to go over badly, to be received poorly
seguir durmiendo de ese lado
phrase to tell someone to try something new, to react differently than before
seguroso
an informant who works for the MININT, the Cuban State Security Ministry, hated by the Cuban population
ser candela
an active and naughty person
ser como el arroz blanco
to be everywhere at once
ser de ampanga
to be controversial, trouble
ser tu maletín
that’s your problem
ser un chusma
to be a vulgar person
ser un disco rayado
to be repetitive
salve
a little help, like lend a little money to tide someone over
sandunga
sway, a feminine movement as part of a dance
sangandongo
big
sangrón
an annoying person
se le está cerrando el cuadro
to have limited or few options
rendir
to beg
repartero
a young person who lives in a ghetto and listens to reggaeton music
resabioso
cranky
retama de guayacol
a vulgar, poorly educated person
rufa
an antagonistic attitude
saber más que las cucarachas
to be extremely knowledgeable about something
sacarse el hígado
to work extremely hard
sacarse la rifa del guanajo
to receive something unexpectedly, either positive or negative
salir de la pinga
to say “because I feel like it” or “because I can”
quedarse para vestir santos
a woman who never gets married
queik
Cuban spelling of the English word cake
quemao
crazy, nuts
querer meter La Habana en Guanabacoa
to try to stuff something big into a smaller container
quilo
one cent
quinqué
a lantern
rascabucheador
a peeping Tom