Cuban Travel Links
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YourWorld Consultant Group, Inc. has been granted License No. CT-2014-308260-1 by the United States Department of the Treasury, Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), which authorizes those who register as participants in our programs to visit Cuba legally. Our itineraries provide a full-time schedule of people-to-people educational exchange activities designed to result in meaningful interactions between our travelers and individuals in Cuba.
AFRICAN CONTINUITIES IN CUBA
Much of Cuban culture is definitely African in origin; it's music, folklore, dance and much of the food. Music is in the feet of every Cuban. The African origin has given Cuban music a prestige recognized the world over. Today the island contains priceless manifestations of African cultures. In addition, Cuba hosts a number of other African Diaspora communities from the neighboring islands. The real Cuba is a vibrant mix of history and music, poetry and passion;an astonishingly rich culture. Cuba has institutions such as a foundation named after pioneer anthropologist Fernando Ortiz in Santiago de Cuba, and the Casa de Africa in Havana which publishes research on Afro-Cuban culture. In literature, African references can be found in the works of some ofCuba's most revered writers. Santeria and the related Palo Monte religion have enhanced Cubans' growing pride in the African part of their roots. And in art, the African influence is evidenced in the subjects and warm colors. Cuba's African culture is alive and well and continues to serve as the foundation for contemporary Cuban society.
Basic Cuban Spanish
Characteristic of Cuban Spanish is the weak pronunciation of consonants, especially at the end of a syllable. Final /s/ weakens to [h] or disappears entirely; final /n/ becomes [ŋ] (except when /n/ is preceded by velar consonants); final /r/ may become [l] or even [j] or becomes entirely silent. The fricative variants of /d/, /b/, /g/ (i.e. [ð], [β], [ɣ]) are also significantly weakened when occurring after a vowel: [ð] tends to disappear entirely, while [β] and [ɣ] become weak approximants, with no friction at all and often barely audible as consonants. All of these characteristics occur to one degree or another in other Caribbean varieties, as well as in many dialects in Andalucia (in southern Spain) -- the ultimate origin of these characteristics.
Special words and expressions:
baro, chavito, fula – money
asere – friend, mate
¿qué bola? – how are you?
fardo – pants, trousers
filtro – smart person
yuma – foreigner (gringo)
jama – food
máquina – car
monado – police
meesantiflogistínico – I really dont care
pasta – fiancée
tengoquepinchar – I have to work
¿notiene un peso fuerte? – do you have an extra coin?
Guapo : good looking, afraid of nobody.
Guagua : autobus (also: Rufa)
Guajira : peasant – farmer (female) Guajiro (= male)
intima : sanitary towel
Jama: food (jamar: to eat)(Spanish: comer)
Jaba : plastic bag (to carry groceries)
Kiosko : little shop
Mami : mam (used when addressing a woman)
Mangon : good looking
Monado : police
Moni : money
Ohrishas : the Gods (religious)
Papi : dad ( used when addressing a man)
Padrino : Santeria priest, counseller
Paton : bad dancer
Pipo : chap (used when addressing a waiter)
Pinchar : to work (Spanish: trabajar)
Pulover : T-shirt
Queik : cake
Sardina : slim woman
Suerte : good luck, happiness
Socio :budy , mate
Tacos: shoes (women) (also: llanta)
Taxi Colectivo : a shared taxi for Cubans only
Tenis : sneakers, training shoes, sports shoes
yin : (blue) jeans
yuma : foreigner
Cuban Love and Care Expressions
Cariño : love, darling, affection, tender
Amor : love, sweetheart
Linda : Beauty
MiVida : my love, my everything (translated : my life)
Cuidate : take care
beso: kiss – besito: little tender kiss
Con todo mi Corazón: with all my heart
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Helpful Resources
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Frequently Used Cuban Expressions:
Hola : Hello
Chao : Goodbye, Bye
¿Que bola? : How are you? (Spanish : ¿Como esta?)
No esfácil : It’s not easy (translated) Life is hard ( the living is difficult)
Disculpe ,permiso : Sorry
¿Tegustas? : Do you like it? ( used for a drink or meal)
No sé : I don’t know
¿Cuánto cuesta? : How much is this?
Tener un peso suerte : to find an lost or forgotten peso (dollar) in your pocket ( translated: to have a lucky peso or dollar) ¿No tiene un peso suerte? Do you have an accidental peso?
Below are links that you may find useful in planning your trip to Cuba. Please let us know if we can assist you with your travel arrangements.
Special Tours
Cuban Slang
Acere : friend, mate ( qué bola acere = how are you mate)
Ajustador : bra
Babaloa : Santeria priest
Baro : money
Bemba : lips – Radio Bemba : Gossip, Grape-vine
Bici-tax : bicycle taxi
Bodega : ( state owned) grocery store
Bisnero : business man ( hustler)
Campesino : farmer
Camello : camel bus
Carro : car
Carné (de identidad) Cuban identity card
Chancletas : flip-flops
Chebi : taxi ( official state taxi)
Chopin : shopping ( refers to dollar shop , tourist shop)
Cola : Cuban queue
Consorte : friend
Chao : (good) bye
Cuarto : a room (in a hotel) (Spanish: habitación)
Delgado : slim person
Fardo : pants, trousers
Filtro : smart person
Ganso : gay (also: Maricon)
Grilla : bad woman, cheap vulgar prostitute,
Gringo: foreigner (also: Yuma)(yuma is more frequently used)