows it,(everyone knows even the mother of the tomatoes)
*Estoy entregado en ........... - like saying "I am up to my eyeballs in ___(something-fill the blank).
*Gallina vieja da buen caldo - to express that a mature women has more experience and that adds to their sex appeal.
*Hacerse el chivo loco - To play dumb and unaware. To be irresponsible.
*Ir por la sombrita - To walk in the shade of a tree
*La mama de Tarzan - used to describe a something cool or a good looking person
*La piña está agria - (literally:the pineapple is sour) when something is difficult(dura)
*Llegó la lú - what is said when the electric service comes back on.
*Lo agarraron asando batatas - He got caught with his pants down
*Lo que va, biene - What goes around comes around
*Má caliente que una vieja metía en fiesta - Hotter than an old woman on a party mood.
*Me da grima. - It scares me
*Me hizo plancha - when a person does not go to something that they committed to.
*Me llevó el diablo -(literally: the devil took me) I am damned
*Me tienen en un tirijala - when someone says I'll see you soon or I'll soon be there.
*Ni con Dios ni con el Diablo - Neither with God or the Devil
*Ni fú ni fá - when something is congested or stuck, you can't move forward or backward
*Niágara en bicicleta - to overcome many problems, to go over the waterfalls on a bicycle. It is also the name of a song by Juan Luis Guerra (updated by Rachel)
*No Dar Un Golpe - not to deliver an attack or not to work
*No hay problema. - No problem
*No' vemo- (Nos Vamos) - I'm gonna go.
*Nunca digas de esa agua no beberé - (Never say from that water I will never drink) Don't say you will never do something because you may have to do it someday. You may regret those words someday.
"Un clavo saco otro clavo" (literally meaning "one nail raises another nail"). Used when you have a hangover and need another drink to make it better. "Hair of the dog that bit you" is the equivalent in English.
*Pa' seguida - right away; immediately
*Pajaro de cuenta. - People will call you this if you are not a very trustworthy person. Tamaño pajaro - this is even less trustworthy than the first.
*¡Por la maceta! - Very good; excellent; great!
*Probando e que se guisa - By trying is how you will know
*Que aperidá. - Used when something is amazing
*¡ Que Leche ! - If you win at the lottery or get a really good job you say this. Sort of like saying your in the cream now.
*¿Que lo Que? - the same as ¿que pasa? What's up? What's happenin'?