Dominican Idioms and Popular Expressions


tabaná

or "tabanazo". A slap in the face.

tayota

Term used to refer to a person who is pale, colorless, or who has low energy.

"tener un rompe"

Relation of one night.

tíguere

A sneaky, astute person who is streetwise, and fends for himself. His actions and ways are referred to as "tigueraje".

tirarse a alguien

To seduce a person and have intimate relations with her/him.

tirarse a muerto

To make others believe that one is financially broke to avoid paying.

zamuro

Stupid, dumb, timid.

tirigüillo

Extremely thin person. Skinny.

"to le jiede y na le güele"

A very proud and capricious person who tends to reject, and find something wrong, with everything around her/him. A person who is self-important and who feels she/he is superior to others.

tollo

A mess, a disaster. The author of the "tollo" is called "tolloso".

totao

Someone who is nutty, or "something is wrong with his/her head", almost always without remedy.

totuma

Hunchback.

"tragarse a…"

To insult a person, violently recriminate a person.

triciclero/triciculero

A person who rides a tricycle.

turpén

Important, powerful personage. The "pez grande"(big fish).

tutumpote

A big shot, a person whose function is to command, wealthy. The term is usually used in a scornful and ironic way.