A bus driver in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic, where a bus is called a guagua. The Caribbean public transit driver who rides with the radio blasting and knows every street and shortcut in the neighborhood by heart.

A situationship: a romantic connection without labels or defined commitment. Both people act like a couple, text constantly, maybe even have implied exclusivity, but neither one officially makes it a relationship. The word came straight from English into Spanish social media and instantly named something millions of people were already living.

A Puerto Rican interjection and vocative equivalent to "man," "hey," or "look here." Comes from "muchacho" shortened in fast speech. "Chacho, eso no puede ser" is a typical Boricua reaction of disbelief. Also used as an address between friends, like "chacho, can you help me with this?" A universal word in Puerto Rico, usually accompanied by another vocative like "mano" or "pana."

A Puerto Rican (and Caribbean) expression for describing something out of control, neglected, or directionless. "Está al garete" can be an abandoned project, an uncontrolled person, a disordered party, or a badly managed country. Comes from nautical language ("irse al garete" means to drift away) and got applied to everyday speech with Caribbean flavor. Used daily in Puerto Rico with critical connotation.

A Puerto Rican interjection used to open a phrase and express surprise, complaint, or emphasis. It works like "hey," "dude," or "man" in other countries but with unmistakable Boricua flavor. Hearing it immediately places someone as Puerto Rican.

A high-voltage Puerto Rican exclamation for frustration, anger, surprise, celebration, or any intense emotion. Boricuas shout it when their team loses, when they stub a toe, or when news leaves them speechless. It is a mild curse so integrated into daily speech that many use it without thinking.

In Puerto Rico, a person who acts arrogant or pretentious, putting on airs. Someone who 'fronts', pretending to be more than they are to impress people who see right through it.

Having street smarts, real-life experience, and knowing how the world actually works outside of books. The street teaches you things no university ever could.

Not just the danceable music genre but also the attitude, flavor, and essence of Caribbean Latin culture. When someone has salsa, they've got natural rhythm, flow, and that infectious energy that gets everyone moving.

A moment of intense embarrassment that makes you want to disappear on the spot. In the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, dar palida describes that split second of mortification when something goes wrong in front of everyone and there is nowhere to hide.

Puerto Rico's beloved Christmas drink, made with coconut milk, rum, cinnamon, and eggs. Think eggnog but richer, sweeter, and tropical. No Puerto Rican holiday gathering is complete without a batch of homemade coquito, and every family swears their recipe is the best.

Something that is dominating social media conversation right now. When something is trending across Spanish-speaking countries, everyone online is reacting and you are likely already five minutes behind. The English word crossed over completely untranslated because no Spanish equivalent captures it as well.

Amazing, spectacular, incredible. In Puerto Rico, brutal is the ultimate compliment, the complete opposite of its literal meaning everywhere else. A brutal concert is the best of the year. A brutal meal is delicious. The intensity of the word is exactly what makes it work as high praise.

An Afro-Caribbean music genre and dance born in New York with Cuban and Puerto Rican roots. Dancing salsa is a science, and the people who really know how will leave your jaw on the floor.

The universal Spanish word for someone who has had too much to drink and it shows: slurring words, walking crooked, or saying things they would never say sober. Every Spanish speaker from every country understands this one with zero context needed.

A bad egg, a genuinely wicked or dangerous person who always brings trouble with them. In the Caribbean it gives rise to the saying "bicho malo nunca muere" (a bad bug never dies), meaning the worst people always seem to survive and get away with everything.

A way to call someone extremely hot or physically attractive in Caribbean and Latin American Spanish. Calling someone "un cuero" is a strong compliment about their looks, similar to saying someone is a total knockout. It is commonly used in Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, and Puerto Rico, often in casual conversations when pointing out how good-looking someone is. The word literally means "leather" or "skin," but in slang it has nothing to do with materials.

A snitch, tattletale, or informer who betrays the group by reporting to authorities or superiors. Used in Spain, Venezuela, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Puerto Rico, the chivato is universally looked down on because they sell out people who trusted them.

A lift or having someone drive you somewhere. It's an anglicism borrowed straight from English that's become completely natural in everyday Latin American Spanish.

A person who thinks they're more than they are, a show-off who brags without anything to back it up. In Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the guillao is all flash with no substance behind it.

To swipe on a screen to approve or reject profiles on dating apps. Swipe right means yes, swipe left means no, and the verb 'swipear' is now as natural in Spanish as any native word. Millions of people swipear every day without a second thought about its English origin.

To hang out with friends with no fixed plan, just being together and vibing. Borrowed straight from English "hang out" and fully adopted in Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba. Janguear is the art of existing together without agenda: good company, maybe music, maybe food, definitely no rush.

Puerto Rican through and through, the word locals use with pride to identify themselves and their culture. Boricua comes from Boriquén, the Taíno name for Puerto Rico, and carries the weight of identity, resilience, and pride. Say it and you're claiming the island.

A dim-witted or naive person who does not pick up on things easily and can be fooled without much effort. Used in the Dominican Republic, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Can be affectionate among close friends or a genuine mild insult depending on tone. The word comes from the ñame root vegetable, humble, dense, and starchy.

To like a post on social media: the most basic unit of digital approval. The Spanish-speaking internet adopted this directly from English because "dar me gusta" takes too long when you are scrolling at full speed. One tap that can mean anything from genuine appreciation to accidentally liking a photo from three years ago.

An important, powerful person with major style and presence in Puerto Rico. The cangri is the one who walks in and everyone turns to look, whether for their drip, their money, or their street rep.

To eat with real hunger, to chow down with zero ceremony. In Venezuela, Colombia, and Puerto Rico, jamar is the most direct, street-level way to say you're about to eat until you're stuffed.

Doing something inappropriate with zero shame and no fear of consequences. The perfect mix of audacity and disrespect. Used across Spain, the Caribbean, Mexico, and Colombia to call out brazen behavior that leaves everyone around speechless.

Gen Z slang adopted into Spanish-speaking social media: to have executed something flawlessly and completely, leaving absolutely nothing on the table. The highest possible compliment for a performance, look, or moment that was delivered with total mastery.

To dance bachata, that romantic, sensual Dominican rhythm that pulls you close to your dance partner. Bachatear is the best couples therapy and the perfect excuse to get close to someone you like.