Praktisch · Kapitel 14
Language Guide: Cuban Spanish
Cuban Spanish is a world of its own—fast, swallowed, and full of slang. A few sentences of Spanish open more doors in Cuba than anywhere else in Latin America.
Basics & Special Features
Cuban Spanish differs significantly from the Spanish learned in school. Cubans speak quickly, swallow final consonants (especially the "s" at the end of words), and use their own slang that even confuses Spaniards.
Typical Features
- The "s" at the end of words often disappears: "¿Cómo estás?" becomes "¿Cómo etá?"
- The "d" between vowels is swallowed: "cansado" becomes "cansao"
- "Compañero/Compañera" instead of "Señor/Señora" (revolutionary address)
- Cubans almost always use the informal "tú," even with strangers and elders
Important Phrases
Greeting & Politeness
| German | Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| Hello / Hi | ¡Hola! | Ola |
| Good morning | Buenos días | Buenoh díah |
| Good evening | Buenas noches | Buenah nótscheh |
| How are you? | ¿Qué tal? / ¿Cómo estás? | Ke tal / Komo etáh |
| Good, thanks | Bien, gracias | Bien, gráßiah |
| Please | Por favor | Por fabór |
| Thank you | Gracias | Gráßiah |
| Excuse me | Perdón / Disculpe | Perdón / Dihkúlpe |
| Yes / No | Sí / No | ßi / No |
| Goodbye | ¡Chao! / ¡Hasta luego! | Tschau / Ahta luégo |
On the Go
| German | Spanish |
|---|---|
| Where is ...? | ¿Dónde está ...? |
| How much does it cost? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? |
| That's too expensive | Es muy caro |
| I would like ... | Quisiera ... |
| The bill, please | La cuenta, por favor |
| Do you have a room available? | ¿Tiene habitación disponible? |
| Where is the bus station? | ¿Dónde está la terminal de buses? |
| I need a taxi | Necesito un taxi |
| Can you help me? | ¿Puede ayudarme? |
| I don't speak Spanish | No hablo español |
Cuban Slang
| Expression | Meaning |
|---|---|
| ¿Qué bolá? | What's up? (Cuban "What's up?") |
| Asere | Buddy, dude (informal) |
| Dale | Take care / Okay / Let's go |
| ¡Tremendo! | Awesome! Incredible! (positive) |
| Resolver | To solve/organize (THE Cuban life motto) |
| Yuma | Foreigner (not derogatory) |
| Guagua | Bus (in Cuba, not in Spain!) |
| Bodega | Small shop (state rationing store) |
| Paladar | Private restaurant |
| Jinete/Jinetera | Hustler/Agent (for tourists) |
| Cola | Queue (in front of shops—Cuba's national sport) |
| Botella | Hitchhiking |
| Fula | Dollar/Euro (colloquial) |
| Inventar | To invent/improvise (Cuban core competency) |
Tipp
The phrase "¿Qué bolá, asere?" (What's up, buddy?) makes every Cuban laugh and immediately breaks the ice. Try it out—the reaction is worth gold!
In the Restaurant & in the Casa
| German | Spanish |
|---|---|
| A mojito, please | Un mojito, por favor |
| Another one, please! | ¡Otro más, por favor! |
| What do you recommend? | ¿Qué recomienda? |
| I am a vegetarian | Soy vegetariano/a |
| Without meat, please | Sin carne, por favor |
| That was delicious! | ¡Estaba riquísimo! |
| Can I order dinner? | ¿Puedo reservar la cena? |
| What time is breakfast? | ¿A qué hora es el desayuno? |
| Do you have water? | ¿Tiene agua? |
| Can I turn on the air conditioning? | ¿Puedo encender el aire acondicionado? |
| Where is the nearest WiFi? | ¿Dónde hay WiFi? |
| Can you call a taxi? | ¿Puede llamar un taxi? |
| No thanks, I don't need anything | No gracias, no necesito nada |
Tipp
A "¡Estaba riquísimo!" (That was delicious!) after a meal in the Casa Particular brings the widest smile to your hostess's face. Cuban hosts cook with heart—show them you appreciate it!
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