Moi French for “me”
Muchachita moo-chah’-chee’-tah term of endearment meaning “Young girl”
Mucho moo’-choh a lot, a great deal
Muy caliente moo’-e cah-lee-en’-teh very hot
¡Niña! nee’-nyah literally means “Girl!” An exclamation of horror, “oh, my God, young girl!”
No hablo ingles no ah’-bloh een-gles’ I don’t speak English
¿Oigo? oy’-go Hello
Orisha o-ree’-shah a spirit that reflects one of the manifestations of God in the Yoruba religion
Oye o’-yeh Hey
Oye, chica (o’yeh chee’-ca) hey girl!
Papa rellena pah’-pah reh-yeh’-nah stuffed potatoes
Papi pah’-pee dad
Pastelitos pas-teh-leel’tohs puffed pastries
Pastelitos de guayaba pas-teh-lee’tohs deh goo-ah-yah’-bah guava pastries
Pastelitos de queso pas-teh-lee’tohs deh keh’-so cheese pastries
Pendeja pen-deh’-ha pendejo literally means “pubic hair,” Cuban slang for “chicken,” or wimp
Pero peh’-ro but
Pero mijita peh’-ro mee’-he-tah but girl . . .
Piñata peen-nyah’-tah jar or pot ornamented with fancy paper and filled with candy, hung from ceiling. Children pull its string to break it and get the candies
Pipi pee-pee’ pee
Plástica plahs’-tee-cah plastic
Platanito maduro plah’-tah-nee’-toh mah-doo’-ro fried sweet plantains
Promesa pro-meh’-sah promise
Pulpo pool’-po octopus
Por favor por fah-vor’ please
Puerco asado poo-err’-co a-sah’-do Pork
Qué bueno keh boo-eh’-no that’s great
¡Qué cosa más grande la vida keh co’-sah mahs grahn’deh lah vee’-dah Cuban saying for, “unbelievable!”
Qué delicioso keh deh-lee-see-oh’-so how delicious
Qué horrible keh or-ree’-bleh) how horrible
Qué loca keh lo’-cah what a nutcase
Qué pasa, calabaza keh pah’sah cah-lah-bah’-sah what’s up pumpkin?
Qué rico keh ree’-co how delicious
Quince Keen’-seh coming of age party given to a Latina girl when she turns fifteen
Rumba room’-bah Cuban percussive song and dance
Salsa sahl’-sah a diverse and predominantly Caribbean dance and latin music
Salsita sahl-see’-tah sauce
Santa Barbara, por favor, por favor sahn’-tah bar’-bah-rah por-fah-vor’ Saint Barbara, please, please
Santería sahn-teh-ree’-ah religion combining African and Catholic elements
Santero sahn-teh’-roh a person who’s been initiated as an Orisha priest and is entitled to work with spirits and Orishas
¡Santísimo Sacramento! sahn-tee’-see-mo’ sah-crah-men’-to Sacred Sacrament!
Santo sahn’-to saint
Sombrero de guano som-breh’-ro deh goo-ah’-no a fine textured Cuban hat made from the Cuban palm
Son sohn a style of music with roots on the island of Hispaniola. Cuban country music
Suave y dulce soo-ah’-veh ee dool’-seh) soft and sweet
Te quiero, hija. Felicidades te kee’-eh-ro ee’-hah feh-lees-see-dah’-dehs I love you my daughter. Congratulations
Tia tee’-ah aunt
Timbales tim-bah’-lehs percussion kettledrums or timpani instrument mounted on stand and played standing up
Tio tee’-oh uncle
Tortillera tor-tee-yeh’-rah Cuban slang for “Disgusting Dyke.” Some political Latina/o gays use this word in a fun, light, and teasing way, just as a North American gay/queer would use the word “fag,” but it’s mostly used in a derogatory way by loathing Cuban heterosexual homophobes
Tortilla de chorizo tor-tee’-yah deh cho-ree’-soh sausage omelet
Tortillera de mierda tor-tee-yeh’-rah deh me-ehr’-dah full of shit, dyke
¡Tu madre! too mah’-dreh literally translates to “Your mother!” Cuban slang meaning something similar to “Up yours!”
Tumbadoras toom-ba-doh’-ra congas
Turrón de chocolate toor-rohn’ deh cho-co-lah’-teh nougat paste made of almond, pine kernels, nuts, chocolate and honey
Turrónes toor-rohn’-nehs nougat paste made of almond, pine kernels, nuts and honey
Uno, dos, tres ooh’-no, dose, trehs one, two, three
Uy oo’-ee oh
Viejita vee-eh-hee’-tah little old lady
Viejito vee-eh-hee’-to little old man
Vírgen María veer’-hen mah-ree’-ah Virgin Mary
Yuca con mojo yoo’-cah cohn mo’-ho Cuban recipe for boiled cassava with sauce poured over made with garlic, onions, and olive oil
Bella Books, Inc.
Women. Books. Even Better Together.
P.O. Box 10543
Tallahassee, FL 32302
Phone: 800-729-4992
www.BellaBooks.com
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