The ABCs of DtMF: Dictionary of Puerto Rican Words and Cultural References in DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS

Por/by Maia Sherwood-Droz

Want to understand Bad Bunny? This is the dictionary for you!

From a fuego to zumba, with stops along the way at enchulao, lelolai and pitorro, this dictionary gathers the words, phrases, and expressions of Puerto Rican Spanish found in Bad Bunny’s 2025 album DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS. It also includes the names of people and places, as well as cultural, historical, and musical references that help readers immerse themselves in the universe created by the album's 17 tracks.

The ABCs of DtMF offers a snapshot of Puerto Rico’s language, experiences, and emotions as expressed in the songs. Each entry defines, explains, or provides insight into the vocabulary and specific cultural references featured in the album, and is illustrated with examples taken directly from the lyrics, including the Spanish original and its English translation.

This English edition welcomes everyone to get to know Puerto Rico and Puerto Rican Spanish. It was written with Puerto Ricans and Latinos in the English-speaking diaspora in mind, as well as English-speaking readers who are interested in different languages and cultures, and people around the world who have been moved by the artist and his music.