Puerto Rican vocabulary: slang, everyday words, and terms whose local meanings do not always appear in a dictionary.
Entries
- Cabrón
Cabrón is an essential Puerto Rican expression. It can mean an astonishing number of things: sometimes insulting, sometimes affectionate. …
- Calentón
A street name for Puerto Rico. Boricuas use this informal term for the island, especially in the diaspora when talking about going back. …
- Carajal
A major mess or chaotic situation, usually with a vulgar tone—something like a tremendo desorden (“one hell of a mess”). “A shitshow” or “a total mess.”
- Chota
A chota is an informant: a snitch or rat who cooperates with police or other authorities. On the street this is not a neutral description. …
- Códigos
Los códigos—literally “the codes”—can mean several things in Puerto Rico. The rules of conduct, loyalty, and silence in the street. …
- Combi
Short for la combinación (“the combination”), combi generally describes a set of things that belong together. Its exact meaning depends on context. …
- Crical
An intense mess or chaos. It can also suggest conflict or a situation that has spun out of control. “A big mess” or “a shitshow.”
- Descojón
A very vulgar way to say that something is complete chaos or an enormous mess. “A total shitshow.”
- Descoñe
Total chaos—very intense and very vulgar. “Everything went to hell” or “it is a total shitshow.”
- Despingue
An ugly mess or chaotic situation, normally with a vulgar tone. “A shitshow” or “a complete mess.”
- Follón
Intestinal gas; a synonym for peo in its literal sense. “A fart.”
- Iupi
A nickname for the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus—official home of the pelús de la Iupi, said here with affection. …
- Jodienda
A major problem, a mess, or a deeply inconvenient situation. It sounds vulgar. “A pain in the ass” or, depending on context, “a shitshow.”
- Maleante
A criminal, gangster, or person who lives by the street—from the rawest meaning, someone who carries a weapon and sells drugs. …
- Pasto
Marijuana. Pasto and mota are basically synonyms in Puerto Rico. They are used interchangeably or together as a pair—pasto y mota—to refer to weed. …
- Pelús
Pelús—or pelú/pelúa in the singular—is a colloquial and often pejorative label for long-haired people, especially left-leaning university students. …
- Peo
A colloquial and mildly vulgar way to say that there is a problem, conflict, or complicated situation. A peo is also literally intestinal gas—a follón.
- Revolú
A commotion, noisy disorder, or chaos. It is extremely common and not necessarily vulgar. “Commotion,” “a mess,” or “a whole situation.”