Spanish Puerto Rico

fajón

Expression USED Frequently BY Everybody

In general spanish the word ‘fajon’ is connected with architecture. But not in Puerto Rico. For us it means somebody who studies or works a lot. This could’ve been born from the word ‘fajina’ that was according to Tesoro léxicografico that word came from Spain and was used often in the mountains to refer to hard work.

"Ese muchacho es un fajón! Mira, ya se graduó con su bachillerato."

"That boy is a fajón! Look, he already graduated with his high school degree."

Spanish Puerto Rico

chavos

Word USED Frequently BY Everyone

(n.) • Money.

"Necesito chavos pa' comprar ese anillo."

"I need money to buy that ring."

Spanish Puerto Rico

las sinsoras

Word USED On Occasion BY Some Peopl

(noun) • Something far away.

“Es por allá, por las sinsoras.”

“It’s over there, by the sinsoras.”

Spanish Puerto Rico

ñaque

Word USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(noun) • (a bite) • A small bite of food, a little taste of something

"Mary está comiendo un bizcocho de chocolate y tu le dices, “dame un ñaqui”"

"You say to Mary, who’s eating a slice of chocolate cake, “dame un ñaqui”"

Spanish Puerto Rico

chavienda

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

It’s used to express a difficult situation or a complication. It is used to express frustration.

“¡Esto no puede estar pasando, que chavienda!”

“This cannot be happening, crap!"

Spanish Puerto Rico

pelagato

Word USED Frequently BY Everyone

(noun) • (scraggly cat) • A pelagato is a someone unimportant. It is used to reffer to someone who doesn’t matter.

"Fui a la fiesta pero allí lo.que había era 4 pelagatos."

"I went to the party, but what was there were four scraggly cats."

Spanish Puerto Rico

Anda pa'l!

Interjection USED Very frequently BY Everyone

"Anda pa'l" is a short version of the word "Anda pa'l carajo" which is expressed when something is shocking or unbelievable.

"Me cobraron $3,000 por el arreglo del carro" "Anda pa'l, que caro"

"They charged me $3,000 to fix my car" "Holy shit, that's expensive"

Spanish Puerto Rico

la jeva

Reference USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

La jeva is the girlfriend. Puertorricans use “la jeva” to refer a girlfriend who is not formally introduced to the family yet.

"Voy al cine con la jeva."

"I'm going to the movies with my girlfriend."

Spanish Puerto Rico

catimba

Slang USED On Occasion BY Some People

A beating.

"Le voy a dar una catimba a esa señora."

"I'm going to give that lady a beating."

Spanish Puerto Rico

apearse

Word USED On Occasion BY Older Generations

(verb) • The action of getting down from something or somewhere.

"Apeate de esa escalera que te caes!" "El nene no quiere apearse del carro."

"Get down from those stairs because you will fall!" "The kid doesn't want to get down from the car"

Spanish Puerto Rico

monga

Slang USED Very frequently BY Everyone

A cold or the flu

"Me siento mal. Creo que me va a dar la monga"

I'm feeling really bad. I think I'm catching a cold.

Spanish Puerto Rico

Carajo Viejo

Expression USED Frequently BY Some People

Is a form to refer to a distant place.

"Cabo Rojo que da en el Carajo Viejo."

Spanish Puerto Rico

jurutungo

Word USED On Occasion BY Most People

(noun) • A far away place, often isolated.

“¡Diablos! ¡Eso queda en el jurutungo!” “Tú vives en el jurutungo.”

“Damn! That’s very far away!” “You live too far away.”

Spanish Puerto Rico

¡ea, rayo!

Expression USED On Occasion BY Adults

(oh devil!) • Equivalent to saying “oh, shucks!”.

"¡Ea, rayo! Se me olvidó lavar la ropa."

"Oh, shucks! I forgot to do laundry."

Spanish Puerto Rico

Está lloviendo a cántaros

Expression USED On Occasion BY Adults

It's the equal for the English version of "pouring" when it's raining. A "cántaro" is a big clay pitcher, used to store great amounts of water.

"¿Está lloviendo hoy?" "Sí, a cántaros."