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*All terms are Puerto Rican Spanish unless otherwise specified.

Aguacate —Avocado

Amor —Love

Amor mío —My love

Andiamo (Italian) —Let’s go

?Apúrate! —Hurry!

Aquí estoy —I’m here

Aquí vamos —Here we go

Aquí voy —Here I go

Arcángel Miguel —Archangel Michael

Arey, kya? (Hindi/Punjabi) —Hey, huh?

Atrevimiento —Daring

Atrocidades —Atrocities

?Auxilio! —Help!

Ave María —Hail Mary

Aye Haye! (Hindi/Punjabi) —An expression of either irritation or amazement, depending on context.

Ayúdame —Help me

?Ayúdano’, Senor! —Help us, Lord!

Bacalao guisado —Codfish stew

Bahía —Bay

Banjaxed (Irish slang) —Ruined or broken

“Barco que no anda no llega a puerto.” —(idiom) Literally translates as “the ship that does not move does not reach port” and means you get nowhere by standing still

Barquito —Little boat

Barullo —Ruckus

Beenastok (Hindi) —Beanstalk

Bendito —Literal meaning is “blessed” but used in vernacular as “aw, man” or “geez”

Bendito sea Dios —Blessed be God, similar usage to “bendito”

Bigote —Mustache

Bobo— Stupid or daft

Bochinchando —Gossipping

Bolsillo —Pocket

Borínquen/borinquenos —Name for Puerto Rico and Puerto Ricans derived from the island’s indigenous name, Boriken

Boricua —A Puerto Rican or person of Puerto Rican descent, derived from the island’s indigenous name, Borikén

Brujería —Witchcraft

Buen provecho —Enjoy the meal

Buenas noches —Good evening

Bueno —“Well” or “well, then”

Cabello —Head of hair

Cabeza —Head

Cabras —Goats

Cabrón(es) —Bastard(s)

Café (con leche) —Coffee (with milk)

Cafecito —Coffee (diminutive)

Cafetera —Coffeepot

Caffler (UK slang) —An impertinent young boy

Camarero —Waiter

Camarón —Shrimp

Carajo —Dammit

Caramba —Expression of dismay

Casa de la alcaldía —City hall

Chavo —Cash

Chayote —Type of green squash

Chillón —Gaudy

Chiquitín/chiquitines —Small child/children

Cigarillos (“rompepechos”) —Cigarettes (“chest breakers”)

Claro —Of course

Claro que no —Of course not

Comemierda —Shit-eater

?Cómo? —“How’s that?” or “come again?”

?Cómo se dice...? —How do you say...?

?Cómo te sientes, querido? —How do you feel, dear?

Comodito —Comfortably

Companero/a —Companion

Confía en mí —Trust me

Confundido —Confused

?Cono! —Rude term for female genitalia but in Puerto Rican vernacular translates more closely as “holy shit!”

Coquí —A small tree frog indigenous to Puerto Rico, so named for the sound of its chirp

Corazón —Heart

Corona —Crown

Cosa —Thing

Cristo —Christ

Cuatro —An instrument unique to Puerto Rico, derived from the Spanish guitar, often with four or five double-strings

Daddle (UK slang) —Hand

Dale consuelo al tritón, Senor —Give comfort to the merman, Lord

Dame un momento —Give me a moment

Débil —Weak

De nada —You’re welcome

Dhanyavaad (Hindi/Punjabi) —Thank you

Diablo —Devil

Dios mío —My God

Dios misericordioso —Merciful God

Dios purísimo —God most pure

Dios tiene su plan —God has his plan

Dolor de cabeza —Headache

?Dónde está mi milagrito? —Where is my little miracle?

Dur fitteh muh! (Hindi/Punjabi) —Expression of annoyed outrage in response to something absurd, terrible, or both

Eejit (Irish slang) —Idiot

El cuco —The boogeyman

El Leviatán —The Leviathan

“El pez muere por la boca.” —(idiom) Literally translates to “the fish dies by its mouth” and means what you say can surely get you in trouble if you’re not careful

El Tiburón —The Shark

El tritón —The merman

Embusteros —Tricksters or liars

En el nombre del Padre, el Hijo, y el Espíritu Santo —In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit

Eres hermoso —You are beautiful

Erin (Irish) —Term taken from the Hiberno-English word for Ireland, éirinn

Escabeche —In Puerto Rico, this dish is often presented as green bananas in a vinegar marinade

Escúchame bien —Listen to me closely

?Estás bien? —Are you all right?

Estupido/estupidez —Stupid/stupidity

Extranjero —Foreigner

Familia —Family

Feck (Irish slang) —Euphemistic version of “fuck”

Figlio di puttana (Italian) —Son of a bitch

Fíjate —In context, this means “Imagine it”

Flaquito —Skinny person

Gato estresa’o —Stressed cat

Ghanta! (Hindi/Punjabi) —Slang expression of dismay, anger, or disbelief

Git (Irish slang) —An annoying or stupid person (usually a man)

Goldbrick (English) —Someone who doesn’t do their fair share of work

Golpetazo —A violent hit or punch

“Go ndéana an diabhal dréimire de cnámh do dhroma ag piocadh úll i ngairdín Ifrinn.” (Gaelic) —Insult that translates as “May the devil make a ladder of your backbone while he picks apples in Hell’s garden.”

Gobshite(s) (Irish slang) —Stupid, incompetent, or contemptible person(s)

Gombeen (Irish slang) —Shady, corrupt person, often of higher rank, looking to exploit others for a quick profit

Goop(s) (US slang) —Idiot(s)

Gracias a Dios —Thank God

Grandote —Gigantic

Gringo —White English speakers (derogatory)

Grito de Lares —The first of two failed Puerto Rican uprisings against Spanish rule in 1868

Guayabera —A staple of Caribbean menswear—a smocklike shirt with large pockets

Guten Tag (German) —Greeting: “good day”

Habichuelas —A type of bean

Hamaca —Hammock

“Hay una infección sobre la humanidad.” —“There is an infection on humanity.”

Haye mere rabba (Hindi/Punjabi) —Oh my Lord

Heer and Ranjha (Punjabi) —The protagonists of the eponymous tragic romance from Punjab

Hep (US slang) —Being on top of the latest developments in popular culture

Hermoso —Beautiful

Homero —The classic poet Homer

Ich bin zuhause, mein Lieben (German) —I’m home, my dears

Iguaca —Green bird indigenous to Puerto Rico

Increíble —Incredible

Invert/inverted (English) —Term from the late nineteenth/early twentieth century for homosexuality and transgender individuals

Jefe —Boss

Jesucristo —Jesus Christ

Jíbaros —Refers to lower class subsistence farmers from the mountain regions of Puerto Rico, used in context like the English word “hick”

Jitney (English) —A nickel (five cents)

Juan Bobo —Folkloric character, the Puerto Rican “everyman”

Khoti’am da puttar (Hindi/Punjabi) —Sons of donkeys

Krasivaya (Russian) —Beautiful

Kulich (Russian) —Classic Easter bread

La consumición —Consumption, referring to tuberculosis

La danza —A type of ballroom dancing that flourished in Puerto Rico during the second half of the nineteenth century

Lagartijos —Small lizards found in Puerto Rico

La Playa del Condado —Condado Beach

La Sagrada Biblia —The Sacred Bible

La sirena —The mermaid

La sirena me habló en espanol —The mermaid spoke to me in Spanish

Lambón —Suck-up, creep, or freeloader

La tisis —Shorthand term for tuberculosis

Lector(a) —The person in a tabaquería or tobacco factory with the designated job of reading aloud for the entertainment of the tobacco workers

Llévame —Take me

Locura —Madness

“Lo que no se dice, no se sabe.” —(idiom) “What is not spoken is never known.”

Los hambrientos —The starving

Maahi (Hindi/Punjabi) —Beloved

Madre de Dios —Mother of God

Maicena —Creamed cornmeal breakfast food

Malas manas —Bad habits

Malcriado(s) —Spoiled kid(s)

Maldito —Damned

Manganzón —Lazy, rascally, or immature person

Manos a Dios —Hands to God

Marineros —Sailors

Máscaras —Masks

Meaters (Irish slang) —Cowards

?Me cago en ná! —(profanity) A euphemism for a worse cuss that literally means “I shit on God” and functions like a stronger form of “Goddammit”

Mein Freund (German) —My friend

’Metido —Abbreviation of “entremetido,” meaning “nosy” or “meddling”

Me voy a morir —I’m going to die

Mi amado —My beloved

Mi cielo —Common term of endearment meaning “my heaven” or “my sky”

Mijo —Term of endearment meaning “my son”

Mi luna —My moon

Miércoles —Literally means “Wednesday” but is an oft-used euphemism for “mierda”

Mierda —Shit

Milagrito —Little miracle

Mírate —Look at yourself

Molodoy chelovyek (Russian) —Young man

Monstruos —Monsters

Moreno —Person of brown complexion

Mot (Irish slang) —Girl or girlfriend

Muchachito —Kid (masculine)

Nechestnyy (Russian) —Liar

Nene —Little boy

Ni macho ni hembra —Neither male nor female

No digas nada —Say nothing

“No hay mal que por bien no venga.” —(idiom) “There is nothing bad through which good does not follow,” but used in context as “Every cloud has a silver lining.”

No lo merezco —I don’t deserve it

No me digas —Don’t tell me

No me importa —I don’t care

No pares —Don’t stop

No puede ser —It can’t be

No puedo —I can’t

No te alcanzo —I cannot reach you

No te preocupes —Don’t worry

Nos vamos —We’re going

Nunca te abandonaría —I would never abandon you

Odiseo —Odysseus

Olvídate —Forget it

Oye —Listen

Pa’lante —Abbreviated form of “para alante” meaning “onward”

Pantalones —Pants

Pashka (Russian) —Russian Easter dessert

Pedacitos —Bits/pieces

Pelirroja —Red-haired woman

Pendejo(s) —Asshole(s)

’Pérate —Puerto Rican abbreviation of “espérate” meaning “wait a sec,” or “hold up”

Perdóname —Forgive me

?Perdóname? —Beg your pardon?

Pero, ?qué? —But, what?

Pero, ?qué demonio...? —But, what in the devil?

Perrito —Puppy

Perro ahoga’o —Drowned dog

Pezzo di merda (Italian) —Piece of shit

Piragua —Shaved ice dessert

Pirata —Pirate

Por Dios —By God

Por favor —Please

Por favor, no hables así —Please don’t talk like that

Por los siglos de los siglos —Forever and ever

Por supuesto —Of course

?Por qué? —Why?

Pridurki (Russian) —Assholes

Principessa (Italian) —Princess

Pulmones —Lungs

Puttana (Italian) —Whore

Qual è la tua opinione? (Italian) —What is your opinion?

?Qué dijiste? —What did you say?

Que Dios nos ayude —May God help us

Que Dios te perdone —God forgive you

?Qué sé yo? —What do I know?

?Qué significa eso? —What does that mean?

Quédate conmigo —Stay with me

Querido —Beloved

Queso blanco —White cheese

Quién sabe qué —Who knows what

Respira —Breathe

Río —River

Rubio —Blond-haired

Sabor —Flavor

Sabotatori (Italian) —Saboteurs

Sálvalo —“Save him” or “save it”

San Ciriaco —The saint for which the hurricane of 1899 was named, as it made landfall on August 8th, the day of the Roman Catholic feast of Saint Cyriacus

San Cristóbal —Saint Christopher

San Miguel —Saint Michael

Sancocho —Stew

Sankt-Petersburg —Saint Petersburg

Santa María —Holy Mary

Sea la madre —(profanity) “Be the mother”

Shararti ladka (Hindi/Punjabi) —Naughty boy

Si te digo la verdad... —To tell you the truth...

Sinvergüenza —Shameless person

Solo es un problema —It’s just a problem

Sonrisa —Smile

Tabaquero/a —Tobacco farmer

Te lo prometo —I promise you

Te quiero —I love you

Ternura —Tenderness

Tierra de oportunidad —Land of opportunity

Todo es posible —Everything is possible

“Todo lo prieto no e’ morcilla.” —(idiom) “Not everything black is blood sausage,” but used as “Don’t believe everything you hear.”

Tonterías —Nonsense

Tosineta —Bacon

Traje —Dress

Ven a la isla —Come to the island

Vestido —Suit

Vieja —old woman

Vodyanoy (Russian) —Merman

Volviste —You came back

Vremya vesel?ya zakonchilos (Russian) —Fun time is over

?Y pa’ qué? —And for what?

Ya estamos llegando —We’re almost there

Yanquis —Yankees

“Zhivy búdem—ne pomrem” (Russian)—Literally translates to “We will live—not die.” A Russian saying which, in context, means everything will be all right.