Learn Puerto Rican everyday vocabulary, informal social words and food names.
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Puerto Rican informal words and social life
Boricua means Puerto Rican and can be used as a noun or adjective. El corillo is a group of friends; el pana/la pana is a buddy.
Informal brutal can express strong approval, though the word has other meanings in other contexts. These are selected Puerto Rican uses, not exclusive national labels.
el corillogroup of friends (Puerto Rico) · el koh-REE-yoh
el nenechild (Puerto Rican informal) · el NEH-neh
bregarto deal with / manage (Puerto Rico) · breh-GAHR
janguearto hang out socially (Puerto Rico) · hahn-geh-AHR
el jangueosocial outing (Puerto Rico) · el hahn-GEH-oh
el embustelie / falsehood (Puerto Rico) · el ehm-BOOS-teh
el embusteroliar (Puerto Rico) · el ehm-boos-TEH-roh
brutalawesome (Puerto Rican informal) · broo-TAHL
Puerto Rican words for transport and household objects
La guagua can mean a bus or a larger passenger vehicle in Puerto Rico; in Chile, the same word commonly means a baby. Los chavos means money here.
The respellings preserve clear consonants for learners; everyday pronunciation varies. Compare household vocabulary in parts of the house.
el zafacóntrash can (Puerto Rico) · el sah-fah-KOHN
los mahonesjeans (Puerto Rico) · lohs mah-HOH-nehs
los chavosmoney (Puerto Rican informal) · lohs CHAH-bohs
el vellónnickel / five-cent coin (Puerto Rico) · el beh-YOHN
la guaguabus (Puerto Rico) · lah GWAH-gwah
la marquesinacarport (Puerto Rico) · lah mahr-keh-SEE-nah
el abanicofan (household; Puerto Rico) · el ah-bah-NEE-koh
el sorbetodrinking straw (Puerto Rico) · el sor-BEH-toh
el mapomop (Puerto Rico) · el MAH-poh
la neverarefrigerator (Puerto Rico) · lah neh-BEH-rah
Puerto Rican food and ingredient words
La china is an orange in Puerto Rico, la parcha is passion fruit, and el guineo is a banana. Their meanings differ from some other regional uses.
El mofongo is a mashed-plantain dish. Recipes and fillings vary; the wider food lesson gives more ingredient words.
la chinaorange fruit (Puerto Rico) · lah CHEE-nah
la parchapassion fruit (Puerto Rico) · lah PAHR-chah
el guineobanana (Puerto Rico) · el gee-NEH-oh
la habichuelabean (Puerto Rico) · lah ah-bee-CHWEH-lah
el gandulpigeon pea · el gahn-DOOL
el mofongomashed-plantain dish · el moh-FOHN-goh
la alcapurriastuffed fritter (Puerto Rico) · lah ahl-kah-POO-ryah
el bacalaítocod fritter (Puerto Rico) · el bah-kah-lah-EE-toh
la piraguashaved-ice treat (Puerto Rico) · lah pee-RAH-gwah
el temblequecoconut pudding (Puerto Rico) · el tehm-BLEH-keh
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Puerto Rican Spanish Words: the full list
Review the vocabulary by topic, then use the printable worksheet to check your recall.
Quick answer:Puerto Rican (identity word) is boricua, buddy (Puerto Rico) is el pana, group of friends (Puerto Rico) is el corillo, child (Puerto Rican informal) is el nene, to deal with / manage (Puerto Rico) is bregar, to hang out socially (Puerto Rico) is janguear, social outing (Puerto Rico) is el jangueo, lie / falsehood (Puerto Rico) is el embuste, liar (Puerto Rico) is el embustero, and awesome (Puerto Rican informal) is brutal.
Boricua means Puerto Rican. It can describe a person or something associated with Puerto Rico and has the same masculine and feminine form.
What is a guagua in Puerto Rico?
Guagua commonly means a bus and can refer to other larger passenger vehicles. In Chile, guagua commonly means a baby instead.
Why does china mean orange in Puerto Rico?
China is an established regional word for the orange fruit. The lesson teaches that meaning without treating it as the fruit’s name throughout the Spanish-speaking world.
What are chavos in Puerto Rico?
Los chavos means money in informal speech. It differs from the young-person meaning of chavo found in Mexico.
What does janguear mean?
Janguear means to go out or hang out socially. It is an informal borrowing associated with English hang out.
What is a zafacón?
Un zafacón is a trash can. It is used in Puerto Rico and some other Caribbean and regional varieties.
