Cuban or not, if you've been in South Florida long enough it's likely you've heard an array of sayings in Spanish used to express a wide variety of emotions.
Examples include: "Ese huevo quiere sal," "Ponte las pilas" and "Tremendo arroz con mango."
Whether you've been confused all these years about what exactly these words translate to in English, or if you grew up with these phrases and just want a good laugh, now there's an illustrated book to break down all these "Cubanisms."
Second-generation Cuban-American Denise Miqueli wrote the book "Pin Pan Pun and Other Cubanisms" after a car ride with her husband. Miqueli blurted out one of the many Cubanisms she grew up with, but he didn't understand what she meant. So she wrote down all of the sayings she used most frequently and wrote a book that turned into an anniversary gift for her husband.
"Pin Pan Pun and Other Cubanisms" quickly gained traction with Miqueli's friends and family, and in March, she launched a website to sell the book.
"The reception from the community has been humbling, surprising, and amazing," Miqueli said.
The book contains 20 Cubanisms with a literal translation for each, a short explanation, and an example of the phrase used in a sentence. Each page also comes with a drawing for some added visual effect.
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"The more I hear from people that bought the book and people that follow me on Instagram, it actually brings people together and I think it's like this talking piece. People buy it as a coffee table book, people buy it as a gift and then they go through it together," Miqueli said.
The author is already working on a part two to "Pin Pan Pun," and on Friday she will launch a children's coloring book full of Cubanisms.
"I get dichos over Instagram, Facebook, and family members have been very supportive," she said. "So keep them coming!"
Miqueli is also looking to partner with people from other cultures to publish books with their idioms and continue to bridge the gap between different communities and demographics.
"Pin Pan Pun and Other Cubanisms" is available here for $14.50.
Ponte las pilas and go check it out!
