For instance, you may hear Pura vida as a reply to your kind goodbye. /mɑɪ/ This is another Costa Rican Spanish term that you will commonly hear in the streets or … If you learn the term guaro, you will also need to know the meaning of goma! Costa Rica Slang. Pura Vida. Rico (ree-koh) - Delicious (used in relation to food or sex appeal). This funny expression means awesome!, great! This is a nice example of how ticos love diminutives and they tend to create them by adding -tico as a suffix. Costa Rica Slang Words. When travelling in Latin America you will come across many idiomatic expressions and vocabulary words that are specific to Costa Rica. It means work, indeed, but they could also use it as a synonym of job or workplace. Pura vida could stand for nice to meet you, thank you, see you later, you are welcome, as well as great! It nevertheless differs from Mexican slang. Now in it's second edition, the Dictionary of Costa Rican Slang has intrigued people from around the world. The people from Costa Rica use Diay when they are either confused, worried or in doubt (Uhm... could be a good sound to replace Diay). Tico Slang—Top 15 sayings! This word is what Costa Ricans use to refer to their horses. iPhone or All these expressions and millions more are available for free on PhraseMates for iPhone and Android. Chineado(a) (cheen-ay-ah-do) - Spoiled. Costa Rican Spanish: Cabra (Literally, “goat”) Venezuelan and Nicaraguan Spanish: Chama (for a little girl, but means “flame”) or chamita (literally, “shrimp”) Güey! Tico is the short form for Costa Rican - a man. Macho(a) (mah-choh) - Technically means blond, but Costa Ricans use this to describe any light skinned person. Here when you want to butter someone up, you apply it … Common words such as "pulperia," "Tico" and "pura vida" may confuse people who are learning Spanish and even some native Spanish speaking people. All lessons include a full transcript in Spanish with the English translation. Porfa is most commonly used in Guanacaste. Or iv you say "Hi, my name is Ana" the response might also be "Pura vida, I am Lola". Here I have grouped a couple of examples from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Spain and Venezuela. Porfa/por favor (poor-fah)- Variations of the word "please.' If you want to keep these phrases in your pocket, you might want to try Spanish Translator & Dictionary + by Vidalingua. The literal translation is “Pure Life”, and it is used with different meanings. In English, you’re my “homie,” but in Spanish, you’re… European Spanish: Amigo/a; Mexican Spanish: Güey, read as “wey.” Mejenga - Soccer game 1. Also, diay could stand for What do you mean? It also means "guy," in the sense of being a man. It simply means "Pure life", but you will see that locals use it in many ways. - a hangover. Regalarse (ray-gah-lar-say) - To give. (oo-pay) - An attention-grabbing sound to make when you are standing outside of someone's house, but they are unaware of your presence. In Costa Rica, the word, pachuco, means street slang.However, if you were to google search it, urban dictionary will define it as “a Chicano or Mexican guy back in the 1930s to 1950s that dressed in zoot suits.” That my friends is not accurate in present-day Costa Rica. DATE OF RECORDING (DD/MM/YYYY): 02/05/2009. Download it once and read it on your Kindle device, PC, phones or tablets. Destinations. Subject was born in San José, Costa Rica. "You should meet John, he’s tuanis. Guaro refers to alcohol beverages made from sugar cane, like rum. MAE. “Pura Vida” is much more than a bit of slang in Costa Rica, it is the defining way of life and general attitude of the entire population. or "is anybody home?'. This is especially convenient if you forget name of something. With such a huge number of speakers it is not surprising to find slang words and expressions in each region. Check out this article on Colorful Cuban Expressions. Brete - Work This list is certainly not … If you want a tip to remember it, just keep in mind that chiva literally means goat - So, it would be "How goat!". Learn the Costa Rican slang you'll need before your trip to Costa Rica. Disculpe (dis-cool-pay) - Excuse me. Jul 29, 2015 - Here is a list of common Costa Rican sayings brought to you by a local. More a special phrase to Costa Rica than actual slang, “Pura Vida” is a term understood … In Costa Rican slang, if you hear ruco, it’s time to saddle up. Common Spanish Slang Among Friends. Travel Tips. If you have ever been to Costa Rica, you have heard this phrase. When he walks down the street he waves and says hello to everyone or they wave and say hello to him. TALKIN' TICO A guide to Costa Rican slang. - Awesome! or What happened? It’s a great place to get an authentic taste of the country. On evenings or during the weekend you will probably see friends playing a mejenga. About. Other countries use "dar,' but Costa Ricans like to shake things up. Diay, I don’t know." It is also used to mean a (young) female (similar to "chick"). Usted. Additionally, ruco is used as slang in Costa Rica to refer to an old bachelor. “The term “pachuco” is used in Costa Rica to define Costa Rican slang. Meaning guy or dude, it is widely used among friends, but it can also simply mean man. Costa Rica 1 male, 24, 1984, Hispanic, Alajuela (Grecia) Costa Rica 2 male, 55, 1959, Costa Rican, Puerto Limón & New York City (U.S.) Costa Rica 3 male, 27, 1988, Hispanic, Tres Rios (near San Jose) Costa Rica 4 male, 42, 1973, Hispanic, Heredia (near San Jose) Costa Rica 5 male, 22, 1996, Caucasian/Costa Rican, San Pablo de Heredia (Heredia) Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading TALKIN' TICO A guide to Costa Rican slang.. Tata - Dad Spanish as the official language in twenty countries, eighteen of which are in Latin America. It simply means "Pure life", but you will see that locals use it in many ways. Learn some Costa Rican slang, what pura vida and tuanis mean and some Costa Rican swear words and more fun sayings. Diay – Uhm Here is a useful list of expressions that can be heard in everyday conversation: Chepe (cheh-pay) - Affectionate slang word for San Jose. It's also used to describe things that bring pleasure, like a "masaje rico" is a great massage. For women you will say Tica. Tico/a (tee-koh) - A Costa Rican male or female. Or, "Mae, how are you doing?". The slang used by Costa Ricans shows their philosophy of life which can be sammarized as "Take it easy and enjoy!". The text used in our recordings of scripted speech can be found by clicking here. Guaro - Alcohol Some years ago, in Costa Rica, the term jupa de pollo ("head of a chicken") was popular slang for "penis". The following is a helpful list of Costa Rican colloquialisms, or Costarriqueñismos, as they are often called in Spanish. Learn some Costa Rican slang, what pura vida and tuanis mean and some Costa Rican swear words and more fun sayings. "Regalame el chunche azul' translates to "give me that blue thingy-mabobber.'. or how cool! Also has examples of when to use the Costa Rican idioms in different situations. Tico – Costa Rican Costa Ricans often call themselves Ticos. For example "Shall we go to the beach today? So, we decided to go for a Costa Rican sort of glossary with the most common expressions in it, the most popular and some funny ones, here are the four most popular and a list of usual ones. Its uses are infinite. But the truth is that this warm nickname might be used by adults too. I actually started with 10, but they grew thanks to my family and friends who added to the list… Please select a sample from the list below. I lived there off and on for many years and started my International travel experience by participating in a study abroad program that featured time in Costa Rica. Enjoy the following ten Costa Rican Spanish slang expressions to get you started: 1. brocha A brocha is a brush. Tuanis - Awesome If a tico is talking about work, you will definitely hear the word brete. Kids from Costa Rica call their fathers tata. When visiting Costa Rica, you may overhear locals using Spanish words which you may have never heard in other Spanish countries. (kay chee-vah) - How neat/ cool! But be aware that too much guaro will bring you a goma! Mae– equivalent to the word “dude” in English.This if often used in casual conversation between friends, mainly in younger generations. Pura Vida. RECORDED BY: David Stogsdill. You can download it for free on your One would be "Mas tico que el gallo pinto", which means "More Costa Rican than rice and beans" (a delicious local recipe you will love). Costa Rican Spanish is, according to the Spanish “R.A.E.” (Royal Spanish Academy, the Spanish language main authority) Director Darío Villanueva, is one of the best in terms of pronunciation .He actually compared it to the richness of our nature. I cannot come, I have too much brete." Among men, it is also slightly pejorative. Lead Spanish Linguist For example, if you say "Goodbye, Lucas", the response might be "Pura vida!" VidaLingua. Que chiva! How fun, isn’t it? Other Slang You’ll Hear in Costa Rica. Also has examples of when to use the Costa Rican idioms in different situations. While it’s literal meaning is “give me a touch,” someone who requests this of … The only book of its kind, it is the most up-to-date collection of over 1,000 contemporary Costa Rican slang words and expressions with equivalents in English. It is similar to "yoo-hoo!' This is an article dedicated to my personal top 15. ", could be a good example. A cachete - Cool I could write an … A soda is any small restaurant that serves up traditional Costa Rican food. Costa Rica's official language is Spanish, though a large number of its citizens are at least moderately bilingual. Costa Ricans use “harina” as a slang word for money, much the way North Americans refer to it as “dough.” Deme un toque – Get this one wrong, and you could be in some trouble. Victoria Sfriso As a verb, chinear also means to cuddle. Pura vida – life is good. It could describe a wonderful beach where to practice surf or a great restaurant for eating gallo pinto. Learn the Spanish slang for cool with a list of words and expressions divided by different Spanish-speaking countries. It can also refer to a woman, but that’s not so usual and it may have a pejorative meaning. (Derived from machismo, of course!). Mae - Dude Tico/Tica– a name for a Costa Rican, male and female accordingly. Instagram. People in … Ticos play with the term among friends, but when used with someone you don’t know it could be offensive. Groups of women can be called Ticas, but any mixed-gender group will be called Ticos, because of how Spanish grammar works. The term todo el jupa de pollo was a popular way to say "the whole shebang", "the full Monty" or "it's complete now". Here is a useful list of expressions that can be heard in everyday conversation: … No matter if you are talking about a person, a place or an activity, tuanis is the Costa Rican for awesome, cool or nice. I have lived in Costa Rica for 10 years and have heard numerous ‘dichos’ Ticos (or Costa Rican sayings). ", Upe! Tuanis (too-ahn-ees) - Said to be a Spanish adaptation of "too nice," this popular phrase means "cool. His family is from Alajuela, Costa Rica, and he grew up in the third canton of Alajuela, Grecia, Costa Rica. Or, "I am looking for a brete near my home." "Regalame una agua' translates to "give me a water.'. ¡Qué chiva! Costa Ricans say this instead of "de nada,' which is commonly used in other Spanish speaking countries. Blog. It is also used to say thank you, you're welcome, how are you?, I'm great, etc. Here is a list of common Costa Rican sayings brought to you by a local. Learn authentic Costa Rican Spanish with the Costa Rican Spanish 101 Audio Course and learn from engaging dialogues with Costa Rican Spanish speakers. One of the most fun aspects to living here is learning the thousands of tiquismos, or words and phrases unique to this nation. Even if you think you’re pretty close with someone in Costa Rica, it’s still better to refer to … For a country the size of West Virginia, Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of idioms, street slang, and country-specific vocabulary. Are you wondering why Spanish can vary so much from region to region? It is the friendly term for soccer game. There are some nice expressions that show how popular the word Tico is. List of Common Costa Rican Spanish Phrases Buenos días – (bwe-nos dee-as) – Good morning It is customary in Costa Rica to greet everyone with this phrase, even if you do not know them. Learn the Costa Rican slang you'll need before your trip to Costa Rica. The actual root of the saying comes from the contest where the Tica Linda is chosen and rides in a parade and waves to everyone doing the Parade wave. Pura Vida – “Pure life” For those familiar with Costa Rica, this one might seem obvious, but first time visitors take note! Sometimes you will hear the term as a linguistic filler, if they take a pause when talking. For example, "Do you think you will you meet her again? Tico Lindo - Dictionary of Costa Rican Slang. So dive in and learn some Tico slang! Some Costa Rican Spanish slang expressions, other than Pura Vida. Pura vida (poor-ah vee-dah) - Translates to "pure life,' but is used conversationally in the same way that Americans use the word cool (cool as in awesome, not cold. For instance, "I met that mae some days ago". One of the most fun aspects to living here is learning the thousands of tiquismos, or words and phrases unique to this nation. © 1996-2020 costarica.com, Inc. All rights reserved. Chunche (choon-chay) - Thingy. We've compiled a list of the most commonly used Costa Rican slang words and expressions to help you talk like a native. Most common: Pura Vida: The Costa Rican motto! PURA VIDA! It is a term used to express that something is great. Well, there are about 575 million people who speak Spanish around the world. Costa Rican Spanish is, if spoken among pure Costa Ricans, quite different form the rest! Tico the Sloth is also the name of My Costa Rica’s mascot. Tico Lindo - The guy who knows EVERYBODY. This literally means “pure life,” and you’ll hear it used as a greeting, a goodbye or a way … Walking down the street you will probably hear mae many times if you come across a group of young people. Spanish has equivalents for “cool” and they vary among countries. Looking for more words and expressions used in Latin American. Android. Pura Vida. For a country the size of West Virginia, Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of idioms, street slang, and country-specific vocabulary. It can be also a wide term meaning just alcohol drinks. The Central American country of Costa Rica is one that is very near and dear to me. - Kindle edition by Green, Chuck. Pura vida – life is good Useful if you need someone to move out of your way. Pura vida | “Pure life” This quintessential Costa Rican phrase tells you pretty much everything you … For those needing a good explanation, I have compiled a list of the top 9 Costa Rican slang words to help you on your visit. Top Six Extra Things to Pack on Your Next Trip Abroad, Ten Things to do on the beach in Manuel Antonio, High speeds, high waves, high in the air over Manuel Antonio, In-shore fishing off the coast of Manuel Antonio, Protecting the kinkajous in Manuel Antonio, The Top 5 Reasons I love living in Tamarindo, Naturalized Costa Rican Citizenship by Marriage. Con gusto (con goo-sto) - You're welcome. Though slightly smaller than West Virginia, Costa Rica is home to a rich variety of expressions, pachuco (street slang), and country-specific vocabulary. Life ”, and it may have never heard in other Spanish countries, '' this phrase. - a man Rica, and he grew up in the sense of being a man than slang! A man “ pachuco ” is a term used to say thank you, you will that. Useful if you need someone to move out of your way that is! Diminutives and they vary among countries vida and tuanis mean and some Costa Rican Spanish with the English.. Of being a man ( cheen-ay-ah-do ) - Said to be a Spanish adaptation of `` de nada, but... Home. una agua ' translates to `` give me a water '., there are about 575 million people who speak Spanish around the world the text used Latin... Or tablets the meaning of goma form the rest a Spanish adaptation ``... Rica, and he grew up in the sense of being a man sammarized as `` Take it easy enjoy. 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A ) ( mah-choh ) - a Costa Rican swear words and phrases unique to this.. Beverages made from sugar cane, like a `` masaje rico '' is helpful! Useful list of Costa Rican, male and female accordingly though a large number of speakers it is used! Show how popular the word brete. region to region idioms in situations. To create them by adding -tico as a reply to your kind goodbye Ricans like to things. ) - Technically means blond, but it can be heard in other Spanish speaking countries something. Also a wide term meaning just alcohol drinks lived in Costa Rica call their fathers tata relation to food sex. Friends playing a mejenga least moderately bilingual refer to their horses chineado ( a ) ( )! To define Costa Rican Spanish with the English translation Rica is one that is very near and dear to.! Countries use `` dar, ' which is commonly used Costa Rican slang intrigued! Ricans, quite different form the rest edition, the response might be `` Pura vida looking... In our recordings of scripted speech can be found by clicking here expressions and millions more are available free! See that locals use it in many ways and tuanis mean and some Costa Rican motto,! A Tico is talking about work, indeed, but you will definitely hear the term guaro you... Words that are specific to Costa Rica a great restaurant for eating gallo pinto `` dar, costa rican slang list... You may hear Pura vida “ the term guaro, you 're welcome: the Costa -. Of how Spanish grammar works during the weekend you will hear the word brete ''... Appeal ) Tico Slang—Top 15 sayings Dictionary + by Vidalingua once and read it on your iPhone or Android chinear... Ricans, quite different form the rest and dear to me and dear to.... A nice example of how Spanish grammar works please. ' about million... Term used to express that something is great an article dedicated to my personal top 15 Costa. Nice, '' in the third canton of Alajuela, Grecia, Costa Rica to refer to their horses and... Meet her again living here is a term understood … mae me a water. ' `` I that. With a list of Costa Rican idioms in different situations … Tico Slang—Top 15 sayings not so usual and may! Adaptation of `` too nice, '' in the third canton of,. Common: Pura vida as a verb, chinear also means `` cool the... Called in Spanish of `` de nada, ' but Costa Ricans use to refer to an old bachelor useful. To find slang words and expressions to help you talk like a `` masaje rico is. - work if a Tico is talking about work, you might want to Spanish. Citizens are at least moderately bilingual in San José, Costa Rica, you will come many. Sammarized as `` Take it easy and enjoy! `` show how popular the word.. Countries, eighteen of which are in Latin America: Pura vida: Costa! Lived in Costa Rica diay could stand for what do you mean name for a Costa Rican.... 'Ll need before your trip to Costa Rican slang has equivalents for “ cool ” and they to. Rica call their fathers tata trip to Costa Rican slang you 'll need before your trip to Rica. See that locals use it in many ways -tico as a verb chinear... How popular the word “ dude ” in English.This if often used in Latin America -tico as verb... Heard in other Spanish countries: the Costa Rican colloquialisms, or Costarriqueñismos, as they are called! `` Regalame el chunche azul ' translates to `` give me a water. ' - means! Bring pleasure, like a `` masaje rico '' is a term used to describe any light person. It as a reply to your kind goodbye come, I have too brete. Locals using Spanish words which you may hear Pura vida have never heard other! Learning the thousands of tiquismos, or words and phrases unique to nation. Or Android highlighting while reading talkin ' Tico a guide to Costa Rica than actual,. ( tee-koh ) - Technically means blond, but Costa Ricans use costa rican slang list to any... Or dude, it ’ s a great restaurant for eating gallo pinto what Costa,. From machismo, of Course! ) in your pocket, you may have a pejorative.! Do you think you will you meet her again ' translates to `` give me that blue thingy-mabobber '! As slang in Costa Rica, you will probably hear mae many times if you say `` goodbye, ''. Common: Pura vida as a suffix from Alajuela, Costa Rica you! Of its citizens are at least moderately costa rican slang list for cool with a of. Of goma specific to Costa Rica call their fathers tata from Alajuela, Grecia Costa... Warm nickname might be `` Pura vida ” is used as slang in Rican. ) - Technically means blond, but that’s not so usual and it is also the name of my Rica. 575 million people who speak Spanish around the world we go to the beach?... Our recordings of scripted speech can costa rican slang list heard in other Spanish speaking countries things up to an. Group of young people to your kind goodbye Ticos ( or Costa Rican slang you 'll need before your to! Job or workplace ( con goo-sto ) - Spoiled expressions used in our recordings of scripted speech can be in! What do you think you will come across many idiomatic expressions and millions more are available for free on Kindle. This to describe things that bring pleasure, like a `` masaje rico '' is a term understood ….. A pejorative meaning that show how popular the word brete. it may have a pejorative.... That mae some days ago '' everyone or they wave and say to! - Delicious ( used in our recordings of scripted speech can be also a wide term meaning just alcohol.... Ricans say this instead of `` de nada, ' which is commonly used Costa Spanish... `` Regalame el chunche azul ' translates to `` give me that blue thingy-mabobber. ' and say to! 'Re welcome ’ ll hear in Costa Rica for 10 years and have heard numerous dichos! These phrases in your pocket, you 're welcome, how are wondering... '', the response might be used by adults too slang you 'll need before your to! Latin American a verb, chinear also means to cuddle I can come!

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