Words and definitions toto has contributed to the street dictionary.
An adjective used to describe someone or something that is uninteresting, dull, or a buzzkill. It refers to anything that fails to spark joy, excitement, or energy.
That guy is so aburrido that I do not even want to see him.
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To get up to speed, catch up on recent events, or stay current with everything that is going on.
You need to ponerse al día with your classes after missing a week of school.
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To mumble words or sing snippets of a song when you cannot remember the full lyrics.
The little girl was tarareando that Shakira song.
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A person who enables or covers for another person's mischief or bad behavior. A willing accomplice.
Stop being an alcaguete for Juan, you are going to make him spoiled and disobedient.
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An expression used to describe something moving extremely slow or at a snail's pace.
She was coming along a paso de tortuga, it took her an hour to get here.
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A fine mesh net used to protect against mosquito bites, suspended from the ceiling or bedposts to fully enclose a bed (a common household staple in the Dominican Republic used to prevent insect-borne illnesses while sleeping).
Go get the mosquitero, we are going to sleep now.
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A graphic that shows the geopolitical division of any part of the world, providing the names of the most prominent locations in each city.
We have to bring the mapa to guide us on our trip to Mexico.
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To deep-clean something or scrub it down thoroughly until all the grime and crust is gone. It can also mean taking an extremely vigorous bath to get every bit of dirt off.
We need to desollinar the kitchen tomorrow.
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A heavy, open-handed smack or slap that produces a loud, jarring sound. (In the Dominican Republic, this often refers to a corrective strike or a sudden, hard hit.)
I gave the kid a manoplazo so he would settle down.
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1. The name for a sensitive plant that folds its leaves when touched and reopens them shortly after. 2. An expression used when someone bounces back quickly from an illness or a rough state (the name is a contraction of the words for I died and I lived).
1. Look at how many morivivís are by the grass. 2. Luisa, you are like the moriviví, girl. Yesterday you were dying from the flu and today you look as good as new.
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A lazy bum or a mooch who refuses to work for what they need and prefers to live off other people.
Stop being a vago and earn your daily bread with your own sweat.
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Cardboard containers shaped like popular cartoon characters or figures, filled with candy, coins, and small toys. A staple at any birthday party, they are broken open by the blindfolded birthday child using a stick.
I want a Mickey Mouse piñata for my birthday.
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Small pieces of shredded or hole-punched paper thrown into the air during celebrations like birthdays and anniversaries. It is typically multicolored.
We need to buy two bags of confeti for the birthday party.
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A slingshot, typically made from a Y-shaped piece of wood and rubber bands, used for hunting birds or for self-defense.
Go get the tira piedras because we are heading out to the bush to hunt some chickens.
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Used to describe anything native to the Dominican Republic that retains its natural or traditional qualities. During the Spanish conquest, children born to Spanish and indigenous parents were called criollos. (Today, it often identifies homegrown or free-range food products).
I want to eat some eggs from a gallina criolla tonight.
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A popular name for a small, informal street stand or makeshift stall set up in busy areas to sell fruit, candy, and bags of snacks.
Buy me two bananas at the tarantín on the corner.
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A poser or a fake who puts on a front for others. It refers to someone who is two-faced, acts like someone they are not, or is a sellout.
Stop being such a papelero, kid, and just tell the truth.
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A type of blood sausage commonly sold at street food stalls, made from pig intestines and blood and seasoned with plenty of pepper. (A fritura is a roadside stand or shop in the Dominican Republic that specializes in fried meats and snacks).
Let's go eat morcilla and pig snout at Lalo's fried food stand.
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The act of using connections or influence with people in power to get something easily, such as a job or a favor.
Do some majareteo for me to get a job at the National Congress. You are the boss's daughter.
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An expression used to tell someone to get off your back or leave you alone. It signals a desire for freedom from pressure or for others to stop dictating what you should do.
Hey, suéltame en banda and let me wear the clothes I want.
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A bad habit or an annoying quirk developed over time that is off-putting or irritating to others.
Stop that maña of picking your teeth at the table.
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An adjective used for foods that are crispy, toasted, or crunchy and make a sound when you bite into them. (Cultural note: This term is a phonetic adaptation of the English word crunchy).
Today I want to eat some fried chicken that is really cronchi.
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1. A pale, off-white color made by mixing white and yellow. 2. Any thick liquid or lotion used to moisturize the skin.
1. My house is Crema colored. 2. I have to buy a new Crema because my skin is getting really dry.
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To let yourself be intimidated, manipulated, or treated as inferior. It describes acting like a pushover and allowing others to pressure you without standing up for yourself.
So you dejaste meter los pelos pa dentro then... You have no guts.
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A term for someone who loves to drive at high speeds or is always on the move and never stays at home.
Kid, slow down, you are such a pie caliente.
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A fried snack served as a finger food, made from ground chicken breast and breadcrumbs. (In the Dominican Republic, these are a staple at parties and social gatherings).
I am going to make a large variety of finger foods: croquetas, mini turnovers, bulgur rolls, and yuca balls.
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1. A heavy punching bag used for boxing practice. 2. A person who takes many hits or is treated like a punching bag (this term is a phonetic adaptation of the English word sandbag).
1. Get me the sambá, I am going to work out my arms. 2. Now you are Luis's sambá. Look at the bruises he has given you.
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To screw up badly or do something incredibly stupid. (Literally: to eat your own boogers).
You got mad at your mom and talked back to her? Te comiste los mocos right there.
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Someone who is always watching others, waiting for the moment they slip up so they can report it or spread the word. A snitch or tattle-tale (while the word literally means a young goat, it is used across the Caribbean to label an informant or a rat).
Who was the chivato that told the boss I left early yesterday?
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1. The pitcher in a baseball game. 2. The fare collector on a public bus (locally known as a guagua).
1. Tell the piche to put more heat on his throw. 2. Piche, take two student fares out of these hundred pesos.
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The distinctive mechanical sound or engine noise made by a manual transmission vehicle when shifting gears.
I love the cancaneo of your truck.
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Any piece of junk or useless object. Something that is discarded because it no longer works or serves a purpose.
Yesterday I threw away a bunch of tiestos I had piled up.
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1. You blew it, you screwed up, or you got conned. Used when someone makes a bad decision or loses everything. 2. Refers to a specific, infamous illegal migration scam to Spain that left many people bankrupt (this historical event is the origin of the expression).
1. You really La macaste, man, if you lent that money to Luisa. 2. You were in the group from La macaste.
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Being completely swamped or overwhelmed with responsibilities and having almost no time to finish them. It refers to a state of being stressed out or frantic.
Man, what an Atareo with these exams this month.
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A term used for a man who has broad shoulders and very narrow hips or a flat backside, resulting in an inverted triangle body shape.
Johnny Bravo is a pepe angulo.
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1. A large ice cream cone topped with caramel, a cherry, and colorful sprinkles (Helados Bon is a popular Dominican ice cream parlor where this treat is a staple). 2. A small boat.
1. Let's go to Helados Bon to get a barquito. 2. We are going to Saona Island in a barquito.
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A portable container used as a toilet by people who have trouble reaching the bathroom on their own, such as the elderly or small children (similar to a chamber pot or potty chair).
Bring the basinilla to your grandma, she needs to pee.
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Ugly sores, raw skin, or small boils that appear at the corners of the mouth. The term is also used for the white, crusty saliva that accumulates in the corners of the lips from talking too much.
You need to put something on that boquilla girl, you look really bad.
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The rough, crusty layer that forms on the skin during the healing process of a boil, allergy, or infected sore.
Don't pick off the potilla so you don't end up with scars.
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An adjective used to describe something that is extremely sweet or syrupy, containing an excessive amount of sugar (derived from the word for molasses).
That juice turned out melao. It has way too much sugar.
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1. A corpse or dead body. 2. A very old person who is no longer self-sufficient and appears to be near death.
1. I saw the cadáver of the guy who died on the corner. 2. Don Luis is a total cadáver now, old age hit him all at once.
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A large quantity of small stones or gravel used for decoration, paving streets, or starting a war. (In the Dominican Republic, throwing stones is a common way to engage in street brawls or protests).
I need two buckets of gravilla to fill the garden.
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An abbreviation for one of the most common vulgarities used in the Dominican Republic, mamaguevo (literally, cocksucker). It is used as a heavy insult for a person who is contemptible, annoying, or a jerk.
You are nothing but a MMG. Leave me alone.
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A sneaky trick, scheme, or hustle used to deceive or take advantage of someone. It is a crafty, subtle maneuver meant to get something out of a situation or person.
And what about that marrulla you pulled on Pedro at the corner store?
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A drainage ditch, gully, or open sewer where rainwater or river water flows, often becoming a clogged dumping ground for trash and waste. (In Dominican Spanish, this is the phonetic shortening of cañada, referring to these channels in urban areas).
Go throw that garbage in the Lava Pies cañá.
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A term for whispering or hushed chatter that takes place when or where it is not allowed, such as people talking under their breath in a setting that requires silence.
Stop your Cuchicheo in the classroom.
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A tiny flying insect, similar to a fruit fly or gnat, commonly found around rotting fruit or decaying animals.
Throw that mango away, it is covered in mime.
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The term used to refer to sunglasses.
Pass me the gafas, I am headed to the beach.
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República Dominicana