There are a few ways to get someone attention in Puerto Rico. The most commonly heard way to get someone’s is the word “mira”… When the word is used it is often used once then in pairs “mira… … mira, mira”. Mira means look. Don’t forget to roll your R. For a gringo, it is pronounced more like “myda”.

Do you remember the sound you learn to describe the sound of a snake when you are a kid? Yup, that hissing sound is another way to get the attention of someone. I mainly hear the hissing in loud environments such as a restaurant or bar. I assume the high pitch of the hiss travels over most noises as it works fairly well. You will almost always get a bar tenders attention using this method. Careful though, this method is considered a little rude. So you should only do it if all else fails.

I also often see males hiss at Puerto Rican girls as a way to “pick them up”. The girls will usually ignore the guy. A few girls have told me they think it’s rude. I assume it is like a stereotypical blue collar worker whistling or “cat call” at a girl in the States.