- Thread starter Norma Rosa
- Start date
Proverbs (refranes) used in the DR.
- Status
1.me estoy comiendo un cable......... means that I'm taking a hard time.
I don't have a job and I don't nobody who lend me some money.
2.estoy pasando la de cain........... means that you are taking a hard time
with some problem.
3.estoy pasando el niagara en bicicleta.....the same; me estoy comiendo
un cable.
estoy frenando en en el aro...... means I'm very thin and hungryful and
I have no money.
Feliz como una lombriz.............. means very.very happy
estar buchu..................... means that you have a lot of money.
I don't have a job and I don't nobody who lend me some money.
2.estoy pasando la de cain........... means that you are taking a hard time
with some problem.
3.estoy pasando el niagara en bicicleta.....the same; me estoy comiendo
un cable.
estoy frenando en en el aro...... means I'm very thin and hungryful and
I have no money.
Feliz como una lombriz.............. means very.very happy
estar buchu..................... means that you have a lot of money.
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A dios rogando y con el mazo dando
A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan
Ya es muy tarde pa' ablanda' habichuela.
M?s sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo
Nadie sabe lo que tiene hasta que no lo pierde
Mas vale la sal que el chivo
El que no grita, no mama
Donde manda capit?n, no manda marinero
El que calla, otorga
Barriga llena, coraz?n contento
Mas vale p?jaro en mano, que ciento volando
A quien dios no le da hijos, al diablo le da sobrinos
Quien no debe, nada teme
A palabras necias, o?dos sordos
A la gallina flaca no le pesan sus plumas
De grano a grano se llena la gallina el buche
A falta de pan casabe
El que anda con cojo al a?o cojea
Aunque se vista de ceda mono se queda
?rbol que nace torcido, nunca su rama endereza
Dios dice ay?date que yo te ayudare
Al que madruga, dios lo ayuda
Cr?a cuervo y te sacaran los ojos
A otro perro con ese hueso
Hambre que espera hartura no es hambre
Lo que hace la mano derecha no lo puede saber la izquierda
No hay mal que por bien no venga
Al que a buen ?rbol se arrima buena sombra le cobija.
Se rompe la taza, cada quien pa' su casa
Perro que ladra no muerde
A tal palo, tal astilla
No todo lo que brilla es oro
El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta
A mal tiempo, buena cara
?A quien le dan pan, que llore?
A veces la cura es peor que la enfermedad
A lo hecho, pecho.
Cr?a Fama, y acu?state a dormir
Cuando el r?o suena, es porque piedras trae
De casa vendr?n que de mi casa me sacaran
El burro hablando de oreja
Ni da ni presta la batea
El hombre propone, y Dios dispone.
Por la boca muere el pez
Por la plata baila el mono
Entre Marido y mujer, nadie se puede meter
Mucha espuma, poco chocolate
Gallina que se quiere perder, alas le han de nacer
No hay peor ciego, que el que no quiere ver
Quien a buen ?rbol se arrima, buena sombra cobija
Secreto en uni?n, mala educaci?n
A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan
Ya es muy tarde pa' ablanda' habichuela.
M?s sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo
Nadie sabe lo que tiene hasta que no lo pierde
Mas vale la sal que el chivo
El que no grita, no mama
Donde manda capit?n, no manda marinero
El que calla, otorga
Barriga llena, coraz?n contento
Mas vale p?jaro en mano, que ciento volando
A quien dios no le da hijos, al diablo le da sobrinos
Quien no debe, nada teme
A palabras necias, o?dos sordos
A la gallina flaca no le pesan sus plumas
De grano a grano se llena la gallina el buche
A falta de pan casabe
El que anda con cojo al a?o cojea
Aunque se vista de ceda mono se queda
?rbol que nace torcido, nunca su rama endereza
Dios dice ay?date que yo te ayudare
Al que madruga, dios lo ayuda
Cr?a cuervo y te sacaran los ojos
A otro perro con ese hueso
Hambre que espera hartura no es hambre
Lo que hace la mano derecha no lo puede saber la izquierda
No hay mal que por bien no venga
Al que a buen ?rbol se arrima buena sombra le cobija.
Se rompe la taza, cada quien pa' su casa
Perro que ladra no muerde
A tal palo, tal astilla
No todo lo que brilla es oro
El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta
A mal tiempo, buena cara
?A quien le dan pan, que llore?
A veces la cura es peor que la enfermedad
A lo hecho, pecho.
Cr?a Fama, y acu?state a dormir
Cuando el r?o suena, es porque piedras trae
De casa vendr?n que de mi casa me sacaran
El burro hablando de oreja
Ni da ni presta la batea
El hombre propone, y Dios dispone.
Por la boca muere el pez
Por la plata baila el mono
Entre Marido y mujer, nadie se puede meter
Mucha espuma, poco chocolate
Gallina que se quiere perder, alas le han de nacer
No hay peor ciego, que el que no quiere ver
Quien a buen ?rbol se arrima, buena sombra cobija
Secreto en uni?n, mala educaci?n
The above refrains are an intrinsic part of the universal Spanish language, and are not particularly Dominicanisms. Many of the refrains above are not used as stated, for example, m?s vale la sal que el chivo, is usually expressed as a veces sale m?s cara la sal que el chivo.
Well it says in the thread refranes USED in the DR, and some of them are...doesnt mean that they have to be come from DR exclusively.
Sorry, I thought the proverbs had to be Dominicanisms, considering the insistance on DR relatedness by the moderators. Also, many of the refrains have different versions, for example, m?s vale p?jaro en mano que (cien) ciento volando, is also expressed, not without a tinge of humour as, m?s vale p?jaro en mano que a los nueve meses un enano.
I'm going to take this one at a time. Today's a holiday so I've got the time.
Look at this list, a sort of translation of what was posted by Nals, a not very good translation.
Try these:
1. Even the Chinese from Bonao knows this. Everyone knows that!
2. More expensive is the salt than the goat. Not worth the effort or trouble. You spent more than was needed.
3. Whomever wants a beautiful lock of hair, has to endure pain.If you want to look good you have to suffer. {Meaning you have to work for it!}
4. The Royal Palms are taller and the pigs eat their fruit.Anything is possible
5. An uneven ground forces you to lift your feet.Should say "when you stumble.... and it means "You learn from your mistakes"
6. Dog that barks, doesn't bite. this is the same in English: Barking dogs don't bite--But not necessarily true!!!
7. Envy doesn't kill, but mortifies. Basically = sour grapes
8. Long distance love, happy will be all four involved. this can be taken to mean: When the cat's away.... Or something in that vein.
9. Shrimp that falls a sleep, the current will take it away. A warning to pay attention to what you are doing.
10. Everyone criticizes, but no one pays your bills. I honestly do not know if we have something similar in English...I'm sure there probably is but it does not come to mind....
End of part I
HB
Look at this list, a sort of translation of what was posted by Nals, a not very good translation.
Try these:
1. Even the Chinese from Bonao knows this. Everyone knows that!
2. More expensive is the salt than the goat. Not worth the effort or trouble. You spent more than was needed.
3. Whomever wants a beautiful lock of hair, has to endure pain.If you want to look good you have to suffer. {Meaning you have to work for it!}
4. The Royal Palms are taller and the pigs eat their fruit.Anything is possible
5. An uneven ground forces you to lift your feet.Should say "when you stumble.... and it means "You learn from your mistakes"
6. Dog that barks, doesn't bite. this is the same in English: Barking dogs don't bite--But not necessarily true!!!
7. Envy doesn't kill, but mortifies. Basically = sour grapes
8. Long distance love, happy will be all four involved. this can be taken to mean: When the cat's away.... Or something in that vein.
9. Shrimp that falls a sleep, the current will take it away. A warning to pay attention to what you are doing.
10. Everyone criticizes, but no one pays your bills. I honestly do not know if we have something similar in English...I'm sure there probably is but it does not come to mind....
End of part I
HB
Some English sayings that are close in meaning:
His bark is worse than his bite/All mouth and no trousers.
The early bird catches the worm.
Put your money where your mouth is.
Let's hear some proverbs and refrains exclusive to the DR. For example, I know some exclusive to Venezuela, of which I like, Chivo que se devuelve se esnuca.
I'm aware of several DR SW regional refrains, among them, M?s seco que las rolas de Galindo. Rolas are turtledoves of the genus Streptopelia, and Galindo is a small hamlet on the foothills of Loma del Curro, where it never, never rains. Then there is a saying popular south of San Juan de la Maguana, that says, M?s flojo que las fiestas de Melita. Melita is a notorious folk healer and sorceress (hechicera) known in the region for her stinginess when it comes to celebrating a folk religious festivity, traditionally open house affairs, and the host/hostess has to provide plentiful food and drink for all those present.
I'm aware of several DR SW regional refrains, among them, M?s seco que las rolas de Galindo. Rolas are turtledoves of the genus Streptopelia, and Galindo is a small hamlet on the foothills of Loma del Curro, where it never, never rains. Then there is a saying popular south of San Juan de la Maguana, that says, M?s flojo que las fiestas de Melita. Melita is a notorious folk healer and sorceress (hechicera) known in the region for her stinginess when it comes to celebrating a folk religious festivity, traditionally open house affairs, and the host/hostess has to provide plentiful food and drink for all those present.
Here is part II.
This was posted above by Sunnyvale. Like Mirador I have my doubts as to their use in popular discourse. i shall note with an * those that I have not heard used frequently or at all...
The translations are the usage, not the literal meanings..okay?????
A dios rogando y con el mazo dando... Praying to God while you are getting pounded. Not used very widely. It can mean this: A person is praying to God but doing evil at the same time. used ironically .
A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan Nuf said!
Ya es muy tarde pa' ablanda' habichuela. It's too late to do anything
M?s sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo Age has its advantages
Nadie sabe lo que tiene hasta que no lo pierde You don't know until it's too late!!
Mas vale la sal que el chivo (Done above)
El que no grita, no mama (One of the all time favorites: The squeaky wheel gets the oil! But it refers to goat kids and calfs. If they don't yell they can't suck (on the teat)!!!
Donde manda capit?n, no manda marinero this is almost out of Dilbert: it means-> Keep you mouth shut!
El que calla, otorga If you don't speak out, you, too, are to blame
Barriga llena, coraz?n contento full belly, happy heart/ to say that a person is content.
Mas vale p?jaro en mano, que ciento volando The old "Bird in the hand..."
A quien dios no le da hijos, al diablo le da sobrinos * Literally it means if God doesn't give you children, the devil will give you nephews... Not much used IMO
Quien no debe, nada teme. About the equivalent of "Neither a borrower nor a lender be" from the Bible.
A palabras necias, o?dos sordos "Sticks and stones....
A la gallina flaca no le pesan sus plumas"* I have never heard this one
De grano a grano se llena la gallina el buche Little by little it can be done. Means go at it slowly. A grain of sand, etc.
A falta de pan casabe Dominican version of "Let them eat cake!"
El que anda con cojo al a?o cojea Sort of like "birds of a feather" but with a negative connotation
Aunque se vista de ceda mono se queda Something like "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."
?rbol que nace torcido, nunca su rama endereza Close to "The fruit never falls far from the tree.
Dios dice ay?date que yo te ayudare the same in English: "God helps those who help themselves."
Al que madruga, dios lo ayuda The early bird gets the worm. But in the Catholic world, you have to put God into the equation.
Cr?a cuervo y te sacaran los ojos this is a toughie. It means "to bite the hand that feeds you." A wonderful image.
A otro perro con ese hueso Literally: bullsh!t!!
Hambre que espera hartura no es hambre Very Dominican, and I don't know of something similar in English: Hunger awaiting plenty of food is not hunger at all.
Lo que hace la mano derecha no lo puede saber la izquierda Something along the lines of destroying with your feet, what you've just built with your hands. There is something in english like this but I can't remember it now.
No hay mal que por bien no venga Every cloud has a silver lining.
Al que a buen ?rbol se arrima buena sombra le cobija. Another very Dominican saying. It means to have well placed friends helps things along.
Se rompe la taza, cada quien pa' su casa * Not heard
Perro que ladra no muerde Been covered
A tal palo, tal astilla Chip off the old block
No todo lo que brilla es oro Everything that shines is not gold. It means that "things are not always like they seem."
El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta Used when a person overreaches or overextends himself.
A mal tiempo, buena cara Putting on a good face with adversity
?A quien le dan pan, que llore?* Never heard
A veces la cura es peor que la enfermedad When the cure is worse than the illness
A lo hecho, pecho. Basically a way of saying "Sh!t happens
Cr?a Fama, y acu?state a dormir Difficult to translate--talked about above
Cuando el r?o suena, es porque piedras trae Said like the equivalent of "Where there's smoke, there's fire."
De casa vendr?n que de mi casa me sacaran Said when there is a very bitter dispute over property or within a family. i think it's biblical, but I'm not sure.
El burro hablando de oreja I hear this often as "El burro llamando al conejo orej?!" It means: The pot calling the kettle black"
Ni da ni presta la batea Used to describe a person that is tight fisted or stingy with his property.
El hombre propone, y Dios dispone. Another not easily taken into English: Man proposes and God decides. Said when one is making plans.
Por la boca muere el pez Fish dies byits mouth. Said of people that eat or talk too much
Por la plata baila el mono This is easy! Money talks bullsh!t walks
Entre Marido y mujer, nadie se puede meter * No heard
Mucha espuma, poco chocolate Lots of foam, little cocoa. Used to describe a bullsh!t artist
Gallina que se quiere perder, alas le han de nacer *Used to describe a cowardly person--but seldom heard
No hay peor ciego, que el que no quiere ver Used to describe a stubborn person who does not see the reason. Sort of like "To turn a blind eye"
Quien a buen ?rbol se arrima, buena sombra cobija A repeat
Secreto en uni?n, mala educaci?n Don't whisper in public
Here are two I remembered yesterday and jotted down:
Sana, sana, sana.
Culito de Rana
Si no se sana hoy,
Se sana ma?ana.
Literally:
Get well, get well, get well.
Little butt of a frog.
If it doesn't get well today,
it'll get well tomorrow.
Truly, used on children:
There, there, there.
My little kid.
If it's not well today
It'll be better tomorrow.
(Used as a way to calm them down with scraped knees or elbows, etc.)
En ganando, vengan bollos.
Y perdiendo, hosiquito!
Literally:
In winning, here comes the food (Bollitos de yuca, platano etc)
In losing, make a sour puss.
Said when a person is so unhappy losing.
HB
This was posted above by Sunnyvale. Like Mirador I have my doubts as to their use in popular discourse. i shall note with an * those that I have not heard used frequently or at all...
The translations are the usage, not the literal meanings..okay?????
A dios rogando y con el mazo dando... Praying to God while you are getting pounded. Not used very widely. It can mean this: A person is praying to God but doing evil at the same time. used ironically .
A buen entendedor, pocas palabras bastan Nuf said!
Ya es muy tarde pa' ablanda' habichuela. It's too late to do anything
M?s sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo Age has its advantages
Nadie sabe lo que tiene hasta que no lo pierde You don't know until it's too late!!
Mas vale la sal que el chivo (Done above)
El que no grita, no mama (One of the all time favorites: The squeaky wheel gets the oil! But it refers to goat kids and calfs. If they don't yell they can't suck (on the teat)!!!
Donde manda capit?n, no manda marinero this is almost out of Dilbert: it means-> Keep you mouth shut!
El que calla, otorga If you don't speak out, you, too, are to blame
Barriga llena, coraz?n contento full belly, happy heart/ to say that a person is content.
Mas vale p?jaro en mano, que ciento volando The old "Bird in the hand..."
A quien dios no le da hijos, al diablo le da sobrinos * Literally it means if God doesn't give you children, the devil will give you nephews... Not much used IMO
Quien no debe, nada teme. About the equivalent of "Neither a borrower nor a lender be" from the Bible.
A palabras necias, o?dos sordos "Sticks and stones....
A la gallina flaca no le pesan sus plumas"* I have never heard this one
De grano a grano se llena la gallina el buche Little by little it can be done. Means go at it slowly. A grain of sand, etc.
A falta de pan casabe Dominican version of "Let them eat cake!"
El que anda con cojo al a?o cojea Sort of like "birds of a feather" but with a negative connotation
Aunque se vista de ceda mono se queda Something like "You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear."
?rbol que nace torcido, nunca su rama endereza Close to "The fruit never falls far from the tree.
Dios dice ay?date que yo te ayudare the same in English: "God helps those who help themselves."
Al que madruga, dios lo ayuda The early bird gets the worm. But in the Catholic world, you have to put God into the equation.
Cr?a cuervo y te sacaran los ojos this is a toughie. It means "to bite the hand that feeds you." A wonderful image.
A otro perro con ese hueso Literally: bullsh!t!!
Hambre que espera hartura no es hambre Very Dominican, and I don't know of something similar in English: Hunger awaiting plenty of food is not hunger at all.
Lo que hace la mano derecha no lo puede saber la izquierda Something along the lines of destroying with your feet, what you've just built with your hands. There is something in english like this but I can't remember it now.
No hay mal que por bien no venga Every cloud has a silver lining.
Al que a buen ?rbol se arrima buena sombra le cobija. Another very Dominican saying. It means to have well placed friends helps things along.
Se rompe la taza, cada quien pa' su casa * Not heard
Perro que ladra no muerde Been covered
A tal palo, tal astilla Chip off the old block
No todo lo que brilla es oro Everything that shines is not gold. It means that "things are not always like they seem."
El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta Used when a person overreaches or overextends himself.
A mal tiempo, buena cara Putting on a good face with adversity
?A quien le dan pan, que llore?* Never heard
A veces la cura es peor que la enfermedad When the cure is worse than the illness
A lo hecho, pecho. Basically a way of saying "Sh!t happens
Cr?a Fama, y acu?state a dormir Difficult to translate--talked about above
Cuando el r?o suena, es porque piedras trae Said like the equivalent of "Where there's smoke, there's fire."
De casa vendr?n que de mi casa me sacaran Said when there is a very bitter dispute over property or within a family. i think it's biblical, but I'm not sure.
El burro hablando de oreja I hear this often as "El burro llamando al conejo orej?!" It means: The pot calling the kettle black"
Ni da ni presta la batea Used to describe a person that is tight fisted or stingy with his property.
El hombre propone, y Dios dispone. Another not easily taken into English: Man proposes and God decides. Said when one is making plans.
Por la boca muere el pez Fish dies byits mouth. Said of people that eat or talk too much
Por la plata baila el mono This is easy! Money talks bullsh!t walks
Entre Marido y mujer, nadie se puede meter * No heard
Mucha espuma, poco chocolate Lots of foam, little cocoa. Used to describe a bullsh!t artist
Gallina que se quiere perder, alas le han de nacer *Used to describe a cowardly person--but seldom heard
No hay peor ciego, que el que no quiere ver Used to describe a stubborn person who does not see the reason. Sort of like "To turn a blind eye"
Quien a buen ?rbol se arrima, buena sombra cobija A repeat
Secreto en uni?n, mala educaci?n Don't whisper in public
Here are two I remembered yesterday and jotted down:
Sana, sana, sana.
Culito de Rana
Si no se sana hoy,
Se sana ma?ana.
Literally:
Get well, get well, get well.
Little butt of a frog.
If it doesn't get well today,
it'll get well tomorrow.
Truly, used on children:
There, there, there.
My little kid.
If it's not well today
It'll be better tomorrow.
(Used as a way to calm them down with scraped knees or elbows, etc.)
En ganando, vengan bollos.
Y perdiendo, hosiquito!
Literally:
In winning, here comes the food (Bollitos de yuca, platano etc)
In losing, make a sour puss.
Said when a person is so unhappy losing.
HB
Hacerlo a la brigandina
This is a popular dominican saying, and it means doing something without adequate planning, with improvisation, such as without geological soil studies, environmental impact analysis, bona fide blueprints or other essential documents, like the SD Metro. The term brigandina comes from the term brigantine, the old skirmish sail warship that went this way and that, depending on which direction the wind was blowing and the enemies position in the sea battle...
This is a popular dominican saying, and it means doing something without adequate planning, with improvisation, such as without geological soil studies, environmental impact analysis, bona fide blueprints or other essential documents, like the SD Metro. The term brigandina comes from the term brigantine, the old skirmish sail warship that went this way and that, depending on which direction the wind was blowing and the enemies position in the sea battle...
If my incredible memory doesn't fail me, a few years ago HB told us this term came from Bridges Andina, and it made sense. Something to do with low quality and stuff.
What say you, profe?
Bridges Andina is the figment of someone's wild imagination, it never existed. Neither Bridges & Dines, nor Briggs & Dynes, or whatever. You better stick to my version if you want to pass the grade...;-)
By the way, everything makes sense, somehow.
Okay. It doesn't take me long.
But now I'm wondering if the version I heard about the origins of pariguayo is accurate.
1916-1924 GIs in the DR; out partying; one watches the others, sorta like a designated driver today, thus "watching the party" or party watcher.
correct?
Clarifications
A la gallina flaca no le pesan sus plumas"*
It means that no matter how bad your child is, a mother always loves her kid.
?A quien le dan pan, que llore?*
It means if someone gives you something good, are you going to complain? no.
Entre Marido y mujer, nadie se puede meter *
That no one can intervene in a couple's issues (that is targeted to family members who want to intervene in a couple's affairs).
cuando la Gallina que se quiere perder, alas le han de nacer *
That if a child wants to do something bad, he will do it by any means.
cuando se rompe la taza, cada quien pa' su casa
Its hard to translate..
A la gallina flaca no le pesan sus plumas"*
It means that no matter how bad your child is, a mother always loves her kid.
?A quien le dan pan, que llore?*
It means if someone gives you something good, are you going to complain? no.
Entre Marido y mujer, nadie se puede meter *
That no one can intervene in a couple's issues (that is targeted to family members who want to intervene in a couple's affairs).
cuando la Gallina que se quiere perder, alas le han de nacer *
That if a child wants to do something bad, he will do it by any means.
cuando se rompe la taza, cada quien pa' su casa
Its hard to translate..
If you believe that the expression pariguayo is a pidginized version for party watcher, then you are indeed a pariguayo...;-). I would tend to speculate that pariguayo is derived from ciguayo, a name used by the Taino to refer to an aboriginal tribe, ethnically distinct in language and custom from themselves, who lived in the hills on the Northeastern region of the island. According to some chroniclers of the Conquest, the Ciguayos were considered almost a subspecies, maybe like we would consider a group of Neanderthals discovered tucked away in some remote and previously unexplored place on Earth. Some studies suggest that the Ciguayos spoke a language related to the Hokan family of languages, spoken mostly in the US Southwestern and West Coast and in Northwestern Mexico (Baja California and Sonora).
Thanks.
Now, where's the connection to today's usage of the word?
"Baila, Joseito, no seas pariguayo."
"Que tu pagaste cuanto por esa vaina?! Co?o, te agarraron de pariguayo."
"No seas pariguayo, Joseito. Aqui hay que ser agresivo manejando: si tu no te metes, nadie te va a dar oportunidad."
"A ver a qui?n? A Joe Veras? Y es que yo tengo la cara de pariguayo."
"Joseito, en la aduana solo molestan a los pariguayos."
There you have it, Mirador. Have at it. And don't fail to see how pariguayo and that other 'P' word could be used interchangeably.
Ese es el negocio de capar perros.....
means that your bussiness efforts are useless because you're earning less money than that you invested.
fueron por masa y recibieron garrotazo o,
fueron por lana y salieron trasquilado. o,
Te salio el tiro por la culata.
means that everything you'd planned resulted (outcame) exactly the contrary as you were expecting.
means that your bussiness efforts are useless because you're earning less money than that you invested.
fueron por masa y recibieron garrotazo o,
fueron por lana y salieron trasquilado. o,
Te salio el tiro por la culata.
means that everything you'd planned resulted (outcame) exactly the contrary as you were expecting.
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