Fulano, Fulanito, Fulanito de Tal

Adriana from Miami, Florida, says she and her Cuban-American friends and family use the terms fulano, fulanito, and fulanito de tal as the Spanish equivalent of John Doe. These terms for “so and so” came into Spanish from Arabic fulan, which likely goes back to an Egyptian term meaning “this person.” The Spanish versions of Tom, Dick, and Harry include Fulano, Mengano y Zutano and Sultano, Perengano y Perensejo. Other terms in Spanish for “John Doe” are Juan Perez, Fulano Fulani, and Juan de los Palotes, or “John of the big sticks.” This is part of a complete episode.