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
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
*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)
*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
*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
*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
*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 – 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.
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.
