Dominican Republic Idioms, Sayings and Words of Wisdom

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 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 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.
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'?
Saber más por viejo que por diablo - To say that old age gives wisdom
Sacar los pies - to move away,get away from a person
Se fue corriendo - (literally went away running)to run fast, go full throttle, fast
Se lo llevó quien lo trajo - sort of like you brought it upon yourself. When someone has a big problem the response is this, ( you made your bed now sleep in it)
Si dios quiere - God willing. Not necessarily religious. I think its used just incase what was planed to happen doesn't, then the person feels they can always use it as an excuse, "God didn't want it to happen"
Si la vaca ha venden por libras, porque comprar la vaca entera?- If you can buy the cow by the pound why buy the entire cow? (referring to having a woman for the night or for always)
Si tomas Brugal tú resuelve o peleas. - If you drink Brugal (rum) you either fight or have sex.
Ta que echa chi'pas - (literally throwing sparks) means being angry.
Te llamo pa' tras - (in true Spanish-devolver la llamada) I will call you back
Te conozco bacalao, aunque vengas disfrasao-I know you even if you are in disguise, "you can't hide your intentions from me"
Te subi lo vidrio - (Literally:shut the window) when you've had enough talking to someone or when you don't want to hear them you shut the window on them.
Tengo un arranque encima - to be in a bad economic situation
tililí-tililí - repeating the same thing or story over and over
'Toy feo pa' la foto - (exact translation - I am ugly for the picture) things can't be worst for me
Tu eres muy jediondon y delicagao -You are very hard to please
Tu ta como un aji picante -You're mad as hell
Tu ta' pasao -"you have really crossed the line now!" sort of as a warning that a fight was about to break out. (added by Rachel)
Tu ta' muy quitao de bulla - What you call a person that is carefree
Vamo pal pley - Let's go play (usually refers to baseball the "pley" is actually what they call the baseball field.(updated by Rachel))
Yo estoy chivo con eso - "I'm doubtful about that",to doubt something