This article is a summary of common slang words and phrases used in Puerto Rico.

Idiom An idiom is a phrase or expression that largely or exclusively carries a Literal and figurative language, figurative or non-literal meaning (linguistic), meaning, rather than making any literal sense. Categorized as formulaic speech, formulaic ...

atic expressions may be difficult to translate fully and may have multiple meanings, so the English translations below may not reflect the full meaning of the expression they intend to translate. This is a short list and more may be found on the

Academia Puertorriqueña de la Lengua Española The Academia Puertorriqueña de la Lengua Española (Spanish for ''Puerto Rican Academy of the Spanish Language'') is an association of academics and experts on the use of the Spanish language in Puerto Rico. It was founded in San Juan on Januar ...

website.

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; :a sudden nervous reaction, similar to hysterics, or losing control, experienced in response to something ; : variants are ¡Ay bendito! and dito - “aww poor you” or “oh my god”; “ay” meaning lament, and “bendito” meaning blessed. ; : Referring to food; rotten or damaged. ; :Wild, off the rails, disastrous. Doing something rash. Comes from the Arabic phrase meaning "adrift" (

Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...

: على غير هدى ( /ʕa.'laː.ɣajr.'hu.dan/), romanized: ealaa ghayr hudaa). ; : flawless, clean, immaculate. From standard Spanish ; : a big party. ; :Important person. From English . ; :Beer. ; : gossip ; :The name given to Puerto Rico people by Puerto Ricans. ; :To work on a task, to do something with effort and dedication. ; : brother or friend. ; :a lowlife. Comes from Arabic (

: كافر ( /kafir), romanized:

Kafir ''Kāfir'' (; , , or ; ; or ) is an Arabic-language term used by Muslims to refer to a non-Muslim, more specifically referring to someone who disbelieves in the Islamic God, denies his authority, and rejects the message of Islam as ...

). ; :A badass, hunk or hottie. An influential person. From English . ; :person who should be ashamed of their actions but isn't; a stubborn person ; :short for - Guy, male, ; in mexico this can mean dude or guy relating to someone younger but in puerto rican slang, it is used in replacement of dinero/money ; : While in other countries this word means "insolence", in Puerto Rico it has an entirely different meaning and is used to describe that something is good, fun, funny, great or beautiful. ; : Friend, or group of friends. ; : Normally means “hard”, but in Puerto Rican slang means that someone is really good at what they do. ; : series of lies, something that is completely false, a "pack of lies" ; : literally translates to "eww!" or "yuck!" it is often used as an exclamation in reaction to a bad smell. ; : shameless person ; : The flower of the sugarcane. ; : steep slope ; : to act goofy. ; : “to hang out”. Comes from the American expression “hang out”. ; : to be full. ; : boyfriend / girlfriend ; : A person who lives in the countryside,

mountain people Hill people, also referred to as mountain people, is a general term for people who live in the hills and mountains. This includes all rugged land above and all land (including plateaus) above elevation. The climate is generally harsh, with s ...

, the agricultural worker, who cuts sugarcane, for example. From a Taino compound word ("Jiba" meaning mountain or forest, and "iro" meaning man or men) though commonly mistaken for originating from the Arabic ( Mofarite

: جبري ( Jabre), romanized: Jabre), in the Mofarite related Ethiopian Semitic languages ገበሬ( Gabre), romanized: Gabre). ; : Drunk ; :Lackey,brownoser;toady,sycophant. ; :to peep ; :Peeping Tom ; : Also, "limbel". A home-made flavored frozen treat usually made from natural fruits or sweet milk mixtures and often served on a small piece of water-resistant paper, a plastic or paper cup, or a popsicle stick. The name is said to have originated from the last name of

Charles Lindbergh Charles Augustus Lindbergh (February 4, 1902 – August 26, 1974) was an American aviator, military officer, and author. On May 20–21, 1927, he made the first nonstop flight from New York (state), New York to Paris, a distance of . His aircra ...

after the islanders noticed how "awfully cold as ice" he was as compared to the warmth of the locals during Lindbergh's visit to the Island in 1928. ; : Used when referring to something that is easy to do. ; : Terms of endearment; mami when referring to a cute woman, papi when referring to a handsome man, or to address a lover ; : Boy/girl In standard Spanish it means "baby". ; : ''Friend / Buddy'' ("pana" is also a name for

breadfruit Breadfruit (''Artocarpus altilis'') is a species of flowering tree in the mulberry and jackfruit family ( Moraceae) believed to have been selectively bred in Polynesia from the breadnut ('' Artocarpus camansi''). Breadfruit was spread into ...

in Puerto Rico) From . ; :to get away with murder or to get away with it ; : A way of dancing ("grinding") or a danceable song. ; : “forget about that”, Disregard. ; :Expression of admiration, to say that something is outstanding or beyond good. ; : Used to describe chaotic situations. ; :to get away with murder or to get away with it ; : a nobody, or a worker low on the hierarchy, or an enabler ; :traffic jam. In standard Spanish, "a bottle top" or "a clog". ; :a lowlife. ; Typically used at parties, dances, or general hype events to express of joy or excitement, hence the direct translation "That's awesome!"

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Puerto Rican Slang Words And Phrases Slang words and phrases Spanish slang Lists of phrases Lists of words Lists of slang * Slang words and phrases Spanish language in the United States

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