A security guard or night watchman. Adapted from the English 'watchman', guachimán is widely used in Peru, Ecuador, and other Andean countries, often referring to informal guards at buildings, parking lots, or neighborhoods.

An exclamation of surprise, astonishment, or frustration at something that catches you completely off guard. In Venezuela, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic, "¡Diablo!" is the automatic reaction to unexpected news, whether good or bad.

A Latin music genre born in Puerto Rico that conquered the entire planet and changed the music industry forever. Perreo, dembow beats, and lyrics your mom doesn't approve of but everybody dances to.

A Spanglish verb borrowed from English "to check" and fully conjugated in Spanish. It means to review, verify, or confirm something. One of the most classic examples of how Spanglish absorbs English verbs and Hispanicizes them completely. Common in the US, Puerto Rico, and the Caribbean as an everyday word.

An apartment or flat inside a building in Colombia, Venezuela, and the Caribbean. It's the same thing as 'departamento' in Mexico, different word, same concept of vertical living.

A tiny bit or small amount in the Dominican Republic. The island's go-to word when you want just a little of something, said with that easygoing Caribbean softness. Think of it as the Dominican version of "just a smidge" or "a little bit."

To wish for luck or hope something goes well, accompanied by the gesture of crossing the index finger over the middle finger. Used across the Spanish-speaking world for those moments when you have done everything you can and all that is left is to hope for the best.

A strong insult for someone who is treacherous, disloyal, or acts in bad faith, especially by betraying someone's trust. In Spain it can also flip to a term of rough affection between close friends, kind of like calling someone a bastard with a grin.

An affectionate or flirtatious way to address an attractive woman, very common in the Caribbean and Mexico. It has nothing to do with motherhood, it is a compliment that ranges from sweet to intense depending on tone and context.

In a flirty context: attractive, hot, sexy. Nothing to do with money or wealth. When someone says "estás rico/a" with that tone, it is a direct and unambiguous compliment about physical attractiveness. Used across Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and Cuba.

To air someone's dirty laundry, exposing their private secrets or embarrassing past, usually mid-argument or when there is nothing left to lose. Once it's all out in the open, there is no putting it back.

A naive, clueless person with poor social skills. In the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico, a pariguayo is someone who gets fooled easily or acts awkwardly in situations that call for some basic street smarts or common sense.

To dance reggaeton with full intensity and zero inhibitions. Perrear duro is not casual dancing: it means throwing yourself completely into the rhythm, body and soul, without caring who is watching. The pinnacle of urban Caribbean dance culture.

A problem, hassle, or annoying situation that ruins your day. In Venezuela, Colombia, and the Dominican Republic, everything frustrating or complicated gets called a vaina.

Brave, bold, and full of character. In the Spanish-speaking Caribbean (Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba), guapo does not just mean physically attractive: it describes someone who is fearless, has a strong temper, and stands their ground. Context is everything with this one.

To show off or pretend to be something you're not, to fake a lifestyle or status that isn't really yours. In Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic it's putting on a front for others.

To have fun, joke around, or playfully tease someone in the Caribbean and Central America. It's that game among friends where jokes fly back and forth and nobody takes it personally.

A Puerto Rican verb meaning to have a good time, goof around, relax, or have fun without ceremony. Comes from English "goof" with a Spanish ending. "Estamos gufeando en la playa" means we're chilling on the beach without much of a plan. Used among friends in casual contexts, describing that energy of enjoying the moment without pressure. A quintessential Boricua word, though also heard among Dominicans.

Awesome, cool, something really great that makes you feel good in Colombia and the Caribbean. When something is bacano, it's worth it, you loved it, and you'd recommend it to anyone without hesitation.

A toxic person who damages others through words or actions while keeping a friendly face. Literally "venomous," the effect is exactly that: slow-acting, subtle damage. The venenoso smiles while spreading rumors, stirs up trouble, then plays innocent.

An extremely attractive person, someone with a great physique. In Colombia and Venezuela, a 'cuero' is the ideal of physical beauty, they possess a magnetic, almost irresistible charm.

A big talker, someone who brags and exaggerates their stories beyond all recognition. In Venezuela a jablador is all talk, their mouth writes checks their life can't cash.

To do a job sloppily, incompetently, or without the skill needed to do it right. In Mexico and Central America, chambonear is the verb for the clumsy execution that produces work everyone has to fix afterwards.

A home run in baseball, the most exciting hit in the game, when the ball sails out of the park and the batter rounds all the bases in pure celebration. It's the adapted Spanish spelling used across Latin America's baseball-loving nations.

A hard hit, a heavy blow, or a solid impact that really hurts. In Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, it's the standard word for getting smacked hard.

The vibe of provocative, sensual dancing that defines reggaeton nightlife, especially in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. It's that whole atmosphere where the music takes over, people dance close and uninhibited, and the perreo goes all night. Think of it as the noun for the entire party mood, not just one dance.

To dance with intense sensuality and zero inhibitions, typically to reggaeton or urban music. Born in Puerto Rico and now part of Latin culture worldwide, perrear intenso is the defining dance style of the genre: close, rhythmic, and completely unapologetic.

A small neighborhood shop in Venezuela and the Caribbean where you find basic products and a bit of everything. It's more than a store, it's the neighborhood meeting point where you catch up on local news.

A large, thick fruit that's cooked fried, roasted, in mole, or in slices across Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean. It's not a banana: plátano is for cooking, banana is for eating raw, and that difference is sacred.

A casual Dominican greeting meaning 'What's up?' or 'How are you?', probably the first phrase you learn upon arriving in Santo Domingo. It's as Dominican as merengue and the flag.