I thought I was handsome until (guapo)

[johne]

I found out she didn't mean that!! So why then is it only in the DR "guapo" is angry and not handsome as in all other Spanish speaking countries??

JOHN handsomenonetheless

[AnnaC]

We'll have to wait for our Dominican members to answer that because in my diccionario it says, handsome, goodlooking.

[Hillbilly]

Here in the DR guapo means "angry" or even "brave"

The usage here is "Buen Mozo"

Once in Guatemala, my aunt saw me in a suit and said how "Chulo" I was. In the DR that meant I was a pimp, but over there it meant, handsome or nice.

Even here, "Qué chulo!!" means, most of the time, 'How nice ' or How Great!!


HB

[PeachezNcream84]

Guapo can mean both handsom or mad in the DR.

Dominicans will understand what you mean if you use the word guapo for handsom. It all depends on your tone of voice when you say it I guess.

[Jane J.]

True story:

My husband's little old auntie was receiving a visit from her daughter and Spanish (from Spain) boyfriend. She enquired of him how he was enjoying his stay.

In his thickly Spanish accent, he intoned, "Las playas muy lindas, todo barato - y las chicas muy guapas!"

And she replied: "Ay, si, muchacho, y tu no sabes na' - esas mujeres se matan a golpes peleando! Son guapísimas!"

[Chirimoya]

Guapo isn't used in the 'handsome' sense in Venezuela, either. 'Un guapo' means a pimp.

For women, 'linda' is much more common than 'guapa' in most Latin American countries.

[juancarlos]

In Cuba, guapo usually means brave, daring, but it is also used to designate a bully, as in el guapo del barrio. Sometimes it is also used to refer to someone who's angry, although, in general, the word for this is bravo. Ponerse bravo or estar bravo. At the same time, everyone understands when guapo or guapa is used to mean handsome or beautiful.

[Chirimoya]

Originally Posted by Hillbilly

The usage here is "Buen Mozo"

'Buen mozo' has always sounded odd to me. Does anyone know the literal meaning?

I've always taken it (and its feminine equivalent 'buena moza') to mean looking good in a well-nourished sort of way. A bit like 'hermosa' in Spain.

As juancarlos says about Cuba, another meaning for 'guapo' here is 'tough'. Hippo's nickname 'el guapo de Gurabo' was translated by DR1 news as 'the tough guy from Gurabo'.

[Lesley D]

Chiri,

No sé de dónde viene pero “buen mozo" me suena bien y es común.

Aquí tienes la definición y un ejemplo del diccionario:

Mozo= joven, muchacho

Def: ser alguien buen mozo o moza loc. Tener buena presencia: ¡Qué buen mozo está hecho tu novio! (source elmundo.es)


LDG.

[Chirimoya]

Thanks Lesley. Nothing to do with being on the large side, then?

Is it in use in Spain and other places as well?