A noisy, disorderly situation or disruptive behavior in a setting where people are supposed to be serious or quiet. It refers to messing around, being rowdy, or causing a scene.
Daniel and Mariel are always making a chacota in class.
A state of festive disorder, rowdiness, or noisy joking around. The term stems from indigenous roots where the word guache refers to a scoundrel or rogue.
The students had a real guachafa going because the teacher had left the room.
A popular expression used to describe the act of disrupting a meeting or creating chaos and disorder within a social group. (The imagery refers to the frantic fluttering and noise in a chicken coop when birds are disturbed).
All right, all right, let's stop the controversy because people have come here to revolotear el gallinero and this is a class.
A term used to describe a massive mess or clutter, but also used to refer to love handles or rolls of belly fat (derived from the word for tripe soup).
Maria, what is all that mondonguero you left in the living room? and My god, look at this mondonguero!
An expression used to emphasize that a situation is nonsensical, crazy, or totally illogical. (In Panama, it is a common reaction to anything bizarre or chaotic).
A: In that soap opera, biological siblings get married and have a daughter. B: Seriously? Qué demencia, fren! (Fren is a Panamanian slang term for friend, adapted from the English word).
To be frantically agitated, restless, or scrambling around, especially when you are out of place or in a vulnerable position. (The expression refers to how a cockroach would run for its life to avoid being eaten at a gathering of chickens).
That guy is going around como cucaracha en baile de gallina. Look at him there, como cucaracha en baile de gallina.
Someone, typically from a low-income or rough neighborhood, who is constantly getting into fights, spreading gossip, and causing drama. It describes a loud, confrontational person who enjoys conflict (often used to describe people perceived as ghetto in Panama).
That girl is a rambulera. / Mrs. Ana's son is a rambulero.
A violent street protest or blockade involving barricades and social disorder (in Venezuela, it specifically refers to organized roadblocks used to paralyze a city).
We are going to set up a guarimba. If they do not pay us, we will start a guarimba right here at the entrance.
A wild, out of control party where people get wasted, or a situation that is a total, chaotic mess. (In Venezuela, the term rasca refers to being drunk.)
"Yesterday's party was a total desnalgue" and "Good thing we didn't go to the bank yesterday, it was a complete desnalgue"
Slang from the city of Cuenca meaning messy, scattered, or in total disarray. (Cuenca is a city in the Ecuadorian highlands with a distinct regional dialect).
A chaotic intersection that symbolizes social disorder, lawlessness, and total anarchy. It represents a place where noise, corruption, and lack of respect for others are the norm (it is a notoriously crowded and messy commercial hub in downtown Santo Domingo).
An intersection in Santo Domingo that is the spitting image of the Dominican way of life: chaos, disorder, anarchy, noise, corruption, and a lack of civic duty. (This is a major commercial area in the capital known for extreme congestion and informal street vendors).
Duarte con París is the symbol of the Dominican character.
A big mess, a loud commotion, or a brawl. It refers to a situation that has descended into chaos or a heated conflict, ranging from a simple ruckus to a total shitshow (primarily used on the Caribbean coast of Colombia).
When Juan insulted Pedro, they started fighting and a bololó broke out.
While in most countries it refers to a labor strike, in the Dominican Republic, a Huelga is a chaotic riot involving rock-throwing, tire-burning, and vandalism, often joined by people who do not even know the reason for the protest.
I feel like throwing a Molotov cocktail at the first car that passes today. Let's start a Huelga.
In Venezuela, this refers to a massive mess, total chaos, or a huge ruckus. It is used when a situation gets completely out of control or turns into a complete clusterfuck.
A mess, chaos, or a loud ruckus. It refers to a situation that is disorganized or a commotion that involves a lot of noise, often implying a fight or an argument (common in the Caribbean region of Colombia).
a filthy, foul-smelling place that has not been cleaned in a long time; a total dump (cuyalla refers to a species of kestrel, implying a wild and neglected mess)
A massive mess, chaos, or a loud commotion where everything is disorganized. It refers to a situation that has turned into a total disaster or a free for all.
what a despelote broke out in the street when the party ended!
Describes something that was once new but has lost its shape, gotten worn out, or fallen apart from excessive use. (In the Dominican Republic, this is commonly used for shoes or clothing that look deformed or mangled after being worn too much.)
A: Yo man, tell me, did those Converse work out for you? B: Nah man, those damn sneakers all detutanaron.