Tag Archives: dominicans

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


 

A – Dominicanismos Dictionary

LETTER A

The Way Dominicans Speak / Cómo Hablamos Dominicanos – Dominicanismos Dictionary

The slang used in the Dominican Republic.

A – a

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
Ace – powdered soap, laundry soap

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”

Alta Gama – High end or high quality. Urban artist Rochy RD popularised the term. It can also mean getting rich by committing crimes. (2012)

Anchoas, anchoitas – pin curls (thanks Nicole)

Anjá – sort of like saying “What!” “Wow!”

Ajebrarse – to physically fight with another person

Ajumao – A 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. You will hear it used when your turn is next while in a waiting line.

An Aldaba – Door Knocker on a house in the Colonial Zone
An Aldaba – Door Knocker on a house in the Colonial Zone

Aldaba – Door Knockers. It is a traditional word of Arabic origin.

Alelao – a man who is a little slow or stupid

Allantoso – Bragger, phony

AMET – (El AMET) the traffic police (police contact numbers)

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 – At your command. “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. Also used for non-Dominicans that have evolved to become more Dominican the longer they stay in DR.

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

Arretao´- a very bold person, stupidly brave

Asorao – surprised

Astoa – A word with many meanings, but saying “Estoy astoa” (I’m fine) is basically when a person is just fine.

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