Phrasebook
Understanding Dominican Spanish
Dominican Spanish is one of the fastest spoken variants of the language — and to Spanish learners, it initially sounds like a different language. The key characteristics:
- Swallowed endings: The "s" at the end of words is swallowed or pronounced as "h". "Estamos" becomes "ehtamoh", "vamos" becomes "vamoh"
- D is swallowed: "Pescado" becomes "pe'cao", "cansado" becomes "can'ao"
- R becomes L: "Verdad" becomes "veldá", "comer" becomes "comel". At the end of words, R is sometimes completely swallowed
- Fast pace: Dominicans speak extremely fast and blend words. "¿Qué es lo que hay?" (What's up?) becomes "¿Klk?" (pronounced "keloke")
- Tuteo: Dominicans use "tú" (you) instead of "usted" (formal you) — almost always and with everyone, even strangers and elders. This is not rudeness, but normal
In tourist areas (Punta Cana, Bavaro), a lot of English is spoken. In Las Terrenas, also French and Italian. Off the beaten tourist paths: only Spanish. But a few words of Spanish open doors and hearts everywhere.
Basic Vocabulary
Greetings & Politeness
| German | Spanish | Dominican |
|---|---|---|
| Hello | Hola | ¡Klk! / ¿Qué lo que? |
| Good morning | Buenos días | Buen día |
| Good evening | Buenas noches | Buena' noche' |
| How are you? | ¿Cómo estás? | ¿Cómo tú ta? / ¿Qué lo que? |
| Good, thanks | Bien, gracias | To' bien / Ahí, tranquilo |
| Please | Por favor | Por fa |
| Thank you | Gracias | Gracia' |
| Goodbye | Adiós / Hasta luego | No' vemo' (See you) |
| Yes / No | Sí / No | Sí / No / Pa' na (for nothing / no way) |
At the Restaurant / Colmado
| German | Spanish/Dominican |
|---|---|
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favor |
| A beer, please | Una Presidente, por fa |
| Another one! | ¡Otra fría! (Another cold one!) |
| Delicious! | ¡Qué rico! |
| The dish of the day | El plato del día / La Bandera |
| Without spice | Sin picante |
| I'm vegetarian | Soy vegetariano/a |
| Water | Agua (purificada) |
On the Go
| German | Spanish/Dominican |
|---|---|
| How much is this? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? / ¿A cómo? |
| Too expensive! | ¡Muy caro! / ¡Tá caro! |
| Where is ...? | ¿Dónde está ...? |
| Beach | Playa |
| Left / Right | Izquierda / Derecha |
| Stop here! (Taxi/Guagua) | ¡Para aquí! / ¡Párame! |
| Help! | ¡Auxilio! / ¡Ayúdame! |
| I don't understand | No entiendo / No comprendo |
| Slower, please | Más despacio, por favor |
Dominican Slang
With these expressions, you'll impress any Dominican — they will be surprised and delighted:
| Expression | Meaning | Usage |
|---|---|---|
| ¿Qué lo que? (KLK) | What's up? / Hey! | The universal greeting. Response: "Aquí, tranquilo" (All good) |
| Vaina | Thing / Stuff | THE Dominican word. Can mean anything: "Pásame esa vaina" (Pass me that thing), "¡Qué vaina!" (What a mess!), "Esa vaina ta buena" (That thing is good) |
| Tigre / Tíguere | Clever guy / Streetwise | Can be positive (smart, streetwise) or negative (con artist). "Ese tipo es un tíguere" (That guy is cunning) |
| Chin | A little | "Dame un chin" (Give me a little). Instead of "un poco" |
| Pana | Buddy / Friend | "¿Qué lo que, mi pana?" (What's up, my friend?) |
| Guapo/a | Brave / Angry (NOT handsome!) | In the Dominican Republic, "guapo" means angry, not attractive! "Ella ta guapa" = She is angry |
| Jevi | Cool / great | "Eso ta jevi" (That's cool). From the English "heavy" |
| Coño | Exclamation (damn!) | Frequently used, as surprise, anger, or excitement. "¡Coño, qué bonito!" (Wow, how beautiful!) |
| Dime a ver | Tell me / Go ahead | Often used as a phone greeting: "Dime a ver, ¿qué pasó?" |
| Tranquilo/a | Calm / relaxed / all good | The life philosophy in one word. "Tranquilo, no hay problema" |
Bonus: If you say "¿Qué lo que, mi pana?" with a smile, you've instantly made a friend. Guaranteed.
Tipp
The word "Vaina" is the Swiss Army knife of Dominican Spanish — it can be a noun, adjective, exclamation, and philosophy all at once. Learn it, use it, and you'll be instantly respected. But beware: "¡Qué vaina!" in a serious tone means "What a mess!" — context is everything.
War dieses Kapitel hilfreich?
