51 Lively Cuban Slang Phrases: Fish, Mangos, Camels, Papayas and More
Maybe you’re one of the 2.5 million tourists descending on Cuba each year for the year-round warm beaches, ropa vieja (shredded beef) and parties.
Or, maybe, as is the case with me, more and more Cubans just seem to be popping into your social circle.
I’ve learned a lot of unique Spanish slang words and phrases from my Cuban friends, so I’ve decided to share some of my favorites.
Just note that I’m focusing on Cuban Spanish from Havana, regional and personal differences abound, and spellings and not standardized (especially when it comes to choosing between B or V and S or C).
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
1. ¿Qué bolá contigo?
What’s up with you? How’s it going? Bolá is also frequently spelled as volá.
2. ¿Qué bolero?/¿Qué bolaita?/¿Qué vuelta?
These are variants of the above for asking someone how they’re doing.
3. Acere
A friend, a dude. This is an informal way of addressing anyone, just like colega or amigo. So, “¿Acere, qué bolá?” finally makes perfect sense, right?
4. Yuma
This is a word used to describe a foreigner, especially a white or blonde one.
It would usually not be used for foreigners from elsewhere in Latin America.
5. Gringo
This refers only to a person from the United States. Unlike in some other Latin American countries, this word isn’t used for Europeans.
You can hear this and other slang terms on FluentU, which features comedy sketch videos, movie clips and other authentic Spanish media with interactive subtitles:
Each video has subtitles in Spanish and English, and you can click on any word to see its definition and example sentences or even watch it used in other video clips.
You can then save these slang words to a flashcard deck and study them later with personalized quizzes.
For pronunciation practice, there’s also the iOS or Android app, which allows you to speak your answers to certain questions.
6. Un mate
A French kiss.
7. ¡Tu maletín!
That’s your problem (literally, your briefcase)!
8. ¡Me resbala!
I don’t care (literally, it slides off me).
9. Mantén tu latón con tapa.
Keep a lid on it (literally, keep the lid on your trash).
10. ¡Chao pescao!
¡Adiós!
11. ¡Chao pescao!…¡Y a la vuelta picadillo!
This cutesy two-person exchange is just like “See you later, alligator!” and “After a while, crocodile!”
It literally means “Goodbye, fish!” and “Next time, minced meat!” It comes from how the first 15 days’ ration card of the month gives you fish, and the next time it gives you meat.
12. Nos pillamos
This is essentially saying “¡nos vemos!” or “see you later.” This phrase can be sexually suggestive, or not.
13. Tumba eso
Let the subject drop (literally, knock that over).
14. En talla
Literally, this means “at the size,” and the closest English equivalent is “it’s a good fit.” It could mean that things literally or figuratively fit, or that people are understanding each other well.
15. Me piro
I’m getting going, I’m out of here.
16. Jamar
To eat.
17. Jamar un cable
To be really struggling financially, to be homeless, out of work, etc.
18. Surnar
To sleep deeply.
19. El chivo
The bicycle.
20. La pincha
The job.
21. Pinchar
To work (literally, to poke or stab).
22. El gao / El gabeto
Home.
23. Echar pila
To flirt.
24. Está volao
That’s amazing.
25. Tipo cuadrao
A square (type of person), someone who’s inflexible.
26. Prieto(a)
A black person. This word is considered to be more polite than negro.
27. Camello
The odd, beastly buses in Havana have “humps” so they’re referred to as “camels.” Passengers suffer quite a bit to ride one.
28. Coger botella / Va en botella
This Cuban mode of transport involves going to up to cars at stoplights and asking for a ride in the general direction that you’re headed.
A botella (aside from “bottle”) used to mean a good personal connection for finding work, but now it just means a connection for a car ride.
The practice is falling out of favor as there are now many competing unofficial taxis.
It’s actually much easier for women, doctors and soldiers to coger botella. The practice was common on motorcycles as well until a helmet law was passed.
29. Boteros
Fixed-route taxis.
30. Bembelequero(a)
A person who gossips or spreads non-official news. Bemba on its own is slang for “lips.”
31. Jamonero
A creepy, touchy-feely guy.
32. Frutabomba
Papaya. Why don’t they just call it a papaya? Well, because papaya in Cuban slang means something a little different.
33. Papaya
Vagina. Yup, I told you so!
34. Embullarse
To get excited, wound up.
35. Tumbar la guara
To interrupt, to break off an established level of trust and camaraderie.
36. Pégate al agua, Felo
This expression means “don’t leave off the subject” or “let’s come back to the subject at hand.”
It’s considered more than a bit insensitive because it comes from Cubana de Aviación Flight 455, which was bombed in 1976.
This led to the death of 73 people. Cuba blamed Cuban exiles and the Venezuelan secret police for the attack, and since then, it has frequently broadcasted the audio recording of the pilots’ last words: “Pégate al agua, Felo” (Land on the water, Felo).
The phrase stirs up hard memories for an older generation, but for younger people it’s just a phrase they’ve heard over and over, leading to its current slang meaning. As a foreigner, you probably shouldn’t risk using it, but it’s interesting to know.
37. Voy a hacer café
Literally, “I’m going to make coffee,” but this is really said by a host to indicate to the visitors that it’s time to go.
People tend to drop by one’s home unannounced all the time in Cuba, so serving coffee is how you politely ask them to leave.
38. No te vayas, espera café
If you’re concerned that your visitors might be a bit thick and you really want to ensure that they leave, use this variant of the phrase above (“Don’t go (yet), wait for the coffee”).
39. No me vayas a dichabar
Dichabar is to betray someone’s confidence by spilling the beans or revealing a secret. This is for when you want to tell someone not to repeat a word of what you’re about to say.
40. Deja la singae
Stop bothering me!
41. Singar
Like joder, to f***.
42. No te rajes
Don’t you just hate it when everyone makes plans and then someone doesn’t follow through?
Say this one after making a plan with friends or acquaintances. It means “don’t abandon the idea” or “don’t ditch the plan.”
43. Te sueno la cara
I hit you in the face.
44. Jeva
This can mean either a girl or a girlfriend. So mi jeva is “my girlfriend.”
45. Mango
Hot. As in, “esa jeva es un mango!” (that girl is super hot).
46. Echar un patín
To run. Literally, to throw a skate.
47. Mete tremenda muela
This is said about someone who talks a lot or way too much, especially about things that aren’t that interesting.
A lot of people in Cuba are chatty, so if a Cuban says this about another Cuban, you know it’s really someone who will talk your ears off.
48. Se destimbaló
He or she fell down.
49. No dipara un chícharo
He or she is lazy. For example, he doesn’t do anything around the house to help out.
Literally, it translates to “he doesn’t (even) snap a green bean.” The S actually disappears, as the formal Spanish spelling of dipara is dispara.
50. Estoy en la fuacata
I’m broke.
51. Esqueleto rumbero
Very thin (literally, a dancing skeleton).
It’s quite a list already but, of course, there’s always more to learn. One source would be movie clips on the Internet. This genius has taken to dubbing movie clips into Cuban Spanish for comic effect.
That’s all for now.
¡Chao pescao!
Download: This blog post is available as a convenient and portable PDF that you can take anywhere. Click here to get a copy. (Download)
