37 Costa Rican Slang Phrases and Phrases from the World’s Happiest Nation

They are saying that Costa Rica is “The World’s Happiest Nation.”

I’m undecided if that’s true, nevertheless it does look like individuals who go to Costa Rica return to their residence nations with a stellar impression of this Central American nation.

Whatever the cause for your go to to Costa Rica, you’ll wish to know some good, genuine phrases that you simply’ll hear the locals say so you may higher perceive the conversations and the tradition.

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1. Tico / Tica — Costa Rican man/Costa Rican lady

A tico is a Costa Rican man and a tica is a Costa Rican lady.

This comes from an inclination to make issues diminutive by including the suffix -tico.

For instance, the phrase for small is chico. In different Spanish-speaking nations, individuals could say chiquito, or actually “little small,” I suppose. The purpose is that, in most locations, the suffixes for small issues are -ito and -ita.

You’ll hear them in Costa Rica, and also you’ll additionally hear issues like chiquitico, which is simply one other method to describe one thing that’s apparently extremely tiny. Anyhow, evidently individuals in Costa Rica did that a lot that this tendency gave them a nationwide nickname.

2. Pura vida— Hi there/Goodbye/Thanks/You’re welcome (lit. “pure life”)

You’ll hear pura vida used as a greeting, a goodbye or a method to say “thanks” or “you’re welcome.” It’s mainly just like the Costa Rican “aloha.”

It’s a constructive phrase about seizing the second and having fun with life. It may be mentioned as a greeting, in the course of a dialog, after you’ve mentioned or heard somebody say one thing thrilling… it’s mainly a one-size-fits-all phrase! Each Costa Rican will probably be delighted to listen to you say this.

Nonetheless, it may be a bit complicated in the event you’re searching for a enterprise named Pura Vida, since seemingly each second retailer within the nation is called one thing like Pura Vida Surf Store, Pura Vida Pet Provides or Pura Vida Schoolbook Depository.

3. Mae — Dude/Man/“Um”

Mae is mostly utilized by males referring to different males, however it may well sometimes be used to confer with a lady. If used to speak a few lady, although, it’s not often a flattering reference.

Be aware that, in the event you name a male a mae, it’s additionally not terribly flattering. At greatest, it’s impartial, however it may well typically be detrimental, just like the phrases schlub or schmo in English. Pals could use it as a jokingly-insulting time period of endearment, however in the event you say it to another person, it’d trigger hassle.

The short-lived on-line satirical newspaper El Pejibaye even had a column known as “Mae of the Week,” which featured fictional mediocre guys who have been typically unemployed and dwelling with their grandmothers or sisters. 

However that that means of the phrase solely accounts for perhaps 20% of the instances you’ll hear mae in Costa Rica. For the opposite 80%, it’s used largely by younger males as linguistic filler. For a lot of of them, it’s just like the Costa Rican model of the phrase “like,” “uh” or “um.”

In case you don’t consider me, simply snoop on a dialog between two Costa Rican guys of their early 20s. It doesn’t matter what the subject, you’ll probably hear mae greater than you’ll hear phrases like “the.”

4. Tuanis — Cool

One other extremely popular Costa Rican slang phrase is tuanis which is usually used to say “cool” or “good.” 

There’s an attention-grabbing idea that tuanis is definitely a bizarre variation on the phrase bueno (good) that was handed by a course of to make it a form of code phrase, nevertheless it’s additionally a barely complicated idea.

Tuanis can be utilized in an identical method to one other Costa Rican slang expression on this listing: ¡Qué chiva! (#33) which suggests “How cool!” or “Superior!” 

¡Qué tuanis! (How cool!)

5. Diay / Idiay — “Um”/Hey/And…?

Diay and idiay are frequent Costa Rican slang phrases which are derived from de ahí (subsequently/therefore) and y de ahí (and from there/and therefore), respectively.

These phrases are each versatile and can be utilized in an array of conditions, resembling a pause in a dialog, a greeting and a immediate for somebody to proceed talking.

You may virtually get a way of the completely different meanings within the following alternate between Ana and María:

Ana: ¡Diay! ¿Cómo está? (Hey! How are you?)

María: Estoy bien, gracias. (I’m good, thanks.)

Ana: Diay… ¿Sigues viviendo en El Puerto? (And…? Are you continue to dwelling in Puntarenas?)

María: No, me acabo de mudar a Chepe. (No, I’ve simply moved to San José.)

Ana: ¿Y su novio? ¿Ya no están juntos? (And what about your boyfriend? Are you not collectively anymore?)

María: Diay, no sé. Es que… (Um, I don’t know. It’s simply that…)

6. Suave — Relax

In case you say this to a different particular person in an argument, it means “settle down.” In case you and a buddy get right into a heated alternate, you may simply say ¡Suave, mae! which suggests “Take it simple!”

7. ¿Al chile? — Actually?/Are you severe?

This phrase expresses shock or shock in response to what somebody says. It interprets to “Actually?” or “Are you severe?”

A: En dos semanas voy a viajar a Italia para estudiar italiano. (In two weeks I’m going to journey to Italy to check Italian.)

B: ¿Al chile? ¡Que te vaya bien! (Actually? Good luck!)

8. Chepe, Moncho and El Puerto — San José, San Ramón and Puntarenas (cities)

These are nicknames for the Costa Rican cities of San José, San Ramón and Puntarenas.

In fact, many cities in lots of nations have completely different nicknames, and Costa Rican cities aren’t any exception.

For instance, Escazú, the suburb of San José, is known as la ciudad de las brujas (the town of witches), however these appear a bit completely different. El Puerto (the port) is smart since there’s a port in Puntarenas, however the different two are extra attention-grabbing.

Chepe is the nickname for the identify José and Moncho is the nickname for Ramón. So mainly, they took the nicknames for the individuals and utilized them to the cities.

10. Despiche — A giant mess

This can be a phrase that you ought to be very cautious with, since its root, picha, is a slang phrase for penis.

A despiche is when all the pieces appears to disintegrate or go improper. Mainly it’s an enormous mess. 

The phrase se despichó is used when misfortune happens or as a method to specific frustration. For instance, if somebody has an accident. An instance for when to say it could be in the event you fell down snowboarding or browsing.

An analogous phrase is pichazo, which may actually imply one thing like “an enormous penis.” In colloquial use, although, it means a ton of one thing. Un pichazo de gente could be “a bunch of individuals.”

It could possibly additionally imply a “hit,” however we’ll get to that close to the top of this text.

I wouldn’t advocate utilizing these until you’re actually comfy with Costa Rican slang—and with the individuals you’re speaking to! 

11. N.J. (Nos Juimos) — We’re outta right here!

I’ve heard that the phrase nos juimos, wherein a j is substituted for the f in fuimos, is frequent in different nations, however the Costa Rican twist is that right here in addition they simply say the 2 letters to abbreviate it: N.J.

Bear in mind to pronounce the letters in Spanish (like “en-ay hota”).

A: ¿Entonces nos vemos en el cine a las 5 de la tarde? (So we’ll meet on the movie show at 5 p.m.?)

B: Ahí los vidrios. (See you there.)

13. Mejenga — Choose-up soccer recreation

Mejenga means a pick-up soccer recreation or casual soccer recreation amongst associates.

Almost each weekend or weeknight night, you’ll see many ticos—each maes and non-maes alike—getting collectively for a mejenga, both at an outside area or, if it’s through the September-December wet season, indoors on synthetic turf.

14. Jupa — Head

This can be a time period which means “head.” If somebody is cussed, that particular person could also be known as jupón (large head).

Because you keep in mind your Spanish pronunciation, that is pronounced “hoopa,” and you could hear it in a phrase like me golpeé la jupa (I banged my head).

One other instance for when to make use of this might be in the event you went out for a protracted evening of clubbing and had a throbbing headache. You may say ¡tuve un dolor de jupa enorme anoche! 

15. Ruco — Horse/Outdated man

This can be a Costa Rican phrase for “horse.” It can be used to confer with an previous man, particularly an previous bachelor.

To be trustworthy, I had by no means heard this phrase till I requested round for good slang phrases, and I even stay in a spot the place individuals nonetheless journey horses. However a number of individuals I interviewed insisted that I embrace this phrase within the listing, so right here you go!

16. Cabra — Younger lady/Girlfriend

Cabra actually means “goat” in Spanish, nevertheless it’s additionally a slang time period that some males in Costa Rica use to confer with their girlfriends or younger ladies. 

17. Guachimán  — Watchman/Guard

In case you pronounce this slowly, it sounds a bit like “watchy-man,” proper?

Effectively, that’s precisely what this phrase means, and it’s even a little bit of a deviation from an “Englishy” phrase.

In case you go to any metropolis and even medium-sized city in Costa Rica, you’re more likely to come throughout a guachimán or two. They’re the fellows who watch parked vehicles in alternate for some spare change. Some are extra formal about it, even carrying a reflective chaleco (vest), and others could have simply proven up proper earlier than you bought again to your automobile, since they noticed you coming.

I consider this phrase, or a variation of it, could also be utilized in different components of Latin America, however I nonetheless needed to go away it in as a result of it’s simply such an awesome phrase. Plus, in the event you hire a automobile right here, you’ll probably come throughout a couple of guachimán.

18. Tata — Dad

In Costa Rica, tata means “father.” Presumably, it’s simple for even infants and toddlers to say, nevertheless it’s nonetheless utilized by grown adults to confer with their fathers.

In case you hear ellos se jalaron una torta y ella quedó embarazada, then you definitely’ll be capable to catch the figurative that means of this phrase.

20. Rulear — To sleep

This verb is one other method to say “to sleep” and may straight change dormir.

Estoy muy cansada. Quiero rulear pero solo son las 7 de la tarde. (I’m very drained. I wish to sleep nevertheless it’s solely 7 p.m.) 

21. Jamar — To eat

Jamar can straight change comer to say “to eat.”

¿Quiere algo para jamar? Voy a ir a comprar un café y un arreglado. (Would you like one thing to eat? I’m going to go purchase a espresso and a sandwich.) 

22. Guaro — Booze

This phrase often denotes alcohol constituted of sugar cane, nevertheless it can be used to confer with any form of alcohol, form of just like the phrase “booze” in English.

A typical kind of guaro in Costa Rica is the model Cacique, a phrase which really means “chief.” However Costa Rica additionally makes its share of rum, one other form of booze constituted of sugar cane.

23. Una teja — 100-colones cash

A teja is a phrase for a roof tile, however in Costa Rica it’s additionally used to confer with 100-colones cash. Don’t neglect, the foreign money in Costa Rica is the Costa Rican colón, and Colón is the Spanish identify for “Columbus,” as within the (in)well-known sailor, Christopher.

Previously, the phrase una teja was used to confer with 100-colón payments, however now the identical phrase is used to confer with the coin.

Costa Ricans additionally use completely different slang phrases to confer with different denominations of payments. For instance, un rojo (a crimson one) is a 1,000-colones invoice (because it’s crimson), and you could hear a 5,000-colones invoice known as un tucán (a toucan) as a result of the previous 5,000-colones invoice had a toucan on the again. The new invoice, which was launched a number of years in the past, really has a monkey on it, however you don’t actually hear individuals asking for his or her buddies to mortgage them un mono (a monkey) to allow them to purchase some guaro.

Lastly, La Teja is a trashy day by day “newspaper” that’s printed all through Costa Rica. I consider it was on condition that identify as a result of it initially price 100 colones, however within the meantime the worth is now at 250 colones (round $0.47 USD). 

24. Harina — Cash

Harina straight interprets to “flour” from Spanish to English, nevertheless it can be used as a slang time period for cash in Costa Rica. So until your neighbor subsequent door pops over to ask for some to make use of in her cookies, you may assume that when somebody asks for harina, she or he is requesting money.

¿Me puede prestar un poco de harina? La tienda no acepta pagos con tarjeta y el banco está cerrado. (Are you able to lend me some cash? The shop doesn’t settle for card funds and the financial institution is closed.)

25. Lata — Bus

Maybe that is one other phrase you acknowledge, because it interprets to “can” in English. Nonetheless, if somebody says that they take the lata to work, they really imply the bus—they don’t take a can to work. 

Tengo que agarrar la lata e ir a Chepe mañana. (I’ve to catch the bus and go to San José tomorrow.)

26. Brete — Work

If somebody says they must go to brete as an alternative of spend time with you, it means she or he has to go to work.

27. Un blanco — A cigarette

In Costa Rica, un blanco is a cigarette, which is necessary to know in case anybody ever requests un blanco from you.

¿Me da un blanco? (Are you able to give me a cigarette?)

28. Perico — Cocaine

Perico means “parakeet” in Spanish however in Costa Rica, in addition they use it as a time period for cocaine. So, watch out if somebody there gives you perico—they may not offer you a colourful pet chook however one thing else completely…

For instance, in case your new trainer causes you to yawn incessantly in school, you can say mi maestra nueva es muy agüevada.

Equally, agüevado may imply “unhappy”: Me siento un poco agüevado hoy. (I’m feeling a little bit down in the present day.)

30. Goma — A hangover

Goma means “hangover” or “hungover” in Costa Rica. It’s possible you’ll hear one thing like Tengo (una) goma (I’ve a hangover) or Estoy de goma (I’m hungover).

The phrase goma may imply “gum,” though not like chewing gum (that’s chicle), however as an alternative any gummy substance.

As you in all probability keep in mind from #10 above, a pichazo can imply a “large penis,” nevertheless it can be used to confer with a beating, successful, individuals preventing and even simply getting harm usually. It’s form of just like the phrase “wipe out” when speaking about browsing. You will discover a number of YouTube movies with this precise title.

It’s also possible to use it as a verb. In case you get beat up, you may say me pichacearon, which might imply one thing like “I acquired my butt kicked,” solely a bit extra vulgar.

The phrase jeta is a slang phrase for “face” or “snout,” so in some contexts, this will imply one thing like “what cheek,” as within the particular person is being insolent.

However extra generally it’s used to imply one thing like “Yeah, proper,” “No method” or “Wow.” “Wow” might be the closest equal, since you may as well use inflection and context to offer it completely different meanings.

33. ¡Qué chiva!  — How cool!/Superior!

Actually talking, a chiva could be the feminine type of chivo, or “goat.”

However often this phrase means “How cool!” or “Superior!” In case you’re aware of Mexican slang, it’s mainly the identical as ¡Qué chido! there.

Additionally word that chiva is pronounced like “cheeba.”

One of many first Spanish phrases you in all probability discovered was madre, or “mom.” However on this context, mom has gone dangerous.

¡Qué madre! means “Bummer!” I’m undecided the place madre acquired its detrimental connotation, however the phrase desmadre is much like despiche (see #10) or, in different phrases, a chaotic scenario. In case you name somebody la pura madre, it may be one thing like “a ache within the butt.”

35. ¡Qué salidas! — What nonsense!/How loopy!

A salida is a departure, so you can be excused for pondering this has to do with the airport. Nevertheless it really means “What nonsense!” or “How loopy!”

The verb salir can be utilized typically to imply “give you,” as in Él sale con cada cosa (Actually, “He leaves with such issues,” nevertheless it means extra like “He comes up with the strangest issues”). So on this case salidas is used to imply unusual concepts.

In Costa Rica chirotada can imply “luck” or “happiness,” so in the event you say ¡Qué chirotada! you could be exclaiming since you discovered a rojo on the road.

In fact, like so many different issues, this will additionally confer with genitalia. I included this one as a result of my spouse informed me a narrative a few man in our city who had a run-in with a imply canine. He later exclaimed ¡Ese perro casi me arrancó la chirotada! (That canine virtually bit off my junk!)

In some areas of Costa Rica, such because the capital San José, you’ll hear vos.

Maybe you’re unfamiliar with vos, nevertheless it’s much like tú and is quite common in Central and South American nations. Conjugations utilizing vos are a bit completely different however you may simply be taught them!

In fact it’s not all the time simple switching between formal and casual on the fly, however don’t fret. It’s completely protected and acceptable for foreigners to talk utilizing solely tú (or another type with which you’re comfy).

Effectively, we’ve already discovered about Cuban, Ecuadorian, Argentinean, Chilean, Spanish and Mexican slang, and also you’ve in all probability even picked up some good slang for sending textual content messages in Spanish.

However in the event you’re visiting Costa Rica, numerous these phrases from different nations are so completely different they may as nicely be in Portuguese—what you want is Costa Rican slang!

As a language trainer myself, I typically marvel if it’s a good suggestion to show or be taught slang phrases. Slang modifications so typically, and sure phrases could be relegated to solely sure instances and locations. Simply think about an English learner utilizing phrases like “groovy” and “the bee’s knees.” It’s not that they’re not actual expressions, or that we wouldn’t perceive them, however they sound old school.

The easiest way to keep away from that is to be taught the precise slang for proper now. In case you don’t understand it, you merely may not perceive what your Costa Rican associates must say!

Just like the slang-loving man within the video above, Costa Ricans are certainly well-known for being pleasant and welcoming to vacationers and new individuals, and in the event you can communicate Spanish, you’ll have an excellent simpler time becoming in.

Moreover, in the event you can perceive and even use a number of of those Costa Rican slang phrases, you’ll probably get a constructive response from most Costa Ricans!

So, you may go forward and use these phrases in order for you. In case you’re a bit too timid to attempt them your self, you may be taught them simply to make sure that you perceive them. The extra you understand, the higher off you’ll be.

I’ve lived in Costa Rica for practically 10 years, however I’ve to confess that I don’t use a number of of those myself. It’s simply not my type. Nonetheless, I do really feel prefer it’s been very useful to grasp what they imply, since individuals do use them on a regular basis.

I ran all of those phrases by a number of Costa Ricans and most individuals talked about nearly all of the phrases on our listing in the present day. Fairly a number of of the phrases that individuals prompt are additionally used exterior of Costa Rica, so most of these explicit phrases aren’t on this listing. As an alternative, we’re attempting to maintain this as particularly Costa Rican as attainable, though that doesn’t imply that you simply’ll by no means hear any of those phrases exterior of the nation.

In case you nonetheless aren’t positive when to make use of a few of these phrases, packages like FluentU use genuine Spanish movies with interactive subtitles that can assist you be taught. You may see these phrases being utilized in motion by native audio system.

In case you’ve loved studying these Costa Rican slang phrases and want to be taught extra, take a look at these posts for extra slang from different Spanish-speaking nations!

So there you might have it: you’re absolutely geared up in your subsequent dialog with some ticos.

Whether or not you wish to have a pleasant chat with a guachimán over a glass of guaro at a bar in Moncho, or make a passing remark whenever you see two maes knock their heads collectively throughout a mejenga, it is best to be capable to maintain your personal.

Good luck, and… ¡pura vida!

Obtain:
This weblog put up is obtainable as a handy and transportable PDF that you simply
can take wherever.
Click on right here to get a duplicate. (Obtain)