Dominican Republic

Dominican Slang for Emotion & Reaction

4 Dominican slang terms for emotion & reaction, each with its meaning, how it is pronounced and an example of it in use.

Surprise, exasperation, delight, disbelief. Often interjections rather than nouns — words that do something rather than name something.

coño

interjection · Vulgar · KOH-nyoh

Damn it; bloody hell. An interjection of frustration, surprise or emphasis, thrown in several times a sentence by speakers who are annoyed.

+2 more senses

Use with care

deguabinao

adjective · Colloquial · deh-gwah-bee-NAH-oh

Limp, floppy, gone soft — of a person with no energy left, of a lettuce, of a plan that has lost its momentum.

+1 more sense

diablo

interjection · Informal · DYAH-bloh

Damn; wow. The all-purpose Dominican reaction to a price, a piece of news, a goal or a good-looking passer-by. Far milder than its literal sense and usable in front of most people.

+1 more sense

fucú

noun, interjection · Colloquial · foo-KOO

Bad luck attached to a thing, a person or a name — a jinx. Not a metaphor for most speakers: saying certain words aloud is held to bring the fucú with them.

+1 more sense