FORMAL 1

He has to talk to them

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Él tiene que hablar con ellos

( hablá )

What’s up ; What’s going on

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Que lo que

Try again

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Inténtalo otra vez

( in - TÉN - ta - lo )

I’m just relaxing playing my game

✅PROPER✅

Estóy tranquilo jugando

How many times do I have to tell you

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Cuántas veces tengo que decírtelo

( de - seer - te - lo )

Cuántas Veces = How many times

Decir = To say, To tell

Stay right there I’ll come get you

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Quédate ahí que yo te busco

( KE - da - te )

Yo te busco = I’ll come get you

Quédate = Stay there

Ahí = there

I told him not to do that

I told her not to do that

✅FORMAL✅

Yo le dije que no hiciera eso

( ee - SYE - ra )

Yo le dije = I Told him ; I Told her

Hiciera = Would make, Would do, Did

We’re almost there

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Estamos casi ahí

We’ll be there in a couple seconds

🔔INFORMAL🔔

llegamos en par de segundos

Be careful you’re going to hurt yourself

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Ten cuidado, te va a hacer daño

( Cui - dao ) ( rompé )

Cuidado = Watch out

Have a good one

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Que te vaya bien

( BÁ - ya )

Bien = Fine, Good

This way you can

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Así tú puedes

I was calling you to see where you

were, but you weren’t answering

✅PROPER✅

Yo te estaba llamando para ver dónde tú estaba, pero tú no contestaba

llamando = calling

Estaba = Was, Were

Cogiendo = Taking, Catching, Picking up

They WERE

❗PAST TENSE❗

📌Used for:

Temporary actions

Conditions

States —>past tense

Ellos estaban

( eh - yo - eta - ban )

Yuck ; Gross

✅Used for:

Expressing disgust , repulsion ,

rejection toward something

unpleasant in smell , taste , look , sound

Guácala

( Guá - ca - la )

For a second

✅FORMAL✅

Por un segundo

( Pol )

What are you looking for over there

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Que tú ta buscando por ahí

( boo - SKAN - doh )

Buscando = Looking for, Searching for

I’m sweating like crazy , It’s way too hot in here

✅PROPER✅

Estoy sudando como un loco, aqui está demasiado caluroso

(kah - loo - ROH - so)

Demasiado = Too much; Too many

Adentro = Inside

Caluroso = Very hot

How’s it going

How’s it going at work

How’s it going at home

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Cómo te va

Cómo te ve el trabajo

Cómo te va por la casa

How much was it?

✅Formal✅

📌 Used for:

To ask about Money or Price in the —

Past Tense

Cuánto fue

✅PROPER✅

I can’t talk right now, I’ll call you back In a little bit

🔔INFORMAL🔔

No puedo hablar ahora, te llamo ahorita

( o - ree - ta ) —— ( a - Ó - ra )

Hablar = To talk

When did that happen?

✅PROPER

💡 Hint:

This is a common Dominican way to ask for the exact time something went down.

Cuándo fue que pasó eso

I’m on my way home

✅PROPER✅

Estoy de camino a mi casa

Camino = Path, Road, Way, I walk

Casa = House

I’m leaving now

✅PROPER✅

Ya me voy

That way you’d be able to

✅FORMAL✅

📌 Used for:

To suggest a possibility

Or offer a helpful way to do something

Así usted podría

( po - dria )

Dam ; Shit ; Fuck

❌CURSE WORD❌

Coño

How are you

🔔INFORMAL🔔

FAMILY

FRIENDS

PEOPLE YOU KNOW

Como tú tá

I’m still

📌Used for:

Saying you are still doing something

or in a certain state

followed by an action or condition

✅FORMAL✅

Todavía estoy

Beneath ; Under

✅PROPER✅

Debajo de

Literal translation is “under of”

You’re right

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Tú tienes razón

Razón = Reason; Cause; Right

We arrived ; We’ve arrived

✅PROPER

📌Used for:

Also used informally to mean ;

“We made it!” or “We pulled up!”

llegamos

( Ye - gah - moe )

I’m going

✅FORMAL✅

📌Used for:

To say I’m going ; I’m on my way

or —

You’re in the act of going somewhere

💡Hint:

Use when —

someone asks where you are

Or if you’re coming.

Estoy yendo

Since how long have you been feeling like this?

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Desde cuándo tú te siente así

( DEHZ - deh )

Desde - From; Since

Cuándo - When

Así - Like this; Like that ; This way

Frying pan

Sartén

It ; Him ; You

(m)

✅FORMAL✅

📌Used for:

As a direct object pronoun —

“it” / “him” / “you” (m).

As a neuter article: “the” (for abstract ideas).

💡 Hint:

Think “it” / “him” when referring to —

a person or object

And “the” when talking about a

concept

lo

Can you go downstairs and grab

me a _____

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Puedes bajar y traerme un(a) _____

( ba - JÁR )

Do you want to see if she wants to come with us?

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Quieres ver si ella quiere venir con nosotros

( be - ni ) - ( no - so - tro )

Was ; Were → (temporary)

❗PAST TENSE❗

📌Used for:

EMOTIONS

LOCATION

ONGOING ACTION IN THE PAST

Estaba

( E - tá - ba )

Everything was fine

❗PAST TENSE❗

Todo estaba bien

Go downstairs

✅PROPER✅

Bájate para abajo

( pa’ )

Abajo = Down, Under, Downstairs

I’m

✅Formal✅

📌Used for:

• CURRENT STATE

• LOCATION

• FEELINGS

• What you’re doing RIGHT NOW

Estóy

What did you say?

✅Formal✅

📌Used for:

To say “What happened “

“What was that” or “Come again”

💡Hint:

Dominicans use this when they’re surprised, didn’t catch what you said

or want you to repeat something spicy, crazy, or bold.

Cómo fue

Put that down ; Leave that alone

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Deja eso

Girl ; Young woman

✅PROPER✅

Muchacha

1. Do you know him / her

2. Do you know this person

📌Used for:

“Person” a “Place” a “Thing”

✅PROPER✅

1. Tú lo conoces,

   Tú la conoces

2. Tú conoces a esta persona

Persona = Person

Conocer = To know - P , P , T

Rice and beans (cooked)

Moro

Going through ; Happening ; Passing

✅FORMAL✅

📌Used for:

Saying something is going through

happening right now , passing by

💡Hint:

Think of it as the Spanish version of “passing” or “going through”

BUT Dominicans can drop it in casual conversation as —

“what’s up” or “what’s going on.”

Pasando

I met ; I knew

❗PAST TENSE❗

✅FORMAL✅

Conocí

That’s been there for awhile

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Eso tiene ahí un rato ya

Rato = a bit, a little while

I arrived ; I got here

✅FORMAL✅

📌Used for:

To say “I arrived” or “I just got here”

when you show up somewhere or —

announce your arrival

llegué

( Yeh-geh )

Stop being disgusting and wash your hands

✅PROPER✅

Deja de estar de asqueroso y lávate las manos

Asqueroso/a = Nasty, Disgusting

Deja = Stop, Let, Leave

Windows

Ventanas

( Ben - tá - na )

Leave it alone and keep walking

✅PROPER✅

Déjalo tranquilo y sigue caminando

( DE - ha - lo )

Caminando = walking

Deja = Let, Leave, Stop

Ahí = There (close by)

What’s his name

What’s her name

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Cómo él se llama

Cómo ella se llama

I never said that to you, what do you mean?

✅PROPER✅

Nunca te dije eso, cómo así ?

( di - he )

1. I have to go

2. I have to see, I’ll let you know

✅PROPER✅

1. Tengo que irme

2. Tengo que ver te aviso

Tengo = I have

Ver = To see

The body

El cuerpo

Give me a second I’ll be right back,

I have to get something

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Dame un segundo ya vengo, tengo que buscar algo

( bus - cá )

Algo = Something

To die dreaming

Morir Soñando

( Mo-ríh soñando )

Do you know if the bathroom is around here?

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Tú sabes si el baño está por aquí

I thought it was over there ?

✅PROPER✅

Yo pensaba que estaba allá

Pensaba = thought

Estaba = was / were

Allá = over there

What do you want to do for diner

✅PROPERl✅

Que tú quieres hacer pa’la cena

Hacer = To do, To make

Cena = Dinner

1. Go ahead keep going

2. Keep moving forward

✅PROPER✅

💡Hint:

It’s a word that represents Dominican

attitude: Moving forward, no matter what

1. Dale pa’lante

2. Sigue pa’lante

Pa’lante = Forward, Ahead, Keep going

It’s on top of the dresser

✅PROPER✅

Está arriba del gavetero

( ga - be - té - ro )

Arriba = Up, Above, Upstairs, On top

Gavatero = Dresser

How’s it going

✅USTED FORM✅

Cómo le va

1. Let’s go! we’re running late already

2. Let’s go I don’t have all day for this

✅PROPER✅

1. Vamos que vamos tarde ya

( Bah - mo )

2. Vamos no tengo todo el día para esto

Vamos = Let’s go , We go

She said that she was on her way

✅PROPER✅

Ella dijo que venía de camino

( be - ni - a )

That looks really good on you, you should wear it more

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Eso te queda bueno , póntelo más veces

( KYEH - dah )

1. Are you okay

3. it’s okay don’t worry

✅PROPER✅

1. Tú está bien

3. Está bien no te apure

Bien = Fine, Good, Okay

Friday

✅PROPER✅

Viernes

I haven’t left yet I’m still here

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Todavía no me he ido, todavía estoy aquí

( e ) + ( í - do )

Ido = Left, Gone, Went

Im still driving

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Sigo guiando

( gwi - an - do )

Sigo = I continue, I keep doing something

There’s nothing in the house to eat

✅PROPER✅

Aquí en la casa no hay nada para comé

Casa = House

Aqui = Here

Comida = Food

Monday

Lunes

To give

💡Hint:

Think of it as “give” but in Dominican talk it can mean way more from —

handing something over to

“beating” or “throwing”

to hit , to happen , to cause , or —

to allow

Dar

Blinds

Persianas

Dominican burger

Chimi

To go ; Take out

✅PROPER✅

Pa’ llevar

Calm ; Relax —> (f) (m)

✅FORMAL✅

Tranquila , Tranquilo

A ; One —> (m) (f)

✅PROPER✅

Un , Una

Are you making anything for dinner tonight ?

✅PROPER✅

Tú vas a hacer algo pa’la cena esta noche

Hacer = To do, To make

Cena = Dinner

Hoy = Today

I haven’t been able to go to sleep

✅PROPER✅

No he podido dormir

( podío )

Dormir = to sleep

Podido = been able to

Of ; About ; From

✅FORMAL✅

De

1. What’s the weather like outside

2. What time is it

✅PROPER✅

1. Cómo está el clima afuera

2. Que ahora es

Tiempo = Time , Weather 🌧

1. if you don’t want it throw it away

2. Throw it away in the trash can

✅PROPER✅

1. Si tú no lo quieres bótalo

2. Bótalo pa’l zafacón

Bótalo = Throw away, Get rid of

Where are you going

✅FORMAL✅

Para dónde tú vas

Vas = You’re going, You go

1. Do you need help

2. Do you need help with anything

3. Do you need help with that

✅PROPER✅

1. Necesitas ayuda

3. Tú necesita ayuda con algo

3. Necesitas ayuda con eso

Tú necesitas = Do you need, You need

Cara = Face

Ayudar = To help

I’m full

✅PROPER✅

Estóy lleno

Until ; Up to ; Even

✅FORMAL✅

📌Used for

In greetings or goodbyes, it’s super common:

👉 “_____ luego” = See you later

👉 “_____  mañana” = See you tomorrow

💡Hint:

It’s a very flexible word — used in

Time ; Place and even to —

emphasize extreme situations

You’ll hear it in greetings,

exaggerations, or just everyday talk.

Hasta

Good Morning

✅PROPER✅

Buenos Días

I’m tired as hell I didn’t get any sleep last night

✅PROPER✅

Estoy cansado del diablo, anoche no pegué un ojo

( pe - gé )

Cansado = Tired, Fed up

Anoche = Last night

Pegué = I hit, I stuck, I glued,

I attached

Giving

✅PROPER✅

Can also mean hitting or dealing —

something, depending on the context

Dando

I feel ; I sit down

✅FORMAL✅

📌Used for:

To say “I feel” or “I sit down” —

depending on the sentence.

In Dominican Spanish, it’s most

commonly used to —

express feelings or emotions.

Me siento

Sunday

✅PROPER✅

Domingo

To drink

✅PROPER✅

Beber

( Be - bel )

Speaking ; Talking

✅PROPER✅

Hablando

We ; Us

✅PROPER✅

Nosotros

Yes ; If

✅PROPER✅

Sí

His ; Her ; It’s ; Their ; Your

✅FORMAL✅

📌Used for:

Showing possession in formal speech

or when referring to someone else’s

belonging.

💡Hint:

Formal = Your, his, her, its, their.

Informal = Mostly used for third person possession —

“his / her / their” — NOT for “your”

Su

You’re always throwing food away then saying you’re hungry

🔔INFORMAL🔔

Tú siempre botas la comida y después dices que tienes hambre

Botar = to throw out

Siempre = Always