By Attorney Robert T. Torres
For Variety

HAVE you ever had that aunt or uncle, the Enforcer, who would be the one who could count “Uno! Dos! Tres!” and all the kids would come running before “Cinco”? Wherever you were, whatever you were doing, you had better get there before “Cinco.” And what would happen if you didn’t make it before “Cinco?” Um, you only had to find out once didn’t you? And sometimes they wouldn’t even wait until “Cinco” before you “get it.” Among the many influences we’ve had from the Spanish are the words or exclamations which we use today to register emotions or frustrations.
“Que Carajo!” What is that one? When would you hear that one? Maybe when you disregarded a relative’s instruction or order. Maybe when a nephew would give some wisecrack comment to an aunt or uncle? You could hear it in a serious tone or in a stern but loving tone. Say when your uncle would send you to the store to buy a case of soda, you got a $20 and it cost $12. He’d ask you for the change and you’d say that the balance was your tip or service charge. What would you hear? “Que Carajo! You better give me the change.” Of course, you should insist.
“Que Puneta!” This one you would hear from maybe an aunt and not an uncle right? And when would someone say this exclamation? I’m not sure. But maybe you might hear it at the Department of Finance at the refund/rebate window when a taxpayer hears that she still can’t get her 2006 rebate check. “Que Puñeta! Hafa, salape’mu enao? Tell your boss that I better get my check next week.” Something like that, to register some level of frustration with something.
“Que Pendejo!” I’m sure many a Spanish teacher would grit their teeth over hearing this one. It wouldn’t be a term of endearment would it? To be sure, you are using it in a pejorative way to declare someone as dumb or a jerk. Oh, I don’t know, maybe driving down Middle Road and someone suddenly cuts you off and you have to swerve? I’m sure the driver looking at you in the rear view mirror could imagine what you’d be saying as your agitated hand waving and pointing complements your mouth movements. Nope, it wouldn’t be an exclamation to complement someone.
“Que Leche!” When is it appropriate to use this one? What is an exclamation that has to do with milk? I think maybe the same aunt or uncle would use it as a milder form of reproach to a niece or nephew like, “Que Leche! Jose! Maria! You better clean up your rooms nai! Whose belonging is this zorrie in the kitchen!” Maybe we hear it to complement someone’s feats to exclaim amazement. “Que Leche Brot! Chadik si Ping mala’gu.” Maybe you’d hear it at the CUC payment center in Dandan when someone walks up and sees that the line goes around the corner!
We really haven’t kept or used the Spanish exclamations like “Que Lastima!” or “Que Bueno!” with our slang here in the islands. Even the term “Que Coño!” which can be vulgar in Spanish, is used to exclaim some level of indignation. Here, we’ve taken the Spanish and made it “local” to say, “Que Ya Hafa?” (And so what?) when we don’t really care what someone thinks of our actions or opinion like when someone asks why someone on Beach Road is holding a sign up complaining about the economy or the state of education. In Hawaii, “Ainokea,” and on Saipan, “Que Ya Hafa Brot? Why like that nai? Sana Bai Gun.”