Essential Puerto Rican Spanish Phrases for Visitors
Puerto Rico speaks a vibrant Caribbean Spanish dialect. Here are the absolute basics every visitor should know:
Greetings & Courtesies
| English | Puerto Rican Spanish | Pronunciation |
|---|
| Hello / Hi | Hola / ¡Qué hubo! | OH-lah / KEH OO-boh |
| Good morning | Buenos días | BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs |
| Good afternoon | Buenas tardes | BWEH-nahs TAR-dehs |
| Good night | Buenas noches | BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs |
| Thank you | Gracias | GRAH-see-ahs |
| You're welcome | De nada | deh NAH-dah |
| Please | Por favor | por fah-BOR |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Disculpe / Perdón | dees-KOOL-peh / per-DOHN |
| Yes / No | Sí / No | SEE / NOH |
Distinctive Puerto Ricanisms
- ¡Wepa! — Joyful exclamation (like "Wow!" or "Alright!")
- ¡Chévere! — Cool, awesome, great
- Borinquén / Boricua — Indigenous/colloquial names for Puerto Rico / Puerto Rican
- Guagua — Bus (not "autobús")
- Nevera — Refrigerator (not "refrigerador")
- Parkear — To park (Spanglish, ubiquitous)
- Hanguiar — To hang out (from "hang out")
Practical Tips
- Puerto Ricans speak fast, drop final 's' (gracias → gracia'), and use vosotros rarely (prefer ustedes)
- English is widely understood in tourist areas (San Juan, Condado, Isla Verde, Old San Juan, resort zones)
- Attempting Spanish—even badly—is deeply appreciated
- U.S. dollars used everywhere; no currency exchange needed
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