Visitors to the island will find that Spanish spoken here is a little different. For example, Puerto Rican Spanish drops the “s” at the end of syllables and words (¿cómo ‘tá? instead of ¿cómo está?) and often swaps a syllable-final “r” for an “l” sound (puelta for puerta). Neither is “incorrect” – it’s the standard accent of the island, and recognizing it will help you understand locals far more than textbook Spanish prepares you for. Although English is widely spoken on the island, knowing a few phrases will help you feel at home.
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Buenos días / Buenas tardes / Buenas noches | Good morning / afternoon / evening |
| ¿Cómo tú ‘tá(s)? | How are you? (island-casual form) |
| Por favor / Gracias / De nada | Please / Thank you / You’re welcome |
| ¿Dónde está…? | Where is…? |
| ¿Cuánto cuesta? | How much does it cost? |
| No entiendo | I don’t understand |
| ¿Habla inglés? | Do you speak English? |
| ¿Qué es la que hay? | What’s up? / What’s going on? |
| Wepa! | An all-purpose exclamation of excitement or approval |
| Ahora mismo / ahorita | “Right now” – but on the island, often means “soon-ish,” not immediately |
| Está brutal / Está cabrón | “That’s awesome” (casual/informal register) |
| Un chin | “A little bit” (a Puerto Rico–specific usage) |
| Janguear | To hang out (from English “hang”) |
| Chinchorreo | A pub-crawl style food/drink outing between local roadside stands (chinchorros) |
| Al garete | Adrift, out of control, disorganized |
| Boricua | A Puerto Rican (from Borikén, the Taíno name for the island) |
| Guagua | Bus (also used for van/SUV in casual speech) |
| Zafacón | Trash can |
| Chavos | Money (slang) |
| Pana | Friend, buddy |
| Mahones | Jeans |
| Colmado | A small neighborhood grocery/general store |
Ready to use these phrases in context? See Foods and Drinks to order like a local, or Hidden Gems for the small towns where this dialect is strongest.