Dominican slang: 300 phrases to sound like a local

300 phrases
300 real examples
66 slang
4 regions
22 local phrases
13 marked vulgar

Dominicans talk fast, swallow the s and the d, and pack every sentence with words you won't find in a textbook. This page gives you the 300 you'll actually hear, from the taxi to the colmado to the dance floor.

Greetings and small talk 22

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
1	¡Buenas!	Hi! Hello!	¡Buenas! ¿Usted tiene agua fría?Hi! Do you have cold water?	Everyday The safe hello with strangers, vendors and drivers. Say it as you walk into any shop or colmado.
2	Con permiso	Excuse me	Con permiso, ¿puedo pasar?Excuse me, may I come through?	Everyday Say it when you walk past someone, enter a home or squeeze through a crowd.
3	A la orden	At your service	"Gracias." "A la orden.""Thanks." "At your service."	Everyday Vendors and shop staff say it as a hello, an offer to help or a reply to thanks. Street use
4	¿Qué lo que? / ¿Qué lo what? / KLK	What's up?	¿Qué lo que, loco? ¿Todo bien?What's up, man? All good?	Slang The classic Dominican hello for friends and people your age, not the doña at the colmado. You'll see it texted as KLK.
5	¿Cómo tú 'tá?	How are you?	Hola, mi amor, ¿cómo tú 'tá hoy?Hi, love, how are you today?	Casual Dominicans put tú before the verb in questions and drop the es of estás.
6	¿De dónde tú ere'?	Where are you from?	¿Y de dónde tú ere', de Nueva York?And where are you from, New York?	Casual The first thing people ask a visitor. Answer with "Soy de..."
7	De nada / Con gusto	You're welcome	"Muchas gracias." "Con gusto.""Thanks a lot." "My pleasure."	Everyday The polite reply to thanks. Con gusto sounds warmer.
8	Tato / Ta' to'	All good	"¿Cómo tú 'tá?" "Tato, gracias a Dios.""How are you?" "All good, thank God."	Slang Short for "está todo bien." The standard reply to klk.
9	Dime a ver	So, how's it going?	Dime a ver, ¿cómo te fue en el trabajo?So tell me, how did work go?	Casual Opens a chat with someone you know.
10	¿Qué tú hace'?	What are you up to?	¿Qué tú hace', loco? ¿Tú 'tá en la casa?What are you up to, man? Are you home?	Casual Same word order trick: tú comes before the verb.
11	Aquí, tranquilo / tranqui	Just chilling	"¿Qué lo que?" "Aquí, tranqui, viendo pelota.""What's up?" "Just chilling, watching baseball."	Casual The easy answer to any hello, and tranqui is the short form. Pelota means baseball, and young people also say "aquí, chilin."
12	Aquí, bregando	Hanging in there, working hard	"¿Cómo va todo?" "Aquí, bregando, ya tú sabe.""How's it all going?" "Hanging in there, working hard, you know."	Casual Bregar is to work hard or deal with things.
13	Ya tú sabe	You know how it is	"¿Y el trabajo?" "Ya tú sabe, lo mismo de siempre.""And work?" "You know how it is, same old."	Casual Fills a gap when you don't want to explain.
14	Mi loco	My man, dude	¿Qué lo que, mi loco? Tiempo sin verte.What's up, man? Long time no see.	Slang Guys say it to their friends.
15	Dímelo cantando	What's new?	¿Qué lo que? Dímelo cantando.What's up? Tell me what's new.	Slang A playful hello, literally "tell it to me singing," and dímelo alone means "go ahead, I'm listening."
16	¿Y qué tú dice?	So what do you say?	¿Y qué tú dice, vamo' pa' la playa o no?So what do you say, are we going to the beach or not?	Casual Asks for news or a decision.
17	Dame lu'	Fill me in	Dame lu', ¿qué fue lo que pasó anoche?Fill me in, what happened last night?	Slang From "dame luz," give me light.
18	Dame dato	Give me the details	Dame dato, ¿qué hay pa' esta noche?Give me the scoop, what's on tonight?	Slang Asks for info, plans or gossip.
19	Chercha	Chat, hanging out talking	Nos quedamos en la chercha en la galería hasta tarde.We stayed chatting on the porch until late.	Casual Easy talk with no point, or a small fun get-together.
20	No coja' lucha	Don't stress	No coja' lucha, que eso se resuelve mañana.Don't stress, that'll get sorted tomorrow.	Casual Coger lucha is to struggle or slog away, so no coja' lucha means don't sweat it.
21	Bendición	Bless me (greeting an elder)	"Bendición, abuela." "Dios te bendiga, mi hijo.""Bless me, Grandma." "God bless you, son."	Everyday Kids and grown adults greet parents, grandparents and godparents this way.
22	Nos vemos / Hasta luego	See you, goodbye	Nos vemos mañana, ¿oíste?See you tomorrow, OK?	Everyday The easy goodbye with friends, drivers and shop staff.

Getting around 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
23	¿Cuánto me cobra pa'...?	How much to...?	¿Cuánto me cobra pa'l aeropuerto, chofer?How much to the airport, driver?	Everyday Ask before you get in, because taxis rarely use a meter.
24	¿Dónde queda...?	Where is...?	¿Dónde queda el colmado más cercano?Where is the nearest corner store?	Everyday The standard way to ask for directions.
25	Concho	Shared route taxi	Cogí un concho hasta el Parque Independencia.I took a shared taxi to Independence Park.	Everyday Old cars on a fixed route that pick up anyone. People also call it a carro público.
26	Carrera	Taxi ride, fare	¿Cuánto cuesta la carrera hasta la Zona Colonial?How much is the ride to the Colonial Zone?	Everyday A carrera is one taxi trip, so agree on the price before you get in.
27	¡Avanza!	Hurry up!	¡Avanza, que se va la guagua!Hurry up, the bus is leaving!	Everyday You'll hear it all day, from bus touts, moms and friends running late.
28	Déjame aquí	Drop me here	Déjame aquí, chofer, en la esquina.Drop me here at the corner, driver.	Everyday Add "un chin más alante" to go a bit further.
29	Politur	Tourist police	Si te pasa algo, busca a un agente de Politur.If something happens, look for a Politur officer.	Everyday The police unit for tourist areas, with officers in resorts and beach towns.
30	Chofer	Driver	Chofer, ¿usted va por la Duarte?Driver, are you going along Duarte Avenue?	Everyday What you call any taxi, bus or concho driver. Uber and Didi work in the big cities, and hotels call taxis anywhere else.
31	Motoconcho	Motorbike taxi	Coge un motoconcho, que es más rápido.Take a motorbike taxi, it's faster.	Everyday Agree the price with the motoconchista before you get on.
32	Guagua	Bus	Tenemos que coger la guagua pa' Santiago a las 8.We have to catch the bus to Santiago at 8.	Everyday Any bus or minibus, and coger is a clean verb here. Also said in Cuba, Puerto Rico and the Canaries.
33	Pasaje	Bus or concho fare	¿Cuánto e' el pasaje pa' Santiago?How much is the fare to Santiago?	Everyday What you pay to ride a guagua or a concho. Have small bills ready.
34	Voladora	Fast minibus	Esa voladora iba volando por la autopista.That minibus was flying down the highway.	Everyday Cheap minibuses with loud music and fast drivers.
35	Cobrador	Fare collector on a bus	El cobrador te dice dónde te tiene' que desmontar.The fare guy tells you where to get off.	Everyday He hangs out the door and shouts the stops.
36	Desmontarse	Get off (a bus or car)	Me desmonto aquí, chofer, gracias.I'm getting off here, driver, thanks.	Everyday The Dominican way to say bajarse.
37	Por ahí mismo	Right around there	El colmado está por ahí mismo, a dos esquinas.The corner store is right around there, 2 blocks away.	Casual Directions here use colmados as landmarks.
38	Pa'lante	Forward, straight on	Sigue pa'lante, chofer, que todavía falta.Keep going, driver, we're not there yet.	Everyday Short for para adelante.
39	La parada	The bus or concho stop	¿Dónde queda la parada de la guagua, por favor?Where is the bus stop, please?	Everyday Where the bus or concho picks up. Ask "¿Dónde queda...?" for any place.
40	Dar bola	Give someone a ride	¿Tú me puede' dar una bola al aeropuerto?Can you give me a ride to the airport?	Slang A bola is a lift, and pedir bola is to hitchhike.
41	Tapón	Traffic jam	Hay un tapón en la Churchill a esta hora.There's a traffic jam on Churchill Avenue at this hour.	Everyday Plan for one at rush hour in Santo Domingo.
42	La capital	Santo Domingo	Mañana nos vamos pa' la capital.Tomorrow we're heading to Santo Domingo.	Everyday Locals often just say la capital.
43	Yipeta	SUV	Llegó en una yipeta negra con vidrios oscuros.He showed up in a black SUV with tinted windows.	Everyday From "jeep," and you'll also see it spelled jeepeta.
44	Pasola	Scooter, moped	Alquilamos una pasola pa' recorrer Cabarete.We rented a scooter to get around Cabarete.	Everyday Any step-through scooter. People named it after an old brand.
45	Amet	Traffic police	Ojo, que hay un amet en la esquina.Careful, there's a traffic cop on the corner.	Everyday From the old transit authority AMET. The agency is now called Digesett, but everyone still says amet.
46	Bulto	Backpack, bag	Pon el bulto en el baúl, que atrás no cabe.Put the bag in the trunk, it won't fit in the back.	Everyday Any backpack or small case. Tirar bulto means something else, see Bultero.

Food and drink 44

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
47	La bandera	Rice, beans and meat lunch	Hoy la bandera viene con pollo guisado.Today the rice and beans plate comes with stewed chicken.	Everyday The flag plate, and the default lunch everywhere.
48	Deme... / ¿Me da...?	I'll have..., can I get...?	Deme una bandera con pollo y un jugo de chinola, por favor.I'll have the rice and beans plate with chicken and a passion fruit juice, please.	Everyday How Dominicans order at any counter. Add por favor and you're set.
49	Comedor	Small local lunch place	Vamo' a comer al comedor de la esquina, que es barato.Let's eat at the lunch place on the corner, it's cheap.	Everyday Home cooking at low prices. Need the bathroom? Ask "¿Dónde está el baño?"
50	Agua de botellón	Bottled drinking water	No tome' agua de la llave, aquí to' el mundo toma agua de botellón.Don't drink tap water, everyone here drinks bottled water.	Everyday A botellón is the 5 gallon jug. If you're not sure, ask "¿Esta agua se puede tomar?"
51	Pa' llevar	To go, takeout	Dos pica pollo pa' llevar, por favor.2 fried chicken orders to go, please.	Everyday Say "pa' comer aquí" to eat in.
52	La cuenta, por favor	The check, please	Muchacho, la cuenta, por favor.Excuse me, the check, please.	Everyday Servers wait for you to ask, so say it when you're ready to go. "¿Me trae la cuenta?" works too.
53	Propina / el 10% de ley	Tip, the 10% service charge	La cuenta ya trae el 10% de ley, pero dejé una propina.The bill already has the 10% service charge, but I left a tip.	Everyday Restaurants add a 10% service charge to the bill. Leave a little extra cash for your server if the service was good.
54	Mangú	Mashed green plantain	Desayuné mangú con cebollita.I had mashed plantain with onions for breakfast.	Everyday The breakfast staple.
55	Los tres golpes	Salami, fried cheese and egg	Dame un mangú con los tres golpes.Give me mashed plantain with the 3 hits.	Everyday The classic breakfast combo.
56	Mofongo	Mashed fried plantain with pork	Un mofongo de chicharrón y una fría, por favor.A mofongo with pork crackling and a cold beer, please.	Everyday Green plantain mashed with garlic and crackling, a lunch you'll see on every menu.
57	Moro	Rice cooked with beans	El moro de guandules de mi abuela no tiene competencia.My grandma's rice with pigeon peas can't be beat.	Everyday Moro de habichuelas or de guandules.
58	Chinola	Passion fruit	Un jugo de chinola bien frío, por favor.An ice cold passion fruit juice, please.	Everyday The Dominican word for passion fruit.
59	China	Orange	Un jugo de china, por favor.An orange juice, please.	Everyday Many people say naranja too.
60	Morir soñando	Orange juice and milk drink	Pídete un morir soñando, que eso e' de aquí.Order a "die dreaming," that's from here.	Everyday Milk, orange juice, sugar and ice.
61	Batida	Smoothie, milkshake	Una batida de guineo con avena, por favor.A banana and oat shake, please.	Everyday They blend fruit with milk.
62	Un cafecito	A little coffee	¿Te brindo un cafecito?Can I offer you a coffee?	Everyday Homes and shops offer one, and saying yes is polite.
63	Concón	Crispy rice from the bottom of the pot	Guárdame el concón, que a mí me encanta.Save me the crispy rice, I love it.	Everyday People fight over it.
64	Pica pollo	Dominican fried chicken	Vamo' a comprar un pica pollo con tostones.Let's buy fried chicken with fried plantains.	Everyday Also the shop that sells it.
65	Chimi	Dominican street burger	Un chimi en el malecón a la 1 de la mañana no tiene precio.A street burger on the Malecón at 1 a.m. is priceless.	Everyday Late night trucks sell them.
66	Yaroa	Loaded fries or plantains	La yaroa de pollo de Santiago es otra cosa.The chicken loaded fries in Santiago are something else.	Everyday Fries or plantains with meat, cheese and sauce on top, the classic late night street food.
67	Yaniqueque	Fried dough flatbread	En Boca Chica compramos yaniqueque en la playa.In Boca Chica we bought fried dough on the beach.	Everyday Beach snack. From "johnny cake."
68	Quipe	Fried bulgur and meat roll	¿Me da dos quipe' y un pastelito?Can I have 2 meat rolls and a pastry?	Everyday From Lebanese kibbeh, and you'll also see it spelled kipe.
69	Pastelito	Small fried meat or cheese pastry	Los pastelitos de queso están calientitos.The cheese pastries are nice and hot.	Everyday Street snack with a coffee.
70	Catibía	Cassava dough turnover	Me comí dos catibías de pollo en la carretera.I ate 2 chicken cassava turnovers on the road.	Everyday Like an empanada, but the dough is cassava.
71	Picadera	Finger food, snacks	Vamo' a poner una picadera pa' la visita.Let's put out some snacks for the guests.	Everyday Party platter of fried bites and cheese.
72	Chicharrón	Fried pork crackling	El chicharrón de Villa Mella e' famoso.The pork crackling from Villa Mella is famous.	Everyday Chicharrón de pollo is fried chicken bits.
73	Sancocho	Hearty meat and root stew	Cuando llueve, se hace un sancocho.When it rains, you make a stew.	Everyday The 7 meat version is for parties.
74	Locrio	Rice cooked with meat	Hice un locrio de pollo pa' to' el mundo.I made chicken rice for everybody.	Everyday Dominican take on paella.
75	Tostones	Twice fried green plantain	Pídeme un pescao frito con tostones.Order me fried fish with fried plantains.	Everyday People also call them fritos verdes.
76	Pescao frito	Fried fish	En Boca Chica comimos pescao frito frente al mar.In Boca Chica we ate fried fish by the sea.	Everyday A whole fried fish is the classic beach lunch.
77	Fritos maduros	Fried sweet plantains	Los fritos maduros van con todo.Fried sweet plantains go with everything.	Everyday The sweet side dish.
78	Casabe	Cassava flatbread	El casabe con aguacate es mi desayuno.Cassava bread with avocado is my breakfast.	Everyday A Taíno food still eaten daily.
79	Lechosa	Papaya	La batida de lechosa aquí es buenísima.The papaya smoothie here is really good.	Everyday Say lechosa, because papaya can be a rude word in Cuba.
80	Guineo	Banana	Me comí un guineo de camino.I ate a banana on the way.	Everyday Plátano is the cooking plantain.
81	Coco de agua / coco frío	Fresh cold coconut	En la playa venden coco frío a 100 pesos.On the beach they sell cold coconuts for 100 pesos.	Everyday A green coconut they cut open for you to drink.
82	Friofrío	Shaved ice with syrup	Los muchachos compraron friofrío en el parque.The kids bought shaved ice in the park.	Everyday Carts sell it on hot days.
83	Esquimalito	Frozen treat in a little bag	Dame un esquimalito de chinola.Give me a passion fruit ice.	Everyday A flavored ice sold in a small plastic bag. You bite a corner and suck it out.
84	Pan de agua	Crusty white bread roll	Ve al colmado y tráeme pan de agua.Go to the corner store and bring me bread rolls.	Everyday People buy it fresh every morning.
85	Cocaleca	Popcorn	Compra cocaleca pa' la película.Buy popcorn for the movie.	Everyday People also say palomitas, but this one's Dominican.
86	Fritura	Fried food stand	Comimos en una fritura en la carretera.We ate at a roadside fried food stand.	Everyday Fried fish, plantains, sausage and empanadas.
87	Hartura / jartura	Stuffed, too full	Comí tanto sancocho que tengo una jartura.I ate so much stew I'm stuffed.	Casual People say it after a big lunch. Jartarse is to stuff yourself.
88	Abombado	Gone off, stale	No te tome' esa agua, que 'tá abombá.Don't drink that water, it's gone off.	Casual For water, drinks or food that went bad and smell off.
89	Habichuelas con dulce	Sweet cream bean dessert	En Semana Santa todo el mundo regala habichuelas con dulce.At Easter everybody gives away sweet bean dessert.	Everyday An Easter treat that tastes better than it sounds.
90	Bizcocho	Cake	Compramos un bizcocho pa'l cumpleaños.We bought a cake for the birthday.	Everyday Dominican cake has meringue frosting called suspiro.

Money and shopping 26

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
91	¿A cómo e'? / ¿Cuánto e'?	How much is it?	¿A cómo e' la libra de aguacate?How much is a pound of avocado?	Everyday ¿A cómo...? is the one you hear at markets.
92	Eso 'tá caro	That's expensive	No, señor, eso 'tá caro pa' mí.No, sir, that's too expensive for me.	Everyday Say it, then wait for the price to drop.
93	Menudo / devuelta	Small change, your change	¿Tiene menudo? Solo tengo uno de mil.Do you have change? I only have a 1,000 peso bill.	Everyday Menudo is small bills and coins, and la devuelta or el vuelto is the change you get back. Carry small bills, because colmados, conchos and street stalls want cash and rarely have change.
94	Colmado	Corner store	Ve al colmado y tráeme hielo y una funda de pan.Go to the corner store and bring me ice and a bag of bread.	Everyday Sells everything, delivers, and plays music.
95	¿Aceptan tarjeta?	Do you take cards?	¿Aceptan tarjeta o solo efectivo?Do you take cards or just cash?	Everyday Hotels and big restaurants take cards. Colmados, conchos and street stalls want cash.
96	¿Aceptan dólares?	Do you take dollars?	¿Aceptan dólares o tengo que pagar en pesos?Do you take dollars, or do I have to pay in pesos?	Everyday Ask before you pay, and check the rate they use.
97	Cambio / casa de cambio	Money exchange, exchange office	¿Dónde hay una casa de cambio por aquí?Where's an exchange office around here?	Everyday Change money at a bank or a casa de cambio, not on the street. Cambio can also mean your change, like devuelta.
98	Hazme una rebaja / Rebájame algo	Give me a discount	Eso 'tá muy caro, hazme una rebaja.That's too expensive, give me a discount.	Everyday Haggle with a smile at markets, not in supermarkets.
99	Te lo dejo en...	I'll let you have it for...	Pa' ti, te lo dejo en 500.For you, I'll let you have it for 500.	Everyday The vendor's counteroffer, so try "¿Me lo deja en 400?" back.
100	Cuarto'	Money	No tengo cuarto' pa' salir hoy.I don't have money to go out today.	Casual The everyday word for cash.
101	Funda	Plastic bag	¿Me da una funda, por favor?Can I have a bag, please?	Everyday The word for any plastic bag.
102	Fiao	On credit, on the tab	Apúntamelo, que hoy lo llevo fiao.Put it on my tab, I'm taking it on credit today.	Everyday Colmados keep a notebook for regulars.
103	Ñapa	A little extra for free	El vendedor me dio un guineo de ñapa.The seller threw in a banana for free.	Casual Ask for it nicely at markets: "¿Y la ñapa?"
104	Banca	Lottery shop	Compré un billete en la banca de la esquina.I bought a ticket at the lottery shop on the corner.	Everyday You'll see one on every corner, and many take sports bets too.
105	Chele	Cent, tiny amount of money	No me queda ni un chele.I don't have a cent left.	Casual Chelitos are small change.
106	Papeleta	Bill, banknote	Pásame una papeleta de 500 pa' pagar el concho.Hand me a 500 peso bill to pay for the ride.	Slang A colorful word for a bill. Plain "billete" or just the amount is more common.
107	En olla	Broke	No puedo ir, que estoy en olla.I can't go, I'm broke.	Slang Literally "in the pot."
108	Comerse un cable	Go through hard times, be broke	Este mes me estoy comiendo un cable.I'm really broke this month.	Slang Literally "eat a cable." You can't go out or buy things.
109	Bajarse con	Chip in, pay up	Bájate con 500 pa' la fría.Chip in 500 for the beer.	Slang Bajarse con algo is to hand money over.
110	Te doy beca	It's on me, I'll cover you	Tranquilo, que esta noche yo te doy beca.Relax, tonight it's on me.	Slang A becado is a friend whose night out someone else pays for.
111	Chinero	Fruit cart vendor	El chinero de la esquina vende piña y lechosa.The fruit guy on the corner sells pineapple and papaya.	Everyday He'll peel and cut fruit for you.
112	Buhonero	Street vendor	Los buhoneros venden de to' en el Conde.Street vendors sell everything on El Conde.	Everyday Bargain a bit with them.
113	Pulga	Flea market	Compré los tenis en la pulga.I bought the sneakers at the flea market.	Everyday Big ones open on weekends.
114	Paca	Secondhand clothes bundle	Esa camisa e' de paca, pero 'tá nuevecita.That shirt is secondhand, but it's like new.	Everyday Ropa de paca is used clothing sold by weight.
115	Poloché	Polo shirt	Me compré un poloché en la pulga por 300 peso'.I bought a polo shirt at the flea market for 300 pesos.	Casual From English "polo shirt." A tícher is a sports jersey, not a T-shirt, and confléi is any breakfast cereal, from "corn flakes."
116	Chiripa	Odd job, gig	Hice una chiripa el sábado y me gané algo.I did an odd job on Saturday and made a bit.	Casual A chiripero lives on odd jobs. Josear, from English "hustle," is the shady way to get by.

Bars and going out 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
117	Una fría	A cold beer	Dame una fría, por favor.Give me a cold one, please.	Casual How you order beer, and it's almost always a Presidente.
118	Vestida de novia	Ice cold frosted beer	Tráenos una vestida de novia, que hace calor.Bring us an ice cold one, it's hot out.	Slang Dressed as a bride: white frost on the bottle.
119	Romo	Rum	Un romo con coca-cola, ¿tú quiere'?A rum and coke, want one?	Slang The Dominican word for ron.
120	Una grande / una jumbo	A big beer bottle to share	¿Me da una grande bien fría y tres vasito'?Can I get a big ice cold beer and 3 little glasses?	Everyday A grande is the 700 ml Presidente, and a jumbo is the 1 liter bottle. Friends split one at the table.
121	¡Salud! / Yo brindo	Cheers! / It's on me	¡Salud por los panas! Esta ronda la brindo yo.Cheers to the friends! This round's on me.	Everyday Say ¡Salud! as you raise your glass. Brindar here also means to treat someone, so "yo brindo" means you're paying.
122	Colmadón	Corner store that's also a bar	Nos juntamos en el colmadón con música y fría.We met up at the corner bar with music and beer.	Everyday Plastic chairs, loud bachata, cheap beer.
123	La Zona	The Colonial Zone	Vamo' pa' la Zona a tomarno' algo.Let's head to the Colonial Zone for a drink.	Everyday Old town Santo Domingo, full of bars and live music.
124	Coro	Party, group of friends out	El sábado hay un coro en casa de Juan, no te lo pierda'.There's a party at Juan's on Saturday, don't miss it.	Slang Also your friend group: "mi coro."
125	Teteo	Party, going out	Esta noche hay teteo en la Zona.There's a party in the Colonial Zone tonight.	Slang Young people's word, tied to dembow music.
126	Janguear	Hang out, chill out	Vamo' a janguear en la Zona esta noche.Let's hang out in the Colonial Zone tonight.	Slang From English "hang out," by way of Puerto Rico. Dominicans in the US say it most, and on the island you'll hear "salir a coro" more.
127	Car wash	Car wash bar	El sábado hay coro en el car wash.Saturday there's a party at the car wash.	Everyday Many car washes are bars at night.
128	Un servicio	Bottle service set	Pidamos un servicio de romo pa' la mesa.Let's order a bottle of rum for the table.	Everyday A bottle with ice, soda and limes.
129	Mamajuana	Rum and herb drink	La mamajuana se hace con ron, vino y palitos.Mamajuana is made with rum, wine and bark.	Everyday Locals swear it's a cure-all.
130	Picar	Snack while drinking	Pide algo pa' picar con la fría.Order something to snack on with the beer.	Everyday Often a picadera.
131	Tamo' activo	We're ready, we're in	"¿Vamo' pa'l teteo?" "¡Tamo' activo!""Are we going to the party?" "We're in!"	Slang Tamo' is estamos, and activo means up for it.
132	Corito sano	Chill get-together	Anoche hicimos un corito sano en la casa.Last night we had a chill get-together at home.	Slang Small, relaxed, no drama.
133	Bebentina	Drinking party, boozy session	La bebentina de fin de año fue en la playa.The New Year's drinking party was on the beach.	Casual A gathering where the drinks never stop.
134	Pasadía	Day out, day trip	El domingo hacemos un pasadía en el río con comida y música.On Sunday we're doing a day out at the river with food and music.	Everyday A full day of food, drink and music.
135	Echar un pie	Dance	Vamo' a echar un pie, que esa bachata 'tá buena.Let's dance, that bachata is great.	Slang Literally "throw a foot."
136	Dembow	Dominican street beat	En el teteo no paran de poner dembow.At the party they keep playing dembow.	Everyday The loud music from every car and colmado.
137	Ajumao	Drunk	Ese tipo 'tá ajumao desde las 6.That guy's been drunk since 6.	Slang From jumo, a big drinking bout, and agarrar un jumo is to get drunk.
138	Prendío	Tipsy, lit	Con dos tragos ya 'tá prendío.After 2 drinks he's already tipsy.	Casual A step before ajumao.
139	Rebú	Loud crowd, commotion	Se armó un rebú en la esquina.A commotion broke out on the corner.	Slang Noise, crowd or a fight.
140	Amanecer	Stay out all night	Amanecimos bailando en Boca Chica.We danced until sunrise in Boca Chica.	Everyday Literally "to dawn."

Friends and people 25

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
141	Pana	Friend, buddy	Ese e' mi pana desde la escuela.That's my buddy since school.	Casual The default word for friend, and pana full is your best friend. Also common in Venezuela and Colombia.
142	Mano / mana	Bro, sis	¿Qué pasó, mano? ¿Todo bien?What's up, bro? All good?	Casual Short for hermano and hermana, for a friend you trust. Guys also say mi hermano in full, even to a vendor when they haggle.
143	Muchacho / muchacha	Guy, girl, young person	Muchacha, tráenos dos fría', por favor.Miss, bring us 2 beers, please.	Everyday A polite way to call a young server or talk about any young person.
144	Guachimán	Security guard	El guachimán te cuida el carro por 50 pesos.The guard watches your car for 50 pesos.	Everyday From "watchman." Tip him on the way out.
145	Bróder	Bro, close friend	Ese e' mi bróder, confía en él.That's my bro, trust him.	Slang From English "brother." Young people say it to a friend they trust.
146	Socio	Partner, buddy	Socio, ayúdame con esto un chin.Buddy, help me with this a bit.	Casual Friendly address between men.
147	Compai / comai	Buddy, dear friend	¿Cómo 'tá la cosa, compai?How are things, buddy?	Regional From compadre and comadre, and strong in the Cibao.
148	Mi sangre	Close friend, family	Ese e' mi sangre, yo respondo por él.He's like my blood, I vouch for him.	Slang For a friend as close as family.
149	Mi gente	My people, everyone	¡Buena' noche', mi gente!Good evening, everyone!	Everyday How DJs and singers greet the crowd.
150	Tíguere	Street smart guy, hustler	Ese tíguere se las sabe toda'.That hustler knows every trick.	Slang Praise or a warning, literally "tiger." It means a street smart guy who can handle anything.
151	Tigueraje	Street smarts, or a crowd of hustlers	Con tanto tigueraje en esa esquina, cuida tu celular.With so many hustlers on that corner, watch your phone.	Slang The street smart way a tíguere acts, or a group of them. It can sound like praise or a warning.
152	La doña	The lady of the house	Pregúntale a la doña si se puede.Ask the lady of the house if it's OK.	Everyday Respect for an older woman.
153	Wawawa	Barrio kid, street style	Él e' wawawa, pero de buen corazón.He's from the barrio, but he's got a good heart.	Slang Barrio style, the opposite of polished and fancy. It can sound classist, so don't call a stranger this.
154	Matatán	Boss, the best at something	Mi mamá e' la matatán de la cocina.My mom is the boss of the kitchen.	Slang Also a tough guy who's in charge.
155	Carajito / carajita	Kid, brat	Dile al carajito que se baje de la mesa.Tell the kid to get off the table.	Casual Can be fond or a bit rude.
156	Chichí	Baby	Ese chichí 'tá lindo.That baby is so cute.	Casual Any baby or toddler.
157	Prieto / prieta	Dark skinned person	Mi prieta linda, ¿cómo tú 'tá?My pretty dark-skinned girl, how are you?	Casual Fond between friends and family, but never say it to a stranger.
158	Gente grande	Grown-up, adult	Ya tú ere' gente grande, resuelve tú solo.You're a grown-up now, sort it out yourself.	Casual Parents say it to teens and young adults.
159	Gringo / gringa	American, foreigner	Los gringos llenan Punta Cana en invierno.Americans fill Punta Cana in winter.	Casual Usually neutral here.
160	Aplatanado / aplatanada	Foreigner gone local	Ese gringo ya 'tá aplatanao, come mangú y baila bachata.That American has gone local, he eats mangú and dances bachata.	Casual People say it with a smile about a visitor who picks up the local ways.
161	Dominicanyork	Dominican from New York	Mi primo e' dominicanyork, habla con mucho inglés.My cousin is a New York Dominican, he talks with lots of English.	Casual For Dominicans from the US, sometimes as a tease.
162	Guardia	Soldier	Hay un guardia en la entrada del parque.There's a soldier at the park entrance.	Everyday A member of the military, while police officers are policías.
163	Hablador / habladora	Liar, someone who exaggerates	No le crea' a ese jablador.Don't believe that liar.	Casual Also pronounced jablador.
164	Lengua larga	Chatterbox, gossip	Esa lengua larga le dijo a to' el barrio.That gossip told the whole neighborhood.	Casual Literally "long tongue."
165	Bochinche	Gossip	Deja el bochinche, que eso no e' asunto tuyo.Drop the gossip, that's none of your business.	Casual A bochinchoso is someone who loves gossip.

Reactions and feelings 36

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
166	Jevi / jevi nais	Cool, nice	Esa playa 'tá jevi nais.That beach is really cool.	Slang The top "cool" word. From English "heavy" and "nice."
167	Nítido	Great, neat	"¿Cómo quedó el carro?" "Nítido.""How did the car turn out?" "Great."	Slang A standard word for "clear" that Dominicans use for anything that turned out great.
168	Chévere	Great, fun	La fiesta estuvo chévere.The party was great.	Casual Shared across the Caribbean and used all the time here.
169	Bacano	Cool, great	¡Qué bacano ese hotel!That hotel is so cool!	Slang Mostly Colombian and Venezuelan, but Dominicans know it from music and TV. Not a go-to word here.
170	Chulo / chula	Cute, nice	Qué chulo tu apartamento.Your apartment is so nice.	Casual Also "pretty" for a person.
171	Brutal	Awesome, epic	El concierto estuvo brutal.The concert was epic.	Casual Big praise for a show, a meal or a night out.
172	Un montro	A beast, the best	Ese pelotero e' un montro, la botó otra vez.That ballplayer is a beast, he hit another home run.	Slang From monstruo. "Mi montro" is also a hello between friends, and "ese tipo e' duro" means he's really good.
173	Un palo	A hit, something great	Esa canción nueva e' un palo.That new song is a hit.	Slang For anything that turns out great, and for a big hit in baseball.
174	Te botaste	You outdid yourself	Te botaste con esa cena, mi amor.You outdid yourself with that dinner, love.	Slang Botarse is to go all out.
175	Te la comiste	You killed it	Te la comiste en la entrevista.You killed it in the interview.	Slang Big praise.
176	Botar la bola	Knock it out of the park	Con ese negocio tú botaste la bola.You knocked it out of the park with that business.	Casual A baseball home run, used for any big success.
177	Quemar / me quemaron	Fail (an exam or a class)	Me quemaron en matemática otra vez.I failed math again.	Casual Quedar quemao is to flunk. Ponchar is the baseball strikeout, and a flat tire is "se ponchó la goma."
178	¡Wao!	Wow!	¡Wao! Qué vista tan linda.Wow! What a beautiful view.	Everyday Dominicans spell it this way.
179	¡Diablo!	Wow! Damn!	¡Diablo, qué calor hace hoy!Wow, it's so hot today!	Casual Surprise of any kind, good or bad. ¡Diache! is the soft version, safe around older people.
180	¡Coño!	Damn! Hell!	¡Coño, qué susto me diste!Damn, you scared me!	Vulgar Super common, but keep it with friends.
181	¡Ñooo!	Wow! Damn!	¡Ñooo, qué calor hace hoy!Wow, it is so hot today!	Casual A clipped coño that Dominicans say all day for surprise or annoyance. Keep it with friends.
182	¡Carajo!	Damn! Wow!	¡Carajo, se me olvidó la cartera!Damn, I forgot my wallet!	Vulgar A strong exclamation of surprise or anger. Know it, but skip it with strangers.
183	¡Mi madre!	Oh my! Oh man!	¡Mi madre! ¿Tú viste el precio de eso?Oh man! Did you see the price of that?	Casual Surprise of any kind.
184	¡Fo!	Yuck! Gross!	¡Fo! ¿Qué e' ese olor?Yuck! What's that smell?	Casual For a bad smell, or anything you don't like.
185	Bajo	Bad smell, stink	¡Fo, qué bajo tiene ese pescao!Yuck, that fish stinks!	Casual Spelled bajo, it means a stink here, not low. ¡Fo! often comes right before it.
186	Guapo / guapa	Angry, mad	No le hable', que 'tá guapo.Don't talk to him, he's mad.	Casual Guapo means angry here.
187	Quillao / quillá	Annoyed, upset	Ella 'tá quillá porque llegaste tarde.She's upset because you got here late.	Slang Quillarse is to get annoyed.
188	Estar chivo	Suspicious, on edge	Estoy chivo con ese taxi sin placa.I don't trust that taxi with no plates.	Casual You're wary of someone or something that looks shady.
189	Encojonao	Pissed off	Mi jefe 'tá encojonao conmigo.My boss is pissed at me.	Vulgar Stronger than guapo.
190	Fuñir	Annoy, bug	Deja de fuñirme, que estoy trabajando.Stop bugging me, I'm working.	Casual Fuñío is "annoyed" or "in a bad way." A fuñón is an annoying person.
191	Deguabinao	Worn out, wiped	Llegué deguabinao del trabajo.I got home wiped from work.	Slang Body exhausted or falling apart.
192	Pique	Annoyance, anger	Eso me dio un pique...That made me so mad...	Casual Also a grudge between people.
193	Baltri	Bummer, drag	Qué baltri que se canceló el viaje.What a bummer the trip got canceled.	Slang From "bad trip." Also an annoying person.
194	¡Qué lío!	What a mess!	¡Qué lío se armó con el apagón!What a mess the blackout caused!	Casual Un lío is a problem or a mess.
195	A mil	Great, at full speed	El negocio va a mil este año.Business is going great this year.	Casual Also "all fired up": "Estoy a mil."
196	Con la pila puesta	Full of energy	Ese carajito amaneció con la pila puesta.That kid woke up full of energy.	Casual Literally "with the battery in."
197	Yeyo	Fainting spell, sudden fit	Le dio un yeyo cuando vio la cuenta.She nearly fainted when she saw the bill.	Slang Often a dramatic joke. Careful: yeyo is also street slang for cocaine, so use it only with friends.
198	Asorao / asorá	Startled, scared	Quedé asorao con ese trueno.That thunder made me jump.	Casual Sudden fright.
199	Embullao	Excited, keen	Estoy embullao con el viaje.I'm so excited about the trip.	Casual Embullarse is to get excited, and it can also mean smitten.
200	Fucú	Bad luck, jinx	Ese carro tiene fucú, siempre se daña.That car is jinxed, it always breaks down.	Casual Say "zafa" to undo it.
201	Zafa	God forbid!	"Tú va' a perder el vuelo." "¡Zafa!""You're going to miss your flight." "God forbid!"	Casual Say it fast to undo the bad luck someone just named.

Fillers and everyday words 21

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
202	'Ta bien	OK, fine	"Te veo a las 8." "'Ta bien.""See you at 8." "OK."	Everyday Short for está bien, the everyday yes.
203	Vaina	Thing, stuff, situation	Pásame esa vaina de ahí.Pass me that thing over there.	Casual Fits any noun, and your tone tells people if it's good or bad. ¡Qué vaina! means what a pain.
204	Un chin	A little bit	Dame un chin de café.Give me a little coffee.	Casual "En un chin" means in a sec.
205	Mira / oye	Look, hey	Mira, ¿tú sabe' dónde queda la parada?Hey, do you know where the stop is?	Everyday Start a question to a stranger with either one.
206	A la' finale'	In the end, when all is said and done	A la' finale', él no vino a la fiesta.In the end, he didn't come to the party.	Casual Short for a las finales, the Dominican way to say al final.
207	Se fue la luz	The power went out	Se fue la luz otra vez en el barrio.The power went out again in the neighborhood.	Everyday Llegó la luz means it's back.
208	Inversor	Backup battery power	Tranquilo, que el hotel tiene inversor cuando se va la luz.Relax, the hotel has backup power when the power goes out.	Everyday A battery box that keeps lights and fans on in a blackout.
209	Una pila de	A lot of, loads of	Tengo una pila de cosa' que hacer hoy.I've got loads of things to do today.	Casual Una pila de gente is a big crowd.
210	Un tro' de	A ton of	Había un tro' de gente en el concierto.There were a ton of people at the concert.	Slang Young people's word for a huge amount.
211	Ombe	Man, come on	Ombe, no, eso no e' así.Come on, no, that's not how it is.	Casual From "hombre." Starts lots of sentences.
212	¿Tú ve'?	You see?	Te dije que iba a llover, ¿tú ve'?I told you it'd rain, you see?	Casual Tags the end of a point.
213	Ya	Done, enough, already	Ya, ya, no me explique' má'.OK, OK, you don't need to explain more.	Everyday Ya means "enough" or "done." "Ya voy" is "coming."
214	Dique	Supposedly, yeah right	Dique viene a la fiesta esta noche.He's supposedly coming to the party tonight.	Casual Doubt or sarcasm. From "dizque."
215	Dale	OK, go ahead, let's do it	"¿Nos vamo' ya?" "Dale.""Shall we go now?" "OK, let's go."	Everyday The quick yes you'll hear all day, from friends, drivers and vendors.
216	Pa' que lo sepa'	Just so you know	Yo no fui, pa' que lo sepa'.It wasn't me, just so you know.	Casual With a bit of attitude.
217	Mi amor / mi vida	Honey, dear (to anyone)	¿Qué te doy, mi amor?What can I get you, honey?	Everyday Vendors, servers and drivers say it to strangers all the time. It's friendly, not flirting.
218	Plepla	Nonsense talk	Deja la plepla y dime la verdad.Quit the nonsense and tell me the truth.	Slang Babble or excuses.
219	Zafacón	Trash can	Bota esa vaina en el zafacón.Throw that thing in the trash can.	Everyday Possibly from "safety can."
220	Abrir el coco	Pay attention, focus	Abre el coco, que esto viene en el examen.Pay attention, this will be on the exam.	Casual Literally 'open the coconut.'
221	Chepa	Pure luck	Gané de chepa.I won by pure luck.	Casual Good luck you didn't earn.
222	No comer bola	Not fall for it	A mí no me venga' con cuento, que yo no como bola.Don't come to me with stories, I don't fall for that.	Slang Comer bola is to swallow a rumor or a lie.

Time and plans 10

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
223	Ahorita	In a bit, later	Ahorita te llamo.I'll call you in a bit.	Everyday It can mean 5 minutes or 5 hours, so say ahora mismo when you mean right now.
224	Hora dominicana	Dominican time, running late	Dijo a las 8, pero e' hora dominicana.He said 8, but it's Dominican time.	Casual Plans start late, so build in some extra time.
225	Si Dios quiere	God willing	Mañana llego, si Dios quiere.I'll arrive tomorrow, God willing.	Everyday People tag it onto almost any plan.
226	Cuadrar	Set up, arrange	Vamo' a cuadrar pa' vernos el viernes.Let's set it up to see each other Friday.	Casual Also to settle a deal.
227	Barajar	Dodge, bail on a plan	Ella barajó el plan otra vez.She bailed on the plan again.	Slang Barajar is to dodge a promise or a job, as in "Él siempre lo baraja." It can also mean a plan falls apart.
228	Con el moño hecho	All dressed up with nowhere to go	Me dejaron con el moño hecho.They left me all dressed up with nowhere to go.	Casual You're ready to go out, then the plan dies.
229	Tírame por WhatsApp	Hit me up on WhatsApp	Tírame por WhatsApp y cuadramos.Hit me up on WhatsApp and we'll set it up.	Casual Tirar is to send a message.
230	Coger fresco	Get some fresh air	Vamo' a coger fresco al Malecón.Let's get some fresh air on the Malecón.	Everyday Evening walks when the heat breaks.
231	Coger un break	Take a break	Vamo' a coger un break pa' comer.Let's take a break to eat.	Casual English words slip in all the time.
232	Puente	Long weekend	Este puente nos vamos pa' Samaná.This long weekend we're going to Samaná.	Everyday The government moves holidays to Mondays, so plan for crowds.

Teasing and insults 33

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
233	Pariguayo / pariguaya	Lame, loser, wallflower	No sea' pariguayo, ven a bailar.Don't be lame, come dance.	Slang It stings more than it sounds, so keep it with friends. It's for someone who won't join the fun, and it may come from "party watcher."
234	Palomo	Naive, easy to fool	Ese palomo pagó el doble por el taxi.That sucker paid double for the taxi.	Slang Mild teasing.
235	Manganzón / manganzona	Lazy grown man child	Ese manganzón todavía vive con la mamá.That man child still lives with his mom.	Slang A big, lazy adult.
236	Lambón / lambona	Freeloader, suck up	El lambón ese llega siempre a la hora de comer.That freeloader always shows up at mealtime.	Slang Also a party crasher.
237	Tumbapolvo	Suck up	Ese tumbapolvo le hace to' al jefe.That suck up does everything for the boss.	Slang Literally "knocks off dust," as if brushing off the boss's jacket.
238	Bultero / bultera	Show off, bragger	No le haga' caso, que él e' un bultero.Don't mind him, he's a show off.	Slang Brags about money or stuff. Tirar bulto is to show off.
239	Guillao / guillarse	Stuck up, showing off	Desde que compró la yipeta anda guillao.Since he bought the SUV he's been showing off.	Slang Guillarse is to put on airs. Don't mix it up with quillao, which means upset. Tener un guillo is to be in show-off mode.
240	Privar en	Act like you're something	Ese priva en rico, pero to' lo compra fiao.He acts rich, but buys everything on credit.	Slang "Privar en vaina" is to act like a big shot.
241	Agallú / agallúa	Greedy, grabby	No sea' agallú, deja pa' los demá'.Don't be greedy, leave some for the rest.	Slang Wants it all for himself.
242	Fresco / fresca	Cheeky, rude	No sea' fresca con tu abuela.Don't be cheeky with your grandma.	Casual Fresco means rude or cheeky here.
243	Bufeo	Joke, prank	Tranquilo, que eso fue un bufeo.Relax, that was just a joke.	Slang Young people's word for a joke or a laugh.
244	Chicho	Belly fat roll	Mira esos chicho' después de Navidad.Look at those love handles after Christmas.	Casual Teasing between friends, but rude to a stranger.
245	Canillas	Skinny legs	Con esas canillas no vas a correr na'.With those skinny legs you won't run anywhere.	Casual Playful teasing.
246	Jamona	Old maid, woman who never married	Mi tía dice que se va a quedar jamona.My aunt says she's going to end up an old maid.	Slang Teasing for a single woman past her 30s, and it can sting.
247	Dar cuerda	Wind someone up	Le gusta darle cuerda al hermano pa' que se ponga guapo.He likes winding up his brother until he gets mad.	Casual Literally "wind up."
248	Armar la del carajo	Cause a huge mess	Se emborracharon y armaron la del carajo.They got drunk and caused a huge mess.	Vulgar Describes a wild scene. Know it, but skip it with strangers.
249	Disparate	Nonsense, junk	Eso que dijo e' un disparate.What he said is nonsense.	Casual Something silly, poor or not worth taking seriously.
250	Tripear	Joke around	Tranquilo, que yo te estoy tripeando.Relax, I'm just messing with you.	Slang From "trip."
251	Brechar	Spy, peek	Esa vecina se pasa brechando por la ventana.That neighbor is always peeking through the window.	Slang Nosy watching.
252	Bájale algo	Cut the exaggerating	Bájale algo, que eso no fue así.Tone it down, that's not how it was.	Casual When a story grows too big.
253	Boche	Scolding, telling off	Mi mamá me dio un boche por llegar tarde.My mom told me off for coming home late.	Casual Getting a boche is getting yelled at.
254	Azaroso / azarosa	Annoying jinx, pain to be around	No invite' a ese azaroso, que daña el coro.Don't invite that jinx, he ruins the party.	Casual Someone who brings bad luck or bad vibes.
255	Pela	A beating, a thrashing	Si llega' tarde, tu mamá te va a dar una pela.If you get home late, your mom's going to give you a beating.	Casual Also a big defeat: "Les dimos una pela 10 a 1."
256	Tabaná	Hard slap	Le dieron un tabaná en la cara.They slapped him hard in the face.	Slang Big smack.
257	Piña	Fistfight, street fight	Hubo una piña en el colmado anoche.There was a fistfight at the corner store last night.	Slang A street fight or punch-up.
258	Trompón / trompá	Punch	Le dieron un trompón en la boca.Someone punched him in the mouth.	Slang A closed-fist punch, and "se entraron a la trompá" is a fistfight.
259	Jodón / jodona	Pain in the neck	Tu hermano e' un jodón.Your brother is a pain.	Vulgar From joder. Family says it, but keep it away from strangers and older people.
260	Chopo / chopa	Tacky, low class	Le dijeron chopo por su ropa.They called him tacky for his clothes.	Vulgar The tag is for safety, since this classist insult hurts more than most swear words. Never use it.
261	Grillo	Ugly woman	Él dice que ella e' un grillo.He says she's ugly.	Vulgar A harsh insult for a woman, so know it but never use it.
262	Pendejo / pendeja	Coward, idiot	No sea' pendejo, dile la verdad.Don't be a coward, tell her the truth.	Vulgar Here it leans "coward." Rude in Mexico too.
263	Cuero	Slut, prostitute	En el pleito, ella le gritó cuero a la otra.In the fight, she yelled "slut" at the other woman.	Vulgar A strong sexual insult. Never use it.
264	Come mierda	Snob, show off	Ese come mierda no saluda a nadie.That snob doesn't say hi to anyone.	Vulgar Literally "eats shit." For people who act superior.
265	Mamagüevo	Idiot (very crude)	Él le gritó mamagüevo al chofer.He shouted "dickhead" at the driver.	Vulgar Among the strongest insults. Never use it. You'll see it texted as mmg, often as a rough "damn" between friends.

Love and flirting 18

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
266	¿Bailamo'?	Shall we dance?	¿Bailamo' esta bachata?Shall we dance this bachata?	Everyday The easy opener on any dance floor.
267	Sacar a bailar	Ask to dance	Sácala a bailar, que ella 'tá esperando.Ask her to dance, she's waiting.	Everyday The main move at any party.
268	Jeva / jevo	Girlfriend, boyfriend	Ella e' mi jeva desde el año pasado.She's been my girlfriend since last year.	Casual Also any girl or guy you like, and a jevón or jevona is a really good looking person. A jevito is a trendy young person.
269	Mami / papi	Babe	Oye, mami, ¡qué bien tú baila'!Hey, babe, you dance so well!	Casual Also said to kids and between couples, and mai and pai are the short forms for your own mom and dad. A papi chulo is a hunk.
270	¿Me pasa' tu WhatsApp?	Can I get your WhatsApp?	Me caíste bien. ¿Me pasa' tu WhatsApp?I like you. Can I get your WhatsApp?	Casual Everyone here texts on WhatsApp.
271	¿Tú tiene' novio?	Do you have a boyfriend?	Dime la verdad, ¿tú tiene' novio?Tell me the truth, do you have a boyfriend?	Casual Tú goes before the verb, the Dominican way. Ask a guy "¿Tú tiene' novia?"
272	Sanky panky	Beach gigolo	Ten cuidado con los sanky panky en la playa.Watch out for the beach gigolos.	Slang Men who romance tourists for money.
273	Mor / Amor	Love, babe	Mor, ¿qué tú quiere' cenar?Babe, what do you want for dinner?	Casual Short for "mi amor." Also texted as "mor."
274	Dar muela	Sweet talk, chat up	Él se pasó la noche dándole muela.He spent the night sweet talking her.	Slang Also just talking too much.
275	Dar cotorra	Court with words, smooth talk	Le está dando cotorra a la vecina.He's sweet talking the neighbor.	Slang Also to keep pushing until someone agrees.
276	Aficiao / aficiá	Smitten, hooked	Tú 'tá aficiá con ese muchacho.You're totally hooked on that guy.	Slang Head over heels.
277	Ganao / ganá	Head over heels	Él 'tá ganao con la muchacha del colmado.He's head over heels for the girl at the corner store.	Slang From ganar, and stronger than a crush.
278	Querida	Mistress	Dicen que él tiene una querida en Santiago.They say he has a mistress in Santiago.	Casual When people talk about a third person, querida means a mistress.
279	Pegar cuernos	Cheat on someone	Ella le pegó cuernos con el vecino.She cheated on him with the neighbor.	Casual Literally "stick horns on."
280	Soltar en banda	Dump, cut off	La solté en banda después de lo que hizo.I cut her off after what she did.	Slang Also "dame banda": leave me alone.
281	Chapiadora	Gold digger (woman)	Esa chapiadora solo quiere su yipeta.That gold digger only wants his SUV.	Vulgar A sexist insult for a woman who dates for money, so know it but don't use it.
282	Piropo	Catcall, street compliment	Los piropos aquí no paran.The catcalls here never stop.	Everyday Some are sweet and many are crude, so ignore them.
283	Tú 'tá buena	You're hot	Un tipo le gritó "¡tú 'tá buena!" en la calle.A guy shouted "you're hot!" at her on the street.	Vulgar A crude street catcall, so know it but never say it to anyone.

Sayings and expressions 17

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
284	Ojo pelao	Eyes peeled	Ojo pelao en la guagua con el celular.Keep your eyes peeled on the bus with your phone.	Casual Stay alert.
285	Todos los cocos no dan agua dulce	Not everyone has the same gifts	No le pida' eso a él, que todos los cocos no dan agua dulce.Don't ask him for that, not everyone's cut out for it.	Everyday Use it when someone can't do what others can.
286	Perro no come perro	People of a kind don't turn on each other	Los dos son políticos, y perro no come perro.They're both politicians, and dog doesn't eat dog.	Casual A proverb for people who protect their own kind.
287	Perro huevero, ni que le quemen el hocico	People don't change their ways	Volvió a beber. Perro huevero, ni que le quemen el hocico.He's drinking again. A leopard can't change its spots.	Casual Literally, an egg-stealing dog keeps at it even if you burn its snout.
288	Un arroz con mango	A mishmash, a total mess	Esa reunión fue un arroz con mango, nadie se entendía.That meeting was a total mess, nobody understood each other.	Casual For a mix of things that don't go together.
289	Como el arroz blanco	Everywhere, at every event	Esa muchacha e' como el arroz blanco, va a toda' las fiesta'.That girl is everywhere, she goes to every party.	Casual White rice comes with every meal, so this person shows up at everything.
290	Caer de arroz	Come at just the right time	Ese dinero me cayó de arroz.That money came at just the right time.	Casual For good news or luck that shows up when you need it.
291	Cargar con el perro muerto	Take the blame	Él no hizo na', pero le tocó cargar con el perro muerto.He did nothing, but he got stuck with the blame.	Casual Echarle el perro muerto a alguien is to pin the blame on them.
292	Hacerse el chivo loco	Play dumb	Cuando llegó la cuenta, él se hizo el chivo loco.When the check came, he played dumb.	Casual Literally "act the crazy goat." For dodging a bill or a job.
293	Como chivo sin ley	Out of control, no rules	Ese motoconchista anda como chivo sin ley.That moto driver rides like there are no rules.	Casual Literally "like a lawless goat."
294	Entre Lucas y Juan Mejía	Torn between 2 options	Estoy entre Lucas y Juan Mejía con los dos trabajos.I'm torn between the 2 jobs.	Casual People say Lucas and Juan Mejía are 2 spots in El Seibo, but nobody is sure where it comes from.
295	Al garete	Out of control, adrift	Desde que el jefe se fue, la oficina 'tá al garete.Since the boss left, the office has gone to pieces.	Casual Like a boat with no one at the helm.
296	Halar por lo suyo	Look out for your own	Cada uno hala por lo suyo.Everyone looks out for their own.	Casual Defending your own interest.
297	No te lleve' de eso	Don't buy into that	No te lleve' de eso, que él siempre exagera.Don't buy into that, he always exaggerates.	Casual Don't get carried away by it.
298	Coge ahí	Serves you right	¿No te dije? Coge ahí.Didn't I tell you? Serves you right.	Slang You say it when someone ignores your advice and pays for it.
299	El que fue a villa perdió su silla	You snooze, you lose your seat	Te paraste y te quitaron la silla: el que fue a villa perdió su silla.You got up and they took your chair: you snooze, you lose.	Everyday You say it when someone grabs your spot. It comes from Spain's "quien fue a Sevilla perdió su silla."
300	El que se junta con cojo, al año cojea	You become your friends	Ten cuidado con esa gente, que el que se junta con cojo, al año cojea.Be careful with those people, you'll pick up their habits.	Everyday Bad company rubs off.

Around the Dominican Republic 22

Most slang is national, but the accent shifts as you cross the country. The same word sounds different in the capital, the north, the east and the south.

Santo Domingo

You'll hear these in the capital, where a final r often turns into an l, and where young people coin new slang.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Chofel	Driver	Dile al chofel que pare aquí.Tell the driver to stop here.
Manejal	To drive	No me gusta manejal de noche.I don't like to drive at night.
Caminal	To walk	Vamo' a caminal por el Malecón.Let's walk along the Malecón.
Correl	To run	Tuve que correl pa' coger la guagua.I had to run to catch the bus.
Capiar	To check out, to look	Voy a capiar el lugar antes de salir.I'm going to check the place out before we go.

Santiago, Puerto Plata and the Cibao

You'll hear these in the north, from Santiago and La Vega to Puerto Plata, where an r or an l at the end of a syllable turns into an i.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Peidón	Sorry (perdón)	Peidón, no te vi.Sorry, I didn't see you.
Caminai	To walk (caminar)	Me gusta caminai por la mañana.I like to walk in the morning.
Correi	To run (correr)	Vamo' a correi un rato.Let's go for a run.
Vueita	Turn, lap (vuelta)	Dimo' una vueita por el parque.We took a walk around the park.
Pueita	Door (puerta)	Cierra la pueita, que hace frío.Close the door, it's cold.
Ya vide	I already saw	Ya vide lo que hiciste.I already saw what you did.

San Pedro, La Romana and the east

You'll hear these in the east, where speech runs words together and drops final sounds. San Pedro is also home to the cocolo families from the English-speaking islands.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Peldón	Sorry (perdón)	Peldón, se me cayó el vaso.Sorry, I dropped the glass.
Caminá	To walk (caminar)	Prefiero caminá, que queda cerca.I'd rather walk, it's close.
Vamuavé	Let's see (vamos a ver)	Vamuavé qué dice el doctor.Let's see what the doctor says.
Losojo	The eyes (los ojos)	Me duelen losojo del sol.My eyes hurt from the sun.
Cocolo / cocola	Dominican of English-speaking Caribbean roots	Su abuelo era cocolo, de Saint Kitts.His grandpa was cocolo, from Saint Kitts.

Baní, Azua, Barahona and the south

You'll hear these in the dry south, past Baní and Azua to Barahona, where an l can turn into an r and some words are local.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Esparda	Back (espalda)	Me duele la esparda.My back hurts.
Anda er diablo	The devil is loose (anda el diablo)	Hoy anda er diablo suelto.Today is a wild day.
Ñojo	Huge	¡Qué ñojo pescao!What a huge fish!
Penco	Anything big	Ese penco de carro ocupa to' la calle.That big car takes up the whole street.
Emburujarse	Get into a fight	Los dos se emburujaron en la calle.The 2 of them got into a fight in the street.
Ajebrarse	Get into a fight	Se ajebraron por una tontería.They got into a fight over nothing.

Don't mix these up

Word	In the Dominican Republic	Elsewhere
Chulo	Cute or nice	A pimp in Spain
Guapo	Angry, in a bad mood	Handsome
Guagua	Bus	Baby in Chile and the Andes
Coger	To take or catch, totally clean	To have sex in Mexico and Argentina
Bola	A ride (dar bola), or a lie (comer bola)	A ball
Piña	A fistfight	Just a pineapple
Concho	A shared taxi, or a soft "damn"	Dregs in Chile
China	An orange	A Chinese woman
Querida	A mistress, when said about someone	Dear
Fresco	Cheeky, rude	Fresh or cool
Pendejo	A coward	An idiot in Mexico, pubic hair in Spain
Papaya	The fruit, but most people say lechosa	Vulgar slang in Cuba
Bizcocho	A cake	Vulgar slang in Puerto Rico
Chichí	A baby	Vulgar slang for breasts in Mexico
Pana	A friend	Corduroy in Spain
Bicho	A bug or a weird guy	Vulgar slang for a penis in Puerto Rico
Funda	A plastic bag	A pillowcase or phone case
Cuero	A prostitute (rude)	Leather
Pájaro	A gay slur	A bird
Chivo	Wary, suspicious (estar chivo)	Cool, or a good deal, in El Salvador
Ahorita	In a bit, which can mean hours	Right now in many countries

Questions people ask

What are the most common Dominican slang words?

Start with klk (what's up), 'ta bien (OK), vaina (thing), un chin (a little) and jevi (cool). You'll hear all 5 before you leave the airport.

What are common Dominican phrases for travelers?

Say "¡Buenas!" as you walk in anywhere, and ask "¿Cuánto me cobra pa'...?" before any taxi. Use "¿A cómo e'?" for a price and "una fría" to order a cold beer.

Do you tip in the Dominican Republic?

Bills add 18% tax and a 10% service charge, the "10% de ley." A little cash for your server on top is a kind touch.

Is Dominican slang the same as Puerto Rican slang?

They share some words, like guagua and chévere, and both turn some r sounds into l. But klk, jevi and tíguere are Dominican, and bicho is a rude word in Puerto Rico.

What does KLK mean?

KLK is the texting spelling of "¿Qué lo que?", the Dominican "what's up?" Answer with tato (all good) or "aquí, tranquilo."

Is Dominican Spanish hard to understand?

It's fast, and people drop the s and the d, so it takes a few days. The "How it sounds" list at the top shows the changes you'll hear first.

What does vaina mean?

Vaina means thing, stuff or situation. It fits almost any noun, and your tone tells people if it's good or bad.

What does tíguere mean?

A tíguere is a street smart guy who knows every trick. It can be praise or a warning.

What is Dominican slang for money?

Cuarto' is the everyday word for money, and a chele is a cent. Ask for your vuelto when you pay.

What is Dominican slang for drunk?

Ajumao means drunk, and prendío means tipsy. Agarrar un jumo is to get drunk.

What is Dominican slang for "cool"?

Jevi is the top one, and jevi nais is even cooler. Nítido, chévere, apero and brutal all work too.

What is Dominican slang for "pretty girl"?

Jevona means a gorgeous girl, and chula means cute or pretty.

What is Dominican slang for girl?

Jeva is a girl or a girlfriend. Carajita is a young girl, and mami is what guys say on the dance floor.

What is Dominican slang for friend?

Pana is the default, and pana full is your best friend. Bróder is a close friend, and guys also call each other mano and socio.

How do you flirt in Dominican slang?

Ask someone to dance with "¿Bailamo'?" and, if it goes well, "¿Me pasa' tu WhatsApp?" Mami or papi is normal on the dance floor, but street catcalls are rude.

What is a famous saying in the Dominican Republic?

"Todos los cocos no dan agua dulce" means not everyone has the same gifts. "Perro huevero, ni que le quemen el hocico" means people don't change their ways.

What are common Dominican slang insults?

Mild ones are palomo (sucker) and disparate (nonsense), and pariguayo (lame) stings a bit more. Come mierda and mamagüevo are strong and start fights, so learn them only to recognize them.

What does a Dominican slang sentence sound like?

"Klk, mi pana, ¿tú va pa'l coro o tú 'tá en olla?" means "What's up, buddy, are you coming to the party or are you broke?" Every example on this page is a full sentence you can copy.

Where can I hear more Dominican slang?

Listen to bachata and dembow, and keep the lyrics open as you play them. A night at a colmadón is the best practice you'll get.

Slang in other countries

See all 20 countries on a map

Sources

Heading to the Dominican Republic? Verbamor can turn this page into flashcards you can review before the trip and while you're there.

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