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Dominican curse words and insults: recognize them, don’t use them
This material is for educational purposes. Some of these expressions are very offensive. The advice of José, a Dominican Spanish teacher: learn to recognize them — in songs, on the street, in a heated conversation — but don’t use them.
Mild: you will hear them everywhere
Rude, but used all the time, even by people who don’t swear much.
- diablo — caramba, damn (standard Spanish: caramba)
The Dominican exclamation for surprise, anger or admiration. It is the mildest one here and you hear it constantly, even from people who do not swear.
«¡Diablo, qué vaina!» Damn, what a mess! - come solo — someone who never shares (standard Spanish: egoísta)
A selfish person who does not share. One of the mildest here: you would say it to a friend, half joking.
«No seas come solo, brinda de eso.» Do not be so selfish, share some of that. - rastrero — lowlife (standard Spanish: ruin)
A despicable or undignified person, above all for doing something behind your back.
«Eso que hizo fue una rastrería.» What he did was a lowlife move. - bimbín — a little boy's willy (standard Spanish: el pene de un niño)
A child's word for a penis. Said about small boys; used about a grown man it is an insult.
«El niño anda enseñando el bimbín.» The kid is running around showing his willy. - bimbolito — a little boy's willy (standard Spanish: el pene de un niño)
Same idea as bimbín, even smaller. Family talk, never in public.
«Ese bimbolito e' de un bebé.» That little willy belongs to a baby. - bimbolo — a little boy's willy (standard Spanish: el pene de un niño)
The same family as bimbín and bimbolito. Knowing it is enough; you do not need to use it.
«El muchachito anda enseñando el bimbolo.» The little boy is running around showing his willy. - degraciáo / degraciá — a lowlife (standard Spanish: desgraciado, de mal proceder)
«Desgraciado» with the s gone. It is a heavy insult, said about someone who does real harm.
«Ese degraciáo dejó a su familia sola.» That lowlife left his family on their own. - degracimáo — a lowlife (standard Spanish: desgraciado, de mal proceder)
The same as degraciáo with one more syllable, which makes it sound even worse.
«No seas degracimáo con la gente.» Don't be a lowlife with people. - jodón / jodona — a pain, a tease (standard Spanish: pesado, fastidioso)
Someone who keeps bothering you — sometimes an insult, sometimes said with a smile to a child.
«Ese muchacho e' jodón, no deja a nadie tranquilo.» That kid is a pain, he won't leave anyone alone. - la lacra — a lowlife (standard Spanish: la persona despreciable)
Someone with no moral worth. It is a hard word and it is meant to be.
«Ese e' una lacra, no lo meta' en la casa.» That guy is a lowlife, don't let him in the house. - marimacho — tomboy (offensive) (standard Spanish: mujer de aspecto masculino)
Said about a woman who looks or acts in a way people read as masculine. It is a label people put on others, and it offends.
«Le dicen la marimacho, pero juega pelota mejor que cualquiera del barrio.» They call her the tomboy, but she plays ball better than anyone in the neighborhood. - la ñema — the yolk; (vulgar) a man's privates (standard Spanish: la yema; el pene (vulgar))
In the kitchen it is the egg yolk. In the street it is a vulgar word for the male body, and also a curse of frustration.
«Bátele la ñema al huevo.» Beat the yolk of the egg. - la pendejá — a stupid little thing (standard Spanish: la tontería, la nadería)
Something worthless or silly. It is rude but very common; the word it comes from is stronger.
«Eso e' una pendejá, no pierda' tiempo.» That's a stupid little thing, don't waste your time. - pendejamente — stupidly (standard Spanish: tontamente)
Losing something through your own foolishness. Same family as «pendejá».
«Perdió la oportunidad pendejamente.» He lost the chance stupidly.
Strong insults
Meant to hurt. Recognize them so you know when an argument is serious.
- coño — damn, hell (standard Spanish: caramba)
An exclamation of surprise, annoyance or emphasis. Dominicans use it far more than most Spanish speakers, but it is still strong: not one for your partner's mother.
«¡Coño, se fue la luz otra vez!» Damn, the power went out again! - carajo — hell (standard Spanish: demonios)
Anger or rejection. «Vete al carajo» is telling someone to get lost; «del carajo» can mean great or awful depending on tone.
«¡Vete al carajo!» Go to hell! - mierda — shit (standard Spanish: porquería)
Something bad, or an exclamation of frustration. Same as in the rest of the Spanish-speaking world.
«Ese carro es una mierda.» That car is a piece of junk. - joder — to mess with, to bug (standard Spanish: fastidiar)
To bother or annoy. Less Dominican than the rest of this list —it sounds more Spanish from Spain— but it is understood and used.
«No me jodas con eso ahora.» Do not mess with me about that now. - maldito — damn, wretched (standard Spanish: desgraciado)
A despicable person, and also an intensifier for anger in front of anything: «el maldito carro», «la maldita lluvia».
«El maldito tapón me dejó una hora ahí.» The damn traffic left me stuck there for an hour. - pendejo — coward, idiot (standard Spanish: tonto)
Foolish, cowardly or naive. A note if you are coming from Mexico: it is far milder there than here.
«No seas pendejo y díselo.» Do not be a coward and tell her. - el güebo — dick (standard Spanish: el órgano sexual masculino)
«Huevo» said with a g. Strong and vulgar; you will hear it constantly and you do not need to use it.
«No diga' esa palabra delante de los niños.» Don't say that word in front of the kids. - malnacío — a scumbag (standard Spanish: malnacido, de mal proceder)
A heavy insult: someone rotten from the start. Recognize it, do not throw it.
«Hoy no quiero problema con ningún malnacío.» Today I don't want trouble with any scumbag. - pajarazo — a homophobic slur (standard Spanish: insulto homófobo)
The same insult as «pájaro» for a gay man, but harder. Know it so you understand what is being said; do not use it.
«Le gritó pajarazo delante de todo el mundo.» He shouted the slur at him in front of everyone.
Very strong
The heaviest insults, including slurs. Never use them.
- mamagüevo — dickhead (standard Spanish: imbécil)
An insult meaning idiot, but far more vulgar. Also written mamahuevo. One of the worst things you can call someone.
«Ese tipo es un mamagüevo.» That guy is a total dickhead. - hijo de puta — son of a bitch (standard Spanish: canalla)
A serious insult aimed at a person. In a real argument this is the point where the conversation stops.
«Le dijo hijo de puta delante de todo el mundo.» He called him a son of a bitch in front of everyone. - cabrón — bastard, dude (standard Spanish: sinvergüenza)
A strong insult, though between friends and with the right tone it can be almost affectionate. That double life is exactly what makes it dangerous for a learner.
«¡Qué lo que, cabrón!» What's up, dude! - come mierda — stuck-up jerk (standard Spanish: creído)
An arrogant, unpleasant or contemptible person. In the DR it is aimed above all at someone who thinks they are better than everyone else.
«Ese come mierda no saluda a nadie.» That stuck-up jerk does not say hello to anyone. - cuero — whore (standard Spanish: prostituta)
In the DR it refers contemptuously to a prostitute or to a woman seen as promiscuous. It is a sexist and deeply hurtful insult.
«Esa palabra se usa para insultar, no para describir.» That word is used to insult, not to describe. - tu maldita madre — your damn mother (standard Spanish: insulto a la madre)
An insult aimed at someone's mother. In the DR, bringing the mother into an argument escalates it instantly.
«Ahí ya nadie estaba hablando, estaban peleando.» At that point nobody was talking any more, they were fighting. - rapa tu vida — get lost (standard Spanish: lárgate)
A vulgar expression of rejection: telling someone to get lost in the most offensive way available.
«Le dijo rapa tu vida y se fue.» He told him to get lost and walked off. - hijo de perra — son of a bitch (standard Spanish: canalla)
A serious insult aimed at a person, a sibling of «hijo de puta».
«Es la misma idea, con otra palabra.» Same idea, different word. - singa tu madre — fuck your mother (standard Spanish: insulto a la madre)
An extremely vulgar and aggressive insult against someone's mother. Used as provocation in serious arguments.
«Eso no se dice ni peleando.» You do not say that even in a fight. - maricón — a homophobic slur (standard Spanish: insulto homófobo)
A slur against gay men, and also thrown at anyone to call them a coward. You will hear it; it insults people, so do not use it.
«Le gritaron maricón por la calle y él siguió caminando.» They shouted the slur at him in the street and he kept walking.
Vulgar: sex and the body
Crude words about sex and the body. Some have an innocent everyday meaning too — context decides.
- toto — pussy (standard Spanish: vulva)
Dominican vulgar slang for the vulva. It is here because it turns up in songs and on the street, not because you should say it.
«Esa palabra no se dice delante de los muchachos.» That word is not said in front of the kids. - la creta / ¡creta! — pussy; damn! (standard Spanish: la vagina; ¡demonios!)
Literally the vagina, but almost always an interjection of annoyance: «¡creta!», like «damn!». Very offensive said about a person. Popularity 3 out of 5, sometimes more.
«¡Creta! Se me quedó la cédula en la casa.» Damn! I left my ID at home. - güevo — balls, dick (standard Spanish: testículo)
Vulgar slang for testicle or dick depending on use. Also written huevo. «Un güevo» on its own, as an answer, is a flat no.
«¡Un güevo!» Like hell! - bellaco / bellaca — horny (standard Spanish: excitado sexualmente)
Careful: in other countries it means sly or wicked. In the DR and Puerto Rico it is sexual, so it is not a word for the street with strangers.
«Ese tipo anda bellaco.» That guy is horny. - dar al pelo — to hit where it hurts (standard Spanish: volver a hacer daño)
To go at someone again. Depending on the company it also has a sexual meaning, so listen before you use it.
«Le dieron al pelo otra ve.» They got him again. - dar cajeta — to lay into someone (standard Spanish: golpear, atacar)
To attack, with fists or with words. It also has a sexual meaning, so it is not for polite company.
«Tranquila, que nadie te tá dando cajeta.» Relax, nobody is going at you. - dar canquiña — to have sex (standard Spanish: tener sexo)
A joking, vulgar way to talk about sex. The candy of the same name is a different word.
«Ellos andan dando canquiña.» They're sleeping together. - echar un polvo — to have sex (standard Spanish: tener relaciones sexuales)
A very common vulgar phrase. Worth recognizing; not worth using with people you do not know well.
«Ellos echaron un polvo.» They had sex. - dar estilla — to have sex (standard Spanish: tener relaciones sexuales)
A joking, vulgar way to talk about sex. You will also hear «dar etilla», with the s gone.
«Ellos andan dando estilla.» They're sleeping together. - dar etilla — to have sex (standard Spanish: tener relaciones sexuales)
The same as «dar estilla», with the s eaten. Vulgar and joking.
«Andan dando etilla desde hace tiempo.» They've been sleeping together for a while. - el rabo — an animal's tail; (vulgar) a man's privates (standard Spanish: la cola del animal; el pene (vulgar))
An animal's tail. About a person it is a vulgar word for a man's privates, and you will also hear it for the backside. Recognize it; it is not for polite conversation.
«Se le veía el rabo por el pantalón roto.» You could see his privates through the torn trousers. - la raja — (vulgar) the crack of the backside; a slice (standard Spanish: la línea del trasero (vulgar); la rebanada)
A line on the body: the crack of the backside, and by extension other intimate lines. In the kitchen it is simply a slice of fruit.
«Córtame una raja de melón.» Cut me a slice of melon. - rapar — to shave (hair); to scrape; (vulgar) to have sex (standard Spanish: rapar el pelo; raspar; (vulgar) tener sexo)
To shave the head or clear weeds, and «raspar» with the s eaten: to scrape something. But among adults it is mainly a vulgar word for sex, so use «pelarse» for the haircut.
«Se rapó la cabeza.» He shaved his head. - recho / recha — horny (standard Spanish: excitado sexualmente)
«Arrecho» with the first a gone. Sexual and vulgar — in other countries «arrecho» means angry or brave.
«Ese tipo anda recho, no le pare'.» That guy is worked up, don't pay him any mind. - el ripio — (vulgar) a man's privates (standard Spanish: el pene (vulgar))
A vulgar word for a man's privates. An older sense had it for a peso — «ni un ripio» was to be flat broke — but on the street today it is the body.
«Tápate, que se te ve el ripio.» Cover up, your privates are showing.
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