Costa Rican Spanish is clear, unhurried and friendly, but it has a vocabulary all its own that surprises even other Spanish speakers. Learning a few local expressions will help you connect with people and better understand what you hear on the street, at a soda or during a tour.
The use of usted
A distinctive Tico trait is the frequent use of "usted", the formal "you", even among friends, family and children. Far from sounding distant, it is a warm and respectful way to address others. When in doubt, using "usted" is always well received.
Must-know Tico expressions
- Pura vida — the national phrase, literally "pure life": used as hello, goodbye, thank you or to say everything is great.
- Mae — similar to "dude" or "buddy"; used informally among friends.
- Tuanis — cool, nice or pleasant: "El hotel está tuanis" means the hotel is great.
- ¡Qué chiva! — an enthusiastic "how awesome!" for something excellent or fun.
- Diay — a very common filler word meaning something like "well", "so" or "what else?".
- Tico, tica — the affectionate term for Costa Rican people.
- Con mucho gusto — the usual reply to "thank you", warmer than "you’re welcome", meaning "with pleasure".
- Por dicha — "luckily" or "fortunately".
- ¡Upe! — called out when arriving at someone’s home to let them know you are at the door.
- Rajado — impressive, or someone who is really good at what they do.
- Brete — work or job: "Mañana tengo brete" means "I have work tomorrow".
- Chunche — any object or thing whose name you cannot remember, like "thingamajig".
- Harina — money, in slang; literally "flour".
- Birra — beer.
- Soda — a small, casual restaurant serving traditional home-style food.
- Mejenga — a casual pickup soccer game among friends.
- Qué sal — "what bad luck".
- Pura paja — nonsense, or something that is not true.
- Ahorita — "in a little while", which may be soon or not so soon.
Basic travel phrases
- Buenos días, buenas tardes, buenas noches — good morning, good afternoon, good evening.
- ¿Cómo está? — a polite "how are you?".
- Por favor, muchas gracias — please, thank you very much.
- Disculpe — excuse me, to get someone’s attention or ask to pass.
- ¿Cuánto cuesta? — how much does it cost?
- ¿Acepta tarjeta o dólares? — do you accept cards or dollars?
- La cuenta, por favor — the check, please.
- ¿Dónde está el baño? — where is the restroom?
- ¿Habla inglés? — do you speak English?
- Me encanta Costa Rica — I love Costa Rica, a phrase that always earns a smile.
On nature tours
- Perezoso — sloth, the animal every visitor hopes to see.
- Mono congo, mono carablanca, mono tití — local names for the howler, white-faced capuchin and squirrel monkey.
- Tucán, lapa — toucan and macaw; "lapa roja" is the scarlet macaw.
- Catarata — waterfall.
- Sendero — trail.
- Volcán, cráter, aguas termales — volcano, crater, hot springs, key words in Arenal and Poás.
Numbers and time
- Uno, dos, tres, cuatro, cinco — one, two, three, four, five, the basics for prices and quantities.
- ¿Qué hora es? — what time is it?
- A las siete de la mañana — at seven in the morning, handy for coordinating pickups.
A final tip
Costa Ricans truly appreciate visitors who make the effort to speak Spanish, even just a few words. A simple "pura vida" with a smile opens doors all over the country. Our bilingual drivers and guides will be happy to teach you new expressions along the way.
