Dominicanismos and other Spanish expressions

[Marianopolita]

Right on! "Me gusta esa vaina".

-LDG-

Yan-Yan, you might be interested to know that in New Orleans they have the same thing called a "lagniappe".
Wao, I didn't know that!

I remember a panamanian trying to figure out my accent until I said "oh, pero muchacha!!". And that was it, she KNEW inmediately that I was Domininan!

Now, is there a a word more used by dominicans than "VAINA"?? Una vaina can be absolutely anything!! Dame esa vaina; deja esa vaina; me di? una vaina; eres una vaina! and when you are really upset Que maldita vaina!!...

 

[Marianopolita]

Mirador,

Thanks a million for the link! I will definitely read it thoroughly. It seems interesting. Just at a quick glance I could see the influence especially the names of towns, rivers, mountains etc. but then again that was easy to decipher however, I always prefer to have a reference.

-LDG-

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Here are some more dominicanismos:

china= naranja (orange- the fruit) "Jugo de china" (Orange juice)
chinola= marucuy? (in other Spanish speaking countries) "passion fruit"

chich? (baby) is definitely Taino. Here's a good link on Taino of current usage.

http://www.centrelink.org/davidcampos.html

Mirador

 

[britishgirl]

i love sayin MANANA...its jus one of those words. ya know wot i mean!!!

 

[Juniper]

What about ?equete? As in: Ah si? ?equete! (no way, wow)

 

[Yan-Yan]

Anda el diablo!!

What about ?equete? As in: Ah si? ?equete! (no way, wow)

Or ay ?e?e!... It's like "oh no" in an "are-you-crazy?" kind of way...

And how about the way we use "el diablo" or better "eR diablo" for comparisons: "M?s bueno qu'er diablo", m?s malo qu'er diablo"... Or "anda p'al diablo!" when you are screwed or "vete p'al diablo" when you want someone out of your sight!

Or the many names we have for the PESOS: toletes, yaguas, maracas, ca?as, Duartes, tululuses...

 

[trina]

Or ay ?e?e!... It's like "oh no" in an "are-you-crazy?" kind of way...

And how about the way we use "el diablo" or better "eR diablo" for comparisons: "M?s bueno qu'er diablo", m?s malo qu'er diablo"... Or "anda p'al diablo!" when you are screwed or "vete p'al diablo" when you want someone out of your sight!

Or the many names we have for the PESOS: toletes, yaguas, maracas, ca?as, Duartes, tululuses...

My husband never uses "diablo" - it's sacreligious to him. But he always uses "diacho". "mas malo qu'er diacho"

 

[Pib]

In Argentina we have one for Government ?employees? (those one?s that are on payroll but don?t really have an duties)

We call them ?empleados gnocchi? because in Argentina we eat a lot of Italian and on the last Sunday of each month grandma makes gnocchi just like the employees that show up for their check at the end of each month.

We call them botellas. Of course the biggest government building in S.D. is called by everyone El Huacal.

 

[britishgirl]

My husband never uses "diablo" - it's sacreligious to him. But he always uses "diacho". "mas malo qu'er diacho"

i hear people say DIABLO...but wot does it mean?

 

[Pib]

i hear people say DIABLO...but wot does it mean?

It means devil. Other euphemisms: diache, diantre, diale, etc. For co?o: concho, conchole, contrale, etc.

 

[PeachezNcream84]

It means devil. Other euphemisms: diache, diantre, diale, etc. For co?o: concho, conchole, contrale, etc.

One of the first Dominican things I was taught :
?Diablo co?o! lol...

The second thing I was taught was :

Que lo que?
Mansa....


I learned alot of intresting things to say to the "working girls" ....but they are not very nice and might not be appropriate for this board...plus I only know how to say them..no idea how to spell them!

 

[juancarlos]

Barnabe,

I think "un chin" comes from Rep?blica Dominicana and if it is used in Cuba and PR it's because of the spread (throughout the Caribbean). Although many expressions are common among the three islands I have never heard "un chin" from a Cuban or Puerto Rican but as they say "never say never".

-Lesley D

You are right. I am Cuban and I have never heard that expression among Cubans. I believe Puerto Ricans do use something like un chin chin. Never heard of the word chichi either, meaning a child. The word vaina is only used in eastern Cuba. In fact, I never heard it until I came to the US and met Cubans who came from there. We do use co?o a lot and other words which are common in Spain and the Caribbean. Some words and expressions are common in the three islands, while others are not.

 

[Marianopolita]

Juancarlos thanks for clarifying the above

I just thought of some more interesting dominicanismos:

1) Guapo/a= angry

For example: "No te pongas guapo" = Don?t get angry/mad.

2)"Mai" =madre= mother

3)"Pai"=padre=father
(also used in Pto. Rico and other countries)

4)"Reb?" = DR // "Revol?"= PR
Both mean "desorden", "confusi?n", "alboroto"= confusion, commotion


-Lesley D

 

[duhtree]

If I am correct I believe that "guapo/a means handsome/pretty. And in generalit means good looking.
John

 

[juancarlos]

If I am correct I believe that "guapo/a means handsome/pretty. And in generalit means good looking.
John

Yes, guapo does mean that, but in some countries it also means someone who's not afraid of anything, someone who is brave. However, it is also sometimes applied to the neighborhood bully: El guapo del barrio.

 

[DMAO]

Cono que baina!

Yes, the inconfundible: Baina
I love it!
You can pick out a Dominican from a crowd by this one word.

(this word can be used many circumstances. I don't know how to put the meaning in written words I am better at oral (no pun). Maybe someone else can give the meaning).

 

[Marianopolita]

John,


That's the literal meaning but it is also a "dominicanismo" which means:

"Angry/ mad" as I stated above.

-Lesley D

If I am correct I believe that "guapo/a means handsome/pretty. And in generalit means good looking.
John

 

[Danny W]

Tenis = sneakers
polochert = t shirt, poloshirt

 

[Pib]

Guindar los tenis = to kick the bucket (literally translated it means 'to hang the sneakers'). I heard somebody the other day that said "Colg? el calzado", a more refined way of saying the same thing.

 

[Marianopolita]

Pib- that expression above is interesting

Another word I like is ?calimete? = ?straw?.

I suspect it is of Taino origin.

Just an fyi the word ?straw? is different in every Spanish country in some cases you would need to be quite careful when using the word ?straw? or asking for a ?straw?. Learn the local word first.

-Lesley D

PD. Juancarlos what is the word for "straw" in Cuba?

 

[juancarlos]

Another word I like is “calimete” = “straw”.

I suspect it is of Taino origin.

Just an fyi the word “straw” is different in every Spanish country in some cases you would need to be quite careful when using the word “straw” or asking for a “straw”. Learn the local word first.

-Lesley D

PD. Juancarlos what is the word for "straw" in Cuba?

Lesley, when I was growing up there, until the age of 14, it used to be pajilla. At least that's what we used to say. Meaning that thing you introduce in a glass of soda or whatever in order to drink it. That translates as "little straw".