Asturian-American Migration Forum

rapaz: pronounced rah-PATH, sustantivu (noun). An often informal form of address for a young man, fellow, lad, youth. Interchangeable with mozu, young or young-looking man. The diminutive form of rapacín is used with little boys. Plural forms are rapazos and rapacinos. The variant rapazón denotes a burly guy or a young guy that is exceptionally large or overweight.

rapaza: pronounced rah-PATHA, sustantivu (noun). An informal form of address for a young girl or woman, maiden, lassie. Interchangeable with moza, young or young-looking woman. Diminutive form is rapacina. Plural forms: les rapaces or rapacines, or las rapacinas. The variant rapazona means an exceptionally large or overweight young woman.

Usage examples:
Esa ye la rapacina qu’andaba chiscando a les otres na piscina. (That’s the girl that was splashing wáter at the other girls in the pool).
Ah rapaz, echasme un gabitu col coche? (Hey, young fellow, can you give me a hand with the car?)
Vaya rapazón que ta feitu el tou primu! (What a big guy your cousin has become!)
Aú ta la fabada? Estos rapazos tienen fame! (Where’s the Asturian bean stew? These boys are hungry!)

Folk wisdom:
Nun arroxes el fornu, rapaza, en tantu nun tengas la masa. (Don’t fire up the oven, young woman, until the dough is ready; similar in meaning to "Don’t count your chickens until they hatch.")

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iX25VUeZZJo

Click on the link above and fast-forward to 3:10 to listen to Amparo's usage of the word 'rapaz' in Xose Anton Ambas' TV show, 'Camín de Cantares'.

Amparo is 64 and the 'meiraza' (pronounced May-RAH-tha), the eldest daughter. She is from the village of Val.lau (pronounced Va-TSAU; in Spanish, 'Vallado') in the mountains of County Cangas del Narcea, in West Asturias.

She tells the story of a 'rapaz' who she grew up with and whom she never married (but might have). Here is a snippet of the dialogue:

Ambas: La cousa e que foi...

Amparo: La cousa e que foi...porque mira eiquí había un rapaz que taba la escuela eiquí, ya tuvo muitos anos desde pequenu porque xubían-che na cuna. El nun ya que...luego sí, féxose un gran mozu, pero de pequeno era pequeno.

Ambas: Pequeno, pequeno, como you que sou pequeno.

Amparo: Ya, pero el yera ruino, digamoslo así, ya xubiénonlo p'eiquí ya tuvo na escuela muitos anos, ya el.los yeran íntimos amigos. Entonces que quiés que te diga, you tola vida tuvimos xuntos...Aquel pa mi yera un harmanu.