The Oscar Wao Vocabulary Dictionary Glossary, You're Welcome, Junot Diaz

I am sick of hearing people say they feel like they can't understand "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao" because of all those Spanish terms. Why didn't Junot Diaz and his lovely publishers throw in some sort of glossary in the back? Just what were they thinking? We'll never know.

Luckily for all of you, I paid my little sister to help me create one. I just wish I'd had her write down the context of all these words used in the book because I may or may not have the best definition, especially for slang words. Meanwhile, tada, the following includes definitions for most of the words used in the book. I'm linking to a word document that ALSO includes all the naughty words.

I apologize for any misspellings and any definitions that are totally off. Feel free to comment and I'll make changes!

Asqueroso: dirty person (masculine)
Abuela: grandmother
Ande: to go, to travel
Abrazo: hug
Alegre: happy
Azaroso: unfortunate, disgraceful person (masculine)
Algiuen: someone
Arroz: rice
Amor: love
Azabaches: a fossilized form of wood that is black in color and is carved and polished into pieces of jewelry to protect against the evil eye
Asesino: killer
Acabaron: finished
Acabar: finish
Aqui: here
Bueno: good
Buenmoso: handsome
Blanquito: white boy
Barrio: neighborhood
Brutos: stupid people (masculine)
Brutas: stupid people (feminine)
Bebe: baby
Que dios te bendiga: God should bless you (response to “bendicion”)
Bendicion: blessing
Bacalao: dried salt cod
Bachata: a type of music
Braceros: migrant worker, laborer
Burbuja: bubble, blister
Bailarina: ballet dancer
Bella: beautiful
Bochinche: gossip
Boca: mouth
Bien: good
Ciguapas: mythological creature of Dominican folklore. They are commonly described as having human female form with brown or dark blue skin, backward facing feet, and very long manes of smooth, glossy hair that covers their otherwise naked bodies. They supposedly inhabit the high mountains of the Dominican Republic.
Cuidate: Take care
Cuero: slut
Correa: belt
(el) cuco: a mythical monster, a ghost, witch; equivalent to the boogeyman found in many Hispanic and Lusophone countries
Coje: take
Culo: butt (slang)
Cabeza: head
Chancletas: slippers, sandals
Caramba: exclamation of surprise or dismay, darn! heck!
Cibaeños: northern Dominicans, from el Cibao
Chinos: Chinese people
Con: with
Candela: candle
Comunista: communist
Chulo: sexy guy
Caracol: snail, seashell, ringlet
Capaz: capable
Clavo: nail
Comparona: snotty girl
Ciclon: cyclone
Capitalenos: people from the capital
Campesinos: country-dweller
Colmado: store?
Cabana: hut
Capitan: Captain
Comeme: Eat me
Campo: countryside
Compañero: companion
Cochinos: dirty people (masculine)
Coño: damn
Chacabana: type of shirt
Cuarenta: 40
Cojones: testicles, courage
Carajito: the most common way a Dominican would refer to a child whose name he or she doesn't know
Corona: crown
Callejon: alley
Culenado: ?
Chica: girl
Dale: give
Dique: like
Diosa: goddess
Dios: god
Diablo: devil
Dentista: dentist
Diario: diary
Digas: speak
Desgraciado: disgraceful person (masculine)
Dura: hard (feminine)
Diaburlas: ?
Dulces: sweets, candies
Dejame: leave me
Doña: title of courtesy preceding a woman’s first name
Dime: tell me
Dio: gave
Delincuencia: delinquency
Dolores: pains
Dos: two
Esta: this, these
Eres: are
El: he
Ella: she
Existe: exists
Exigente: demanding
Esponja: sponge
Esa: her, that woman
Esposa: wife
Esto: this
Encendida: passionate, burning, flushed
Entiendes: understand
Educado: educated
Fuku: ? I think he made this up?
Fua: bam!
Fea: ugly (feminine)
Flaca: skinny female
Fulano: that person, that someone
Feminino: feminine
Fuera: away, outside
Fuego: fire
Guapo: handsome male
Guapa: handsome female
Galletazo: great big slap
Gordo: fat male
Gran: big
Ganas: desires
Gallo: chicken
Gallear: to show off
Gringo: white male
Hombre: men
Hija: daughter
Hijo: son
Hambre: hungry
Hermanita: little sister
Hamaca: hammock
Haitianos: haitians
Infierno: hell
Insuperable: insufferable
Jodido: screwed (masculine)
Jurona: savage animal?
Jefe: boss
Jodiendome: bothering with me
Jodas: f--k
Jipeta: jeep
Junta: military government coalition
Llamas: calls
Lambesacos: see document
Muchacho: boy
Muchacha: girl
Maldito: maldito:
Meteselo: Shove it
Moreno: dark-skinned male
Mio: mine
Mami: mom, sexy girl
Madre: mother
Malecon: street along the seawall
Maestra: teacher
Mesera: waitress
Mas: more
Mujer: woman
Monita: monkey girl
Mataron: killed
Madrugada: early morning, day break
Maldito seas: damn you, dammit
Mamahuevo: see document
Muy: very
Maricon: faggot
Mariconsito: little faggot
Muchachita: little girl
Merengue: a type of music
Mirador: lookout
Madrinas: godmothers
Malapalabras: bad words
Negra: black female
Nino: boy
Negrita: little black female or affectionately black female
Novio: boyfriend
Norte: north
Numero: number
Puta: slut
Perrito: little dog
Puerca: pig female
Paliza: beating, pummeling
Pariguayo: weak man, coward
Pequena: small (female)
Pulperia: small grocery store
Princesa: princess
Paso: pass
Pendejada:
Parque: park
Pista: trail
Popola: female sexual organ
Pela: beating
Prendas: jewelry
Primavera: Spring
Palacio: palace
Pendeja: moron, idiot (feminine)
Plataneros: people of the plaintain
Politicos: politicians
Preocupas: preoccupied
Peledista: (According to helpful commentator, Joe) a member of the Dominican Liberation Party. The PLD, as it is known in Spanish, is the political party of current president Leonel Fernandez Reyna.
Pobre: poor
Paja: straw
Plantado: planted
Pulpo: octopus
Pollo: chicken
Pana: corduroy
Paloma: dove
Pueblo: people, village
Semana: week
Santa: saint
Senora: woman
Sancocho: to parboil, traditional soup/stew
Santisimo: sacred?
Sindicatos: union, guild
Saca: to pull out
Sueno: dream
Sola: alone (female)
Senorita: young girl, young woman
Surenos: southern
Serio: series
Supermercado: supermarket
Sientase: felt like
Sacrificio: sacrifice
Tio: uncle
Tia: aunt
Tu: you
Tuya: yours (feminine)
Tesoro: treasure
Tengo: have
Tranquilidad: tranquility
Tetas: breasts
Tetua: big breasted female
Todavia: still, yet
Tienes: have, has
Taza: cup
Tormenta: turmoil, storm
Traquila: tranquil female
Todopoderoso: all powerful
Tranquilisate: calm down
Toto: derogatory term for vagina
Taxista: taxi driver
Uno: one
Una: one (female)
Unica: only (female)
Vayanse: leave!
Veras: you will see
Ven: come
Verguenza: disgrace
Viejos: old males
Vieja: old females
Zafa: to loosen
Zangana: drone
Lo siento: I’m sorry
No lo pareces: you don’t look it
Poco hombre: barely a man
Pan de agua: bread of water
Gente de calidad: quality people
Fuera de serio: out of series