Sure, we’re your source for film, music, and all things Latino– but we want to be your go-to linguistics guide, too. You don’t have to be an Einstein to know that once you get throw two Dominicans in a room, folks from Spanish-speaking nations have a really hard time understanding our rapid-fire “español aplatanado.”
For the sake of cultural exchange and ESPAÑOL enlightenment, we put our friends from Whitest Taino Alive to the task of coming up with a list of ten Dominican terms you should know. This list will come handy tomorrow morning with the release of Whitest Taino Alive’s first album Donde Jugaran Los Cueros, exclusively on Remezcla.
I highly recommend you prepare yourself for leaning with a glass of the only beer that no president have ever drank (get the joke?).
1. LEATHERS
Definition: hoe, avión, cuero.
Examples of how to properly use “leathers” in a sentence:
- Los leathers del crew (the crew’s hoes).
- Leathers ain’t nothing but tricks and hoes.
Rhymes with: whatever, weather, feather.
2. HACER UN FÓ
Definition: To snub, to ignore someone.
Examples of how to properly use “hacer un fó” in a sentence:
- Le hago el fó, porque oye David Guetta (I ignored her because she likes David Guetta).
- La invite a salir y me hizo un fó (I asked her out and she snubbed me).
Rhymes with: no, yo, dos.
3. EN MAMBO
Definition: partying, de party.
Examples of how to properly use “en mambo” in a sentence:
- Anoche andabamos en mambo y no hemos dormido (last night we were partying and haven’t slept yet).
Rhymes with: rambo, lambo, Fernando.
4. CRICKET
Definition: grillo, unattractive humans.
Example of how to properly use “cricket” in a sentence:
- Carlos andaba con un reguero de grillos anoche (I saw Carlos with some grillos last night).
Rhymes with: pick it, lick it.
5. CHOPO
Definition: tacky, ratchet.
Example of how to properly use “chopo” in a sentence:
- Ese party estaba lleno de chopos (That party was ratchet).
Rhymes with: topo, poco, coco.
6. BURLAO
Definition: not giving a fuck, taking it easy.
Examples:
- El tipo andaba burlao (That guy wasn’t giving a fuck).
Rhymes with: de lao, parao, hookiao.
7. MATATÁN
Definition: verdugo, bacano, Player, “top dog”, “big man.”
Examples of how to properly use “matatán” in a sentence:
- Ese tiguere es un matatán (that guy is a player).
- El se cree el más matatán (dude thinks he’s the top dog).
Rhymes with: tajalán, minivan, acuamán.
8. CURARSE
Definition: to have fun, to enjoy.
Example of how to properly use “curarse” in a sentence:
- Que curada nos dimos anoche (Last night was a blast).
Rhymes with: menearse, pararse, sentarse.
9. BULTO
Definition: to talk a lot and not deliver, to cause a scene, no problem.
Examples of how to properly use “bulto” in a sentence:
- Esa mujer se me aparecerió en la discoteca y me hizo un bulto (she showed up at the club and caused a scene).
- No le hagas caso, ese pana es un bultero (don’t listen to him, he talks a lot but never delivers).
Rhymes with: bruto, luto.
10. TA’ CLORO
Definition: to understand something, to realize
Example of how to properly use “Ta’ Cloro” in a sentence:
- Tu’ ta’ cloro que le vamo’ a da’ con tó. (you realize, we are going all the way)
Rhymes with: moro, coro, loro
BONUS WORD: RABANDOLA
Definition: Chapiadora, thot.
Example of how to properly use “Rabandola” in a sentence:
- Esa jeva es una rabandola (That girl is a thot).
Rhymes with: popola, chinola, corolla