Here’s a quick “history” lesson on La Isla del Encanto ❤

Let’s take a moment to share some funny phrases that most of us as Puerto Ricans have heard in our household growing up. By all means this post is supposed to be light hearted and fun I am NOT making fun of my culture……well yes I am, but in no way near in a negative way. Not only are we known for Iris Chacon, over usage of adobo, and salsa dancing. We also are notorious for mixing the Spanish and English language together, also known as SPANGLISH. We have somehow along the years combined the two languages together making it either more difficult or easier to understand. Let’s begin shall we?

Conflay = “any” cereal

It can be lucky charms, frosted flakes, honey nut cheerios. When your mom or Abuela says, “Quiere conflay?” that means the current cereal that is in your cabinet at the moment. Mind you “conflay” is spanglish for actually cornflakes.

La norsa = the nurse

Technically, the correct way to say nurse in Spanish is enfermera. I guess it will forever remain a mystery as to why my Abuela who was born and raised in Puerto Rico continues to call la enfermera, la norsa.

Parqueate = to park

Estacionar is the correct way of saying park, however I like parqueate better its so straight to the point.

Chancletaso = a flip flop whoopin’

I think we have all fallen victim to the chancleta. Not only is it a shoe. It is also used as an instrument of discipline and terror. When that chancla came off your mom’s foot that was the warning sign of a shoe that was about to fly across the room at great speed. Preferably, aiming at your head when you have pissed your mom off.

Cocotaso = whoopin’ with a knuckle

I heard this a lot “te voy a dar un cocotazo si sigues”  as a kid when my mom would comb my hair.

Correaso = whoopin’ with the belt

El desto/la cosa = you refer to an object as “the thingy”

I myself am guilty of referring something as el desto, la cosa, or cosita, even in English I say the thingy

Vicks = vicks vapor rub

Somehow in the Puerto Rican culture and Spanish culture in general, vicks vapor rub is known to cue fevers, arthritis, headaches, broken bones, the stomach bug/flu, and hemorrhoids….according to Abuela. Vicks is the universal remedy to heal everything and any aliment you are suffering at the moment.

OMAIGA! = OMG

Gualmar = Wal-Mart

Need I say more?

Estop = Stop

Nueva Yol = New York

Estroberi = Strawberry

This isn’t a phrase, but instead of pointing with our fingers we like to point instead with our lips. Its like a duck lips dance.

Wondering what that strange bottle is that I am holding? No, it’s not beer, but a frothy malt drink. To some it may taste like worscester sauce according to my non-Puerto Rican friends, but in all honesty it tastes great! Definitely an acquired taste though.

One thing you can say about us is that we are very passionate and loving people. We are full of pride and joy over our culture. That is probably why we will rock anything that has the Puerto Rican flag on it. We just can’t help it.

I LOVE being PUERTO RICAN.

 

(side note: Remember we are not yelling at you. We just talk loud.)

XOXO Mel ❤