Dating is a minefield all its own, but what about dating someone from a different culture from your own? We cannot generalize all Dominican men based on known stereotypes, but there’s something to be said about cultural differences between dating a Dominican man versus other men.
Dominican Culture
Dominican culture is a mix of other cultures, including Taíno natives, African slaves, and Spaniard colonists, and Spanish is the Dominican Republic’s official language. African, Taíno, and European cultures heavily influence Dominican religion, food, music, and family structure.
Several landscapes make up the Dominican Republic, from deserts and rainforests to beaches, mountains, and valleys! The majority of the population of the Dominican Republic is Roman Catholic. Dominicans are known for their hospitality and strive to make guests feel comfortable and welcomed. Additionally, Dominicans love to dance to Bachata and merengue.
Dominican Food
People in the Dominican Republic eat plantains and bananas throughout the year. Other seasonal fruits found in the Dominican Republic include:
- Passion fruit
- Star apple: A fruit that almost looks like a plum with a wrinkled purple skin
- Limes
- Oranges
- Watermelon
- Mango
- Grapefruit
- Tamarind
- Guava
- Sugar apple: Also known as a sweetsop, this fruit tastes like custard
- Papaw (papayas)
- Guineps: A small fruit with jelly-like flesh
Spicy peppers and garlic are commonly used to season food. Callaloo is a popular Dominican stew made with fresh vegetables and taro leaves. They make another popular type of spicy stew with titeri, which are minnow-sized fish. Fresh fish like ballyhoo, tuna, and marlin are plentiful in the Dominican Republic.
How Dominicans Communicate
Dominican people are very expressive when they talk; their arms and hands move a lot when they speak. To people who are not as familiar with the language and culture, they may perceive Dominicans as angry because of how quickly and loudly they talk, but that is just part of the Dominican communication style.
This is also ironic because Dominicans consider it rude and inappropriate to express anger publicly. Dominicans stand close to each other when speaking and maintain eye contact to demonstrate trust and show interest in what someone is saying. Some cultures might consider questions about someone’s age or their children to be rude, but not Dominicans.
Another cultural difference between Dominicans and some other cultures is they do not consider public displays of affection inappropriate, as Dominicans tend to be very publicly affectionate with their partners. Overall, Dominicans are regarded as direct, warm, and friendly.
Dominican men are extremely confident—they have to be. They are taught to think highly of themselves, and this is evident in how often they approach and hit on women—it’s no surprise that they have the gall that they do because they do not hesitate with anyone.
Dominican Family Culture
Dominicans keep their friends close and their families closer. It is not uncommon to have multiple generations living under one roof. Family life fully integrates and highly regards grandparents. Young people usually live with their parents, even if they’re financially independent or have started college.
In fact, most young people do not move out until after getting married, and even then, they try to live relatively close to their parents. Dominican families are known for being caring, protective, and conservative. Children cannot hang out with friends unless their parents know them, and children are expected to ask for permission every time they want to go out.
Dominican parents will also stay awake until their children get home from being out, as it is uncommon for children to receive house keys. The oldest man in the family is in charge of making all the big decisions for the family. Dominicans put their family before any other social relationship, including business relationships.
Unlike a lot of other cultures, Dominican culture regards nepotism in a positive light. Hiring family members means people are employing those they know and trust. In the Dominican Republic, wealth does not define status so much as family background, and there is little social mobility.
Dominican Religion
As mentioned before, most of the Dominican Republic is Roman Catholic. People in the Dominican Republic look to their local bishop or priest for religious advice, but not for their day-to-day affairs since they operate under the assumption that clergy do not understand a lot of secular subjects.
Dominican Society
Appearances matter a lot to Dominicans, as they believe that clothes represent someone’s success and social standing. Dominicans take pride in wearing the best clothes they can afford and favor designer labels above all else, especially if the clothes come from the United States.
Economic and racial issues determine social stratification in the Dominican Republic. The lower class descends from Haitians or African slaves and usually has darker skin. The majority of the population is part of the middle class, made up of people descending from a mix of European and African ancestry. The upper class descends from European settlers and usually has the lightest skin.
Visiting Dominican Households
Those who are not familiar with gift-giving etiquette in the Dominican Republic should heed the following tips! If you are invited to dinner at a Dominican home, you should bring a gift like pastries or chocolate, and avoid giving gifts that are purple or black because they view them as mourning colors.
You should also dress up if you’re joining a Dominican family for dinner, as they judge others for their appearance and hold them to the same standards that they hold themselves. Unlike some other cultures, Dominicans do not expect people to arrive on time for social events. If you want to arrive “on time,” you should arrive 15 to 30 minutes later than the given meeting time.
As previously mentioned, the eldest family members are the highest regarded, so you should be sure to be most respectful of them. Dominican families serve meals buffet or family-style, with guests being served first. You should wait for the host to tell you where to sit when you eat, in case there is a seating plan.
You should always keep your hands visible when eating, without resting your elbows on the table as that is impolite. Hosts will say “buen provecho,” which means “have a good meal” or “enjoy” to signal to the family that they may start eating.
Dominican Personalities
Given that they live the island life, it’s no surprise that Dominicans operate on island time. Dominicans tend to be very relaxed: meet-up times are flexible, parties start late, business meetings start late and run over time, and projects can take longer than expected. Dominicans live in the moment, and if you can’t handle spontaneity, dating a Dominican man won’t work for you.
Dominicans are outgoing, fun, and know how to have a good time. Sports and music are a huge part of Dominican culture, and it’s not uncommon to end up at a backyard baseball game or dancing the night away to Bachata! And with the various terrain, you can explore the mountains or lounge on the beach—oh, the date possibilities!
The Personality of the Dominican Man
Some may try to accuse Dominican men of being players who flirt with every woman they see. Others claim Dominican men are top tier gentlemen. As with all men, you cannot generalize the entire population based on one.
It is probably fair to say of a lot of men that flirting does not stop once you’re in a relationship. Dominican men turn their charm on for everyone, not just their partners. So although he may be all about you in his day-to-day life, that might not stop him from flashing a smile and throwing a compliment or two to other women throughout the day.
This is not to stereotype Dominican men and say they are cheaters, just that they speak the language of love, and their charm is not exactly something they can just turn off.
Still, we’ve heard from several people how devoted Dominican men are to their partners—think about it, if Dominicans devote themselves to keeping their families tight-knit, why wouldn’t they approach relationships the same way? Dominican men are caring and considerate and will work very hard to impress you like you’re the only one that matters to them.
Many regard Dominican men as being like someone straight out of a fairytale. They’re romantic and will spoil their significant others with sweet words, cute nicknames, creative gifts, thoughtful gestures, carefully planned dates, love, and affection on a daily basis.
Short answer? Dominican men treat their partners like princesses (or queens) because they believe that’s what they deserve. It might seem like a lot of attention, but if it’s romance that you’re looking for, you’ll definitely find it when dating a Dominican man.
Dominican men are very protective, especially because they teach them from a young age to protect the weak. It’s a bit sexist, but they are taught that men are stronger and they must protect women, so they will be very protective of their partners. Not only do Dominican men love and protect their women, but they’ll also always make sure you never feel left out.
Dominican men are old-school and will always foot the bill—they will never let you pay for anything. Even if your man is flat broke, he will find a way to take you out on a date. Be it something free or cheap; he will find absolutely anything for the two of you to do other than let you pay.
Resourcefulness runs in Dominican men’s blood! They believe in doing well enough in their careers to not only support themselves but their families. It’s also common for Dominican men to work multiple jobs to ensure that they have a stable future.
Dominican Aesthetics
Dominicans choose fashion over comfort when out and about in public. Even while living on an island, Dominicans are known to opt for snazzier, dressier threads over casual shorts and flip-flops. Closer to home or in more residential areas, people trade their formal clothes for sandals and tank tops.
In the capital, Dominicans wear business formal and business casual looks, even in the heat. Unlike a lot of metropolis areas, though, Dominicans don tight, bright clothing rather than dark, inconspicuous clothes. Dominican men usually wear well-fitted shirts and pants, and their shoes stay shiny thanks to shoe-shiners who work by major transportation hubs and street corners.
Dominican men have various skin tones because of their mixed European and African ancestry, but most usually have olive-toned skin or medium to dark complexions. Dominican men usually also have thick, dark hair and can grow rich facial hair.
We’ve already mentioned how important appearances are in Dominican culture, so you can bet that Dominican men stay well-groomed, and even with all their body hair, they stay looking put-together. Some Dominican men may have more European features, such as lighter hair or green eyes.
We usually regard Dominican men as having incredible bodies. As we already said, appearances are important, so Dominican men care about staying in shape. Most Dominican men are active athletes who play a variety of sports, so they stay muscular and fit. Also, the average Dominican man is around 5’8” tall.
Dominican Men and Dating
Dominican men are known for their passion. They’re romantic and loving and can absolutely make you swoon. Additionally, Dominican men can cook like nobody’s business! Dominican cuisine is intricate and unique, and nightly dinners look like feasts!
Dominican men might seem suave and charming, but that doesn’t mean you’re the only one they’re sweet talking! Dominican men tend to flirt with every woman they meet, so be mindful of that when trying to find someone genuine.
Relationships in Dominican culture tend to move faster than in some other cultures. Instead of waiting three days to text or call someone after getting their number, Dominicans will wait a few hours and then reach out to see what you’re up to that night.
If you want to keep a Dominican man in your life, you will also have to keep his family! Dominican families are tight-knit, where parents are very involved and definitely have a say in who their children date. Dominicans are direct when it comes to telling their partners about their feelings and opinions and will not shy away from a debate.
Dancing is all part of the dating ritual in Dominican culture. You don’t have to look like a pro, but it will (literally) give you a leg up if you know how to merengue and salsa! After all, parties are no fun if you’re not participating!
Want to meet Dominican men? Check out these dating sites in Dominican Republic.
What to Keep In Mind When Dating a Dominican Man
You’ll have to be patient when you date a Dominican man! They run on their own time, and you’ll never really know what their schedule is. It’s nothing personal; that’s just the way the Dominican culture is. Adaptability and flexibility will be key to having a successful relationship with a Dominican man.
Although carefree can mean fun, it can also spell trouble—Dominican men tend to be unpredictable. As free spirits, Dominican men are always on the go and always looking for something to get into, be it working out, hanging out with friends, or working for their careers. In other words, don’t be surprised if plans change!
If you’re looking for a serious relationship, or maybe you’re uncomfortable with how flirty Dominican men can be with women who aren’t you, it may be a bad idea to date a Dominican man. Conversely, if you’re looking for a casual fling, dating a Dominican man may be perfect for you because you’re free to roam and flirt, just like they are!
Important tips for dating a Dominican man include:
- Be patient and understanding—between their spontaneous personalities and their skewed sense of time; we cannot tie Dominican men down to plans. Trust and respect him above all else. He’s yours if he’s yours, even if he’s not with you all hours of the day. This is a cultural difference with Dominican men, as couples do not need to do everything together to prove their devotion.
- Take care of yourself—they want you to look as good as they do!
- Be adventurous—Dominican men are fun and want to be with someone else who is too! Don’t be afraid to try new things with him.
- Learn to dance—Dancing is a love language in the Dominican Republic. Show him how much you care by learning to merengue, salsa, and Bachata with him!
- Let him win your heart—Dominican men love chasing women and seducing them and are most attracted to those that they have to win over!
The Dominican Republic is full of rich culture and traditions that Dominican men will bring into your relationship if you choose to date them. While it’s important to not stereotype or generalize Dominican men and lump them all together, what we’ve outlined here is a great starting point to help you navigate what it’s like when dating a Dominican man.