Category Archives: Dominicanismos / Dominican Dictionary

The way Dominicans Speak / Cómo Hablamos Dominicanos – Dominicanismos Dictionary. The slang used in Dominican Republic.

*Please note – The old html web site page Dominicanismos Dictionario / Dominican Idiom Dictionary has been redirected to this category page. Each letter now has it’s own separate page.

LETTER A

LETTER B

LETTER C

LETTER D

LETTER E

LETTER F

LETTER G

LETTER H

LETTER I

LETTER J

LETTER K

LETTER L

LETTER M

LETTER N

LETTER O

LETTER P

LETTER Q

LETTER R

LETTER S

LETTER T

LETTER U

LETTER V

LETTER W

LETTER Y

LETTER Z

D-Dominicanismos Dictionary

LETTER D

The way Dominicans Speak / Cómo Hablamos Dominicanos – Dominicanismos Dictionary

The slang used in Dominican Republic.

D – de

*Dame Lu (dam-e-loo) – 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? (deemeh-a-be) “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 – Landlord, Boss

*Dry Clean – to clean up yourself especially before a party or after going to the beach

C-Dominicanismos Dictionary

LETTER C

The way Dominicans Speak / Cómo Hablamos Dominicanos – Dominicanismos Dictionary

The slang used in Dominican Republic.

C – ce

*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

A Callejón - a small road, alley in Villa Duarte with Buenagente
A Callejón – a small road, alley in Villa Duarte with Buenagente

*Callejón – a small road, alley.

*Camu – A word popularised by Urban Music. (like Shamu the whale) A derogatory term for a fat woman and can also mean something ugly, damaged or in bad condition or shape.

*Can – Celebration or party


 
*Canillas – skinny legs

*Canoa – canoe

*Carajo – (pronounced ca-rah-ho) – a way to say damn! or hell! without sounding too awful vulgar.

*Carey – tortoise shell

*Carro – car (coche)

*Carro Publicos or Carito – 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.

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*Champú – Shampoo

*Chancleta – flip flop, sandal

*Chata – when a person has a flat 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

Chichiguas - Kites flying high in the sky
Chichiguas – Kites flying high in the sky

*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

*Chivirica – (popularised by urban artists 2012) A woman who likes to flirt too much and likes to provoke men. Can also be a woman that always causes problems and makes scandals.

*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)


 

*Choka – when someone offers their fist in a hello – fist pump

*Chol – Shorts, Short Pants

*Chon – (the opposite of “chin”). A lot, much, a large amount of something.

*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

*Chuquiteo or Chucky – (made popular by urban music 2021) It is the use of drugs causing a feeling of exaltation, aggressiveness and impulsiveness. A state of mind that makes a person look for or start violence or violent behaviors.

*Cicote – foot odor

*Cielito – (literally little piece of heaven) used to describe a small tip that is customarily given as a reward

*Cloo – club

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*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 big and little
Cloro – Clorox, bleach big and little

*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 Los Muchachos, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo September 9, 2014
Colmado Los Muchachos, Ciudad Colonial, Santo Domingo September 9, 2014

*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-concho – short way of saying public taxi

*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


 

B–Dominicanismos Dictionary

LETTER B

The Way Dominicans Speak / Cómo Hablamos Dominicanos – Dominicanismos Dictionary

The slang used in Dominican Republic.

B – be

Baboso – (pronounced ba-bo-zo) idiot, to speak lies, talks way too much crap.

Bacano – one cool dude

Bago – person that does not like to work

Baisma – The Basement

Bajé con Trenza – (phrase made popular by urban music artists Kiko the Crazy and Cherry Scom 2021) Literally means to go someplace with braided hair. Changing your look to be trendy.

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 – old style pager, beeper

Playing baseball in the campo
Playing baseball in the campo

Beibol – baseball (To learn more Dominican Baseball words)

Bélico – Something or someone does not look good. “Esa mujer es un bélico” / “That woman is unattractive or ugly.”

Bembe – (big) lips / Bembú-person with big lips

Bemberria – a small party for friends

Bengue – Ben Gay

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 Texaco - Texaco gas station attendants pump your gas
Bomba Texaco – Texaco gas station attendants pump your gas

Bomba – gas station

Bonche – party for a bunch of friends

Botellón de agua – the large 5 gallon blue jug of water that holds clean drinking water (agua potable).

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