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/Sounds like "bee" (as in "bee") + "BEER" (as in "bee") + "DEHL" (as in "debt") + "KWEHN" (as in "quest") + "toh" (as in "toll")/

Meaning

To live off others without working, surviving on empty promises and other people's goodwill. The person who "vive del cuento" always has a story ready but never delivers actual results. Common in Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, and Spain.

Examples

He's been living off his family for years, it's time to get his act together.

That guy coasts on his past fame, he hasn't done anything new in decades.

Word family

Something trivial, stupid, or not worth taking seriously. In Spain, calling something a chorrada dismisses it completely: it is nonsense, a trifle, not worth the energy. Often used to deflate drama or shut down weak arguments with a single word.