This article is a summary of common slang words and phrases used in Puerto Rico. Idiomatic expressions may be difficult to translate fully and may have multiple meanings, so the English translations below may not reflect the full meaning of the expression they intend to translate. This is a short list and more may be found on the Academia Puertorriqueña de la Lengua Española website.[1]
Wild, off the rails, disastrous. Doing something rash. Comes from the Arabic phrase meaning "adrift" (Arabic: على غير هدى (/ʕa.'laː.ɣajr.'hu.dan/), romanized: ealaa ghayr hudaa).
asicalao
flawless, clean, immaculate.[5] From standard Spanish acicalado
in mexico this can mean dude or guy relating to someone younger but in puerto rican slang, it is used in replacement of dinero/money
chulería
While in other countries this word means "insolence",[13] in Puerto Rico it has an entirely different meaning and is used to describe that something is good, fun, funny, great or beautiful.[14]
Also, "limbel". A home-made flavored frozen treat usually made from natural fruits or sweet milk mixtures and often served on a small piece of water-resistant paper, a plastic or paper cup, or a popsicle stick.[20]:45 The name is said to have originated from the last name of Charles Lindbergh after the islanders noticed how "awfully cold as ice" he was as compared to the warmth of the locals during Lindbergh's visit to the Island in 1928.[21]
mamey
Used when referring to something that is easy to do.[3]
"embustería". Tesoro lexicográfico del español de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 3 September 2019. Retrieved 3 September 2019.
"fregado, da". Tesoro lexicográfico del español de Puerto Rico (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 October 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
Sánchez, Marta E. (2009). Shakin' Up Race and Gender: Intercultural Connections in Puerto Rican, African American, and Chicano Narratives and Culture (1965–1995). University of Texas Press. p.155. ISBN9780292774780.