Costa Rican slang: 300 phrases to sound like a local

300 phrases
300 real examples
53 slang
5 regions
29 local phrases
11 marked vulgar

Costa Ricans call themselves Ticos, and they have a word for almost everything. You'll hear "mae", "diay" and "pura vida" before you leave the airport.

Greetings and small talk 17

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
1	Pura vida	Hi, bye, thanks, all good	¡Pura vida, mae! ¿Todo bien por allá?Hey, man! All good over there?	Everyday The national catchphrase. Use it to greet, thank, agree or say bye.
2	¡Buenas!	Hi (at any hour)	¡Buenas! ¿Me regala un café, por favor?Hi! Can I have a coffee, please?	Everyday The short hello Ticos use at any hour, in shops, sodas and cabs.
3	¿Qué es la vara?	What's up?	Diay, mae, ¿qué es la vara? ¿Dónde se había metido?Hey, man, what's up? Where have you been?	Casual A friendly hello among people your age. "Vara" alone means a thing or a situation.
4	Con mucho gusto	You're welcome	Gracias por el café. Con mucho gusto.Thanks for the coffee. You're welcome.	Everyday The usual Tico reply to "gracias". Much more common than "de nada".
5	A la orden	Anytime, at your service	Gracias, muy amable. ¡A la orden!Thanks, that's very kind. Anytime!	Everyday Shop staff and drivers say it after you thank them.
6	Con permiso	Excuse me (to pass or come in)	Con permiso, ¿puedo pasar?Excuse me, can I come through?	Everyday Say it when you squeeze past someone, walk into a home or leave the table.
7	¿Todo bien?	All good?	¡Buenas! ¿Todo bien? Sí, todo bien, gracias.Hi! All good? Yes, all good, thanks.	Everyday A quick check-in that waiters, drivers and friends use. Answer "todo bien" or "pura vida".
8	Hasta luego	See you later	Gracias por todo, hasta luego.Thanks for everything, see you later.	Everyday The standard goodbye in shops, hotels and taxis.
9	¿Quiubo?	Hey, how's it going?	¿Quiubo, mae? ¿Cómo le fue en el brete?Hey, man, how did it go at work?	Casual Short for "¿qué hubo?". A quick hello on the street.
10	¡Upe!	Hello, anyone home?	¡Upe! ¿Está doña Rosa?Hello! Is Mrs. Rosa in?	Everyday Call it out at a gate or door instead of knocking.
11	¿Cómo amaneció?	Good morning, how are you?	Buenos días, don Carlos. ¿Cómo amaneció?Good morning, Mr. Carlos. How are you this morning?	Everyday A polite morning hello with usted. Common with older people.
12	Bien, por dicha	Good, luckily	¿Cómo está su mamá? Bien, por dicha.How's your mom? Good, thankfully.	Everyday The standard Tico answer to "how are you". "Por dicha" alone means luckily.
13	¡Qué pena!	Sorry; how embarrassing	¡Qué pena con usted, llegué tarde!I'm so sorry, I'm late!	Everyday Ticos say it to apologize or when something is a shame.
14	¿Entonces qué?	So, what's up?	¿Entonces qué, mae? ¿Salimos hoy?So, what's up, man? Are we going out today?	Casual A quick hello that opens a chat.
15	¿Cuál es la última?	What's new?	¿Cuál es la última, mae?What's the latest, man?	Casual Ask it to catch up on news and gossip.
16	¡Se me cuidan!	Take care, all of you!	Bueno, me voy. ¡Se me cuidan!OK, I'm off. Take care, everyone!	Casual A warm goodbye to a group.
17	Ahí nos vidrios	See you around	Ya me voy, mae. Ahí nos vidrios.I'm off, man. See you around.	Slang A pun on "ahí nos vemos". "Ahí los vidrios" also works.

Getting around 28

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
18	Uber / DiDi	Ride-hailing apps	Mejor pedimos un Uber o un DiDi para el aeropuerto.Let's just order an Uber or a DiDi to the airport.	Everyday Both work in the Central Valley. Red taxis can also be booked in the Uber app.
19	Aeropuerto	Airport	¿Cuánto cuesta un taxi al aeropuerto?How much is a taxi to the airport?	Everyday Say it when you pick a cab or app ride to the airport.
20	¿Dónde está el baño?	Where is the bathroom?	Disculpe, ¿dónde está el baño?Excuse me, where is the bathroom?	Everyday Works in any soda, shop or hotel.
21	¿Cuánto me cobra?	How much will you charge me?	Buenas, ¿cuánto me cobra hasta el hotel?Hi, how much will you charge me to the hotel?	Everyday Ask it before you get in when the cab has no meter.
22	Chancha	4x4 car	Para subir a Monteverde mejor alquile una chancha.To drive up to Monteverde, better rent a 4x4.	Slang Any car with 4-wheel drive. Many rental roads need one in rainy season.
23	¿Me pone la maría?	Can you turn on the meter?	Buenas, ¿me pone la maría, por favor?Hi, can you turn on the meter, please?	Everyday "La maría" is the taxi meter. Ask before you set off.
24	Déjeme aquí, por favor	Leave me here, please	Déjeme aquí, por favor, en la esquina.Leave me here, please, at the corner.	Everyday Tell the driver where to stop.
25	Siga derecho	Keep going straight	Siga derecho dos cuadras y ahí está.Keep going straight two blocks and it is there.	Everyday Drivers and passers-by say it all day.
26	A la derecha / a la izquierda	To the right / to the left	Gire a la derecha en el semáforo.Turn right at the light.	Everyday Use with "gire" (turn) when you give directions.
27	Cazadora	Rural bus that stops almost anywhere	Esperé la cazadora en la carretera.I waited for the rural bus on the road.	Casual A bus on remote routes. It stops wherever you wave.
28	¡Parada, por favor!	Stop here, please! (on a bus)	¡Parada, por favor! Aquí me bajo.Stop here, please! I'm getting off.	Everyday Call it out to the bus driver. "La parada" is the bus stop.
29	100 metros al norte	1 block north	Del parque, 100 metros al norte y 50 al este.From the park, 1 block north and half a block east.	Everyday Many streets have no names or numbers, so directions count from a landmark. 100 meters means 1 block.
30	¿Tiene campo?	Do you have room?	Buenas, ¿tiene campo para 4 personas?Hi, do you have room for 4 people?	Everyday Ask at hotels, restaurants and parking lots. On a bench, ask "¿me hace un campito?".
31	Presa	Traffic jam	Hay una presa terrible en la General Cañas.There's a terrible jam on the General Cañas highway.	Everyday Plan around rush hour in San José.
32	Bomba	Gas station	Paremos en la bomba antes de subir al volcán.Let's stop at the gas station before we drive up the volcano.	Everyday Staff fill the tank for you.
33	Chepe	San José	Mañana bajo a Chepe a hacer unas vueltas.Tomorrow I'm going into San José to run some errands.	Casual The capital's nickname. Chepe is short for José.
34	Pirata	Unlicensed taxi	Afuera del bar hay piratas, pero cobran lo que quieren.There are unlicensed cabs outside the bar, but they charge whatever they want.	Casual A private car working as a cab. Agree on the price first, and skip them late at night. Licensed cabs are red with a yellow triangle, and orange ones serve the airport.
35	Ride	A lift	¿Me da un ride a la casa?Can you give me a ride home?	Casual From English, said "rai". "Pedir ride" means to ask for a lift.
36	Buseta	Minibus, shuttle	La buseta del hotel sale a las 8.The hotel shuttle leaves at 8.	Everyday Also the school bus.
37	Pase	Bus fare	¿Cuánto es el pase a Puntarenas?How much is the bus fare to Puntarenas?	Everyday Pay the driver when you get on, so carry small change.
38	Paco	Cop	Hay un paco en la esquina revisando licencias.There's a cop on the corner checking licenses.	Slang It's a bit disrespectful, so never say it to an officer. Police checkpoints are common on highways.
39	Tanquear	To fill up the tank	Tengo que tanquear, el carro anda en reserva.I have to fill up, the car's almost empty.	Everyday Say "lleno, por favor" for a full tank.
40	Está largo	It's a long way	¿Se puede ir a pie? No, está largo.Can you walk there? No, it's a long way.	Everyday Ticos say it about anywhere far off.
41	Parquear	To park	¿Dónde puedo parquear el carro?Where can I park the car?	Everyday "Parqueo" is the parking lot.
42	Guachimán	Car watcher	Dele unos 500 colones al guachimán.Give the car watcher about 500 colones.	Everyday From English "watchman". He watches parked cars for a tip.
43	Estar varado	To be stuck, broken down	Nos quedamos varados en la ruta 32 por un derrumbe.We got stuck on Route 32 because of a landslide.	Everyday Also used when the last bus has gone.
44	A pata	On foot	El mirador está cerca, vamos a pata.The lookout is close, let's walk.	Casual "Pata" is an animal's leg.
45	¿Me jala?	Can you give me a lift?	¿Me jala a la casa después de la fiesta?Can you give me a lift home after the party?	Casual "Jalar" here means to drive someone somewhere. A friend may offer "yo lo jalo".

Food and drink 27

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
46	Para llevar	To go, takeout	Un casado para llevar, por favor.One casado to go, please.	Everyday Say it when you order food you will carry out.
47	La cuenta, por favor	The check, please	Disculpe, la cuenta, por favor.Excuse me, the check, please.	Everyday Say it to get the bill.
48	Buen provecho	Enjoy your meal	Buen provecho, que les guste.Enjoy your meal, I hope you like it.	Everyday Say it to people who start to eat, even strangers.
49	¿Me regala...?	Can I have...?	¿Me regala un café y un gallo pinto?Can I have a coffee and some gallo pinto?	Everyday The polite Tico way to order. You still pay.
50	Soda	Small cheap diner	Almorzamos en la soda de la esquina por 4 rojos.We had lunch at the soda on the corner for 4,000 colones.	Everyday The best value meals in the country.
51	Casado	Set lunch plate	Un casado con pescado, por favor.A casado with fish, please.	Everyday Rice, beans, salad, plantain and a meat. "Married" because it all comes together.
52	Gallo pinto	Rice and beans	Desayunamos gallo pinto con huevo y natilla.We had gallo pinto with egg and sour cream for breakfast.	Everyday The national breakfast. Often just "pinto".
53	Jamar / jama	To eat / food	Mae, tengo hambre, vamos a jamar.Dude, I'm hungry, let's go eat.	Slang "Jamar" is to eat and "la jama" is the food.
54	Monchar / moncha	To snack / snacks	Mae, compremos algo de moncha para la película.Dude, let's buy some snacks for the movie.	Slang Young Ticos say it. It likely comes from English "munch".
55	¡Qué rico!	Delicious!	¡Qué rico este casado!This casado is delicious!	Everyday Said about a person, "rico" means hot, so keep it for food.
56	La feria	Farmers market	El sábado vamos a la feria por frutas y verduras.On Saturday we're going to the farmers market for fruit and vegetables.	Everyday Short for "feria del agricultor". Most towns hold one on the weekend.
57	Fresco	Fruit drink	¿De qué tiene el fresco hoy?What flavor is today's fruit drink?	Everyday Fruit blended with water or milk, served with most casados. Try a "fresco de cas", made from a sour Tico guava.
58	Agua de pipa	Fresh coconut water	Hace calor, compremos un agua de pipa en la playa.It's hot, let's buy a coconut water on the beach.	Everyday A "pipa" is a green coconut. Vendors chop the top off and hand you a straw.
59	Salsa Lizano	Tico brown sauce	Póngale Lizano al pinto.Put Lizano on the gallo pinto.	Everyday On the table at every soda.
60	Natilla	Sour cream	Unos frijoles con natilla, por favor.Some beans with sour cream, please.	Everyday In Spain natilla is custard.
61	Chilero	Pickled hot peppers	¿Me pasa el chilero?Can you pass the pickled peppers?	Everyday A jar of pickled veggies and chili on soda tables.
62	Gallo	Tortilla with a filling	Me comí 3 gallos de picadillo.I ate 3 tortillas with picadillo.	Everyday A soft corn tortilla folded around a filling.
63	Patacones	Fried green plantain slices	Una boca de patacones con frijoles molidos, por favor.A plate of fried plantains with bean dip, please.	Everyday Cooks fry the slices twice, so they come out flat and crisp.
64	Maduro	Sweet fried plantain	El casado viene con maduro y ensalada.The casado comes with sweet plantain and salad.	Everyday A ripe plantain, fried until soft and sweet.
65	Arreglado	Filled pastry roll	Un arreglado de pollo y un café, por favor.A chicken pastry and a coffee, please.	Everyday A flaky roll filled with beans, chicken or beef. Bakeries sell them all day.
66	Agua dulce	Hot cane sugar drink	En la finca nos dieron agua dulce bien caliente.At the farm they gave us really hot agua dulce.	Everyday Ticos make it from tapa de dulce.
67	Café chorreado	Drip coffee from a cloth filter	El café chorreado de la abuela es el mejor.Grandma's drip coffee is the best.	Everyday Ticos brew it in a chorreador, a cloth sock on a wooden stand.
68	Chorreada	Sweet corn pancake	Pedí una chorreada con natilla.I ordered a corn pancake with sour cream.	Everyday Cooks make it from fresh corn on a griddle.
69	Tortilla palmeada	Hand-patted tortilla	En Guanacaste hacen tortillas palmeadas.In Guanacaste they make hand-patted tortillas.	Everyday Cooks pat them out by hand, so they come out thick and fresh.
70	Granizado	Shaved ice	Un granizado con leche en polvo y sirope.A shaved ice with powdered milk and syrup.	Everyday A street treat on hot days. Most Ticos call it a "copo".
71	Tamal	Tamale in a banana leaf	En diciembre mi abuela hace tamales para toda la familia.In December my grandma makes tamales for the whole family.	Everyday Ticos eat them at every party, and most of all at Christmas.
72	Tener filo	To be starving	Tengo un filo, no he comido nada.I'm starving, I haven't eaten a thing.	Casual "Filo" is hunger.

Money and shopping 24

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
73	¿Cuánto es? / ¿Cuánto cuesta?	How much is it?	Buenas, ¿cuánto es el casado?Hi, how much is the casado?	Everyday Ask the price in any shop or soda.
74	Propina	Tip	La propina ya viene en la cuenta.The tip is already on the bill.	Everyday Sit-down places add a 10% service charge by law, so check the bill for "servicio" before you tip more.
75	Está caro	It's expensive	Está caro, ¿me hace un descuentito?It's expensive, can you give me a little discount?	Everyday Say it politely before you ask for a discount.
76	¿Aceptan dólares?	Do you take dollars?	Buenas, ¿aceptan dólares o solo colones?Hi, do you take dollars or only colones?	Everyday Tourist spots price in dollars, but you'll often get change in colones. Ask "¿en colones o en dólares?".
77	Pulpería	Corner store	Voy a la pulpería por pan.I'm going to the corner store for bread.	Everyday A small family store, the heart of every barrio.
78	¿Me hace un descuentito?	Can you give me a little discount?	Si le pago en efectivo, ¿me hace un descuentito?If I pay cash, can you give me a little discount?	Everyday The -ito makes it sound friendly. Paying cash can get you 5 to 10% off.
79	Un rojo	A 1,000 colón bill	La entrada cuesta 2 rojos.The ticket costs 2,000 colones.	Slang The 1,000 colón bill is red. People count prices in rojos.
80	Una teja	100 colones	¿Me presta cinco tejas para el bus?Can you lend me 500 colones for the bus?	Slang The old 100 colón coin, so "cinco tejas" is 500.
81	Un tucán	A 5,000 colón bill	Solo tengo un tucán, ¿tiene vuelto?I only have a 5,000 bill, do you have change?	Slang The old 5,000 note showed a toucan, and older Ticos still say it. Few people call the new monkey bill "un mono".
82	Plata	Money	Ahorita no tengo plata, mae.I don't have any money right now, man.	Everyday The common word for money.
83	Menudo	Small change, coins	¿Tiene menudo? No tengo cambio para un rojo.Do you have small change? I don't have change for a 1,000 bill.	Everyday Handy for buses and street stalls.
84	Vuelto	Change	Se le olvidó el vuelto.You forgot your change.	Everyday The money you get back.
85	Sinpe	Pay by phone	¿Le puedo hacer un Sinpe?Can I pay you by Sinpe?	Everyday Sinpe Móvil is how Ticos pay each other and small shops. To pay by card, ask for the "datáfono".
86	¿Ocupa bolsa?	Do you need a bag?	¿Ocupa bolsa o así se lo lleva?Do you need a bag or will you carry it like that?	Everyday "Ocupar" means to need here. Cashiers ask it all day.
87	Buchaca	Pocket (where your cash goes)	Guarde la plata en la buchaca.Keep the money in your pocket.	Casual The pocket where you keep your cash. "Tener buena buchaca" means to have money.
88	Harina	Money	Mae, no tengo harina para salir.Dude, I've got no money to go out.	Slang Literally "flour".
89	Estar limpio	To be broke	No puedo ir, estoy limpio.I can't go, I'm broke.	Casual Your pockets are clean. "Estar en la olla" means the same.
90	Pipi	Rich person	Ese mae es pipi, anda en carro del año.That guy's loaded, he drives a brand new car.	Slang Someone with money to spare.
91	Pechear	To bum money	Ese mae siempre anda pecheando birras.That guy is always bumming beers.	Slang Asking friends for money or treats.
92	Hacer una vaca	To chip in	Hagamos una vaca para la gasolina.Let's chip in for gas.	Everyday Common on road trips.
93	Codo	Stingy	No sea codo, invite una ronda.Don't be stingy, buy a round.	Casual Someone who never pays. "Pinche" means the same here, but it's a rude word in Mexico.
94	Chorizo	Shady deal	Ese negocio es un chorizo.That business is a scam.	Casual The news uses it for corruption.
95	Bolsear	To pickpocket	Me bolsearon el celular en la parada.Someone swiped my phone at the bus stop.	Casual Watch your pockets in crowds downtown.
96	Chapulín	Young street thief	Cuidado con el celular, por aquí andan chapulines.Watch your phone, there are young thieves around here.	Casual They often work in groups. A chapulín is also a grasshopper.

Bars and going out 29

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
97	Birra	Beer	¿Vamos por unas birras?Shall we grab some beers?	Casual The everyday slang word for beer. Order "una bien fría" for an ice-cold one.
98	Una Imperial	A beer (the national brand)	Dos Imperiales, por favor.2 Imperials, please.	Everyday The eagle logo is everywhere, so some people order "un águila". Pilsen is the other big one.
99	¡Salud!	Cheers!	¡Salud, mae! Por el viaje.Cheers, man! To the trip.	Everyday Say it when you clink glasses. You'll hear it after a sneeze too.
100	Otra ronda	Another round	¡Otra ronda de Imperiales, por favor!Another round of Imperials, please!	Everyday Order the next round for the whole table. "¿Me regala otra?" gets you 1 more.
101	¡Zarpe!	Last drink!	¡Zarpe, mae, y nos vamos!Last drink, dude, and then we go!	Casual The last drink of the night, though people often order more than one.
102	Cantina	Bar, local watering hole	Jale a la cantina a tomar guaro.Let's go to the bar for some guaro.	Everyday An old-school bar where locals drink guaro and beer.
103	Boca	Bar snack	En ese bar le dan una boca con cada birra.At that bar you get a snack with every beer.	Everyday Small plates with drinks. Some bars include one free.
104	Chifrijo	Rice, beans and pork bowl	Una birra y un chifrijo, por favor.A beer and a chifrijo, please.	Everyday The classic boca: chicharrón plus frijoles.
105	Guaro	Cane liquor	Nos tomamos un par de guaros.We had a couple of shots of guaro.	Casual Usually Cacique. Try a "guaro sour".
106	Vino de coyol	Palm wine	En las fiestas de Nicoya probamos vino de coyol.At the Nicoya festival we tried palm wine.	Regional A strong drink made from the coyol palm, sold at fairs in Guanacaste.
107	Pacha	Small bottle of liquor	Compramos una pacha de guaro para la playa.We bought a small bottle of guaro for the beach.	Casual A pocket-size bottle.
108	Pinta	Bottle of beer	Compremos unas pintas para la playa.Let's buy a few bottles of beer for the beach.	Slang A bottle, not a pint.
109	Salir a vacilar	To go out and have fun	Este viernes salimos a vacilar.This Friday we're going out to party.	Casual "Vacilar" also means to joke around.
110	Rumbear	To party	Esta noche nos vamos a rumbear a Tamarindo.Tonight we're going out partying in Tamarindo.	Casual "La rumba" is the party. Many Ticos just say "salir de fiesta".
111	Vacilón	A blast	La fiesta estuvo un vacilón.The party was a blast.	Casual Say it about any night you loved.
112	Chinchorro	Dive bar	Ese bar es un chinchorro, pero la birra es barata.That bar's a dive, but the beer is cheap.	Casual A cheap, messy or tacky place.
113	Chivo	A paid gig (for musicians)	Este sábado tengo un chivo en un bar de Chepe.This Saturday I've got a gig at a bar in San José.	Slang Musicians say it about a paid show.
114	Swing criollo	Tico swing dance	Mi tía baila swing criollo como nadie.My aunt dances swing criollo like nobody else.	Everyday A fast dance born in Costa Rica. Look for it at old-school dance halls.
115	Estar de goma	To be hungover	Hoy estoy de goma, no me hable duro.I'm hungover today, don't talk loud.	Casual "Goma" is glue. "Andar de goma" also works.
116	N.J.	Let's go, we're out	Ya es tarde, mae. N.J.It's late, man. Let's bounce.	Slang Say "ene jota". From "nos juimos", a joke on "nos fuimos".
117	Estar jumas	To be drunk	Ese mae está jumas.That guy is drunk.	Slang Also a person who drinks a lot. "Tapis" means drunk too.
118	Un blanco	A cigarette	¿Me regala un blanco?Can you spare a cigarette?	Slang Young people say it. "Echémonos un blanco" means let's have a smoke.
119	Turno	Town fair	Hay turno en el pueblo con chinamos y toros.There's a town fair with food stalls and bulls.	Everyday A weekend fair that raises money for a church or school.
120	La Sele	The national team	Hoy juega la Sele, vamos al bar a verla.The national team plays today, let's watch at the bar.	Everyday Short for la Selección.
121	Estuche	Stadium	El estuche estaba lleno para el clásico.The stadium was packed for the derby.	Slang Literally "case". Soccer fans say it about the big grounds.
122	Mejenga	Pick-up soccer game	Hoy hay mejenga en la plaza a las 5.There's a pick-up game at the field at 5 today.	Everyday Join one by asking "¿puedo jugar?". "Mejenguear" is to play, and a "mejenguero" loves to play.
123	Fiebre	Diehard fan	Es fiebre del Saprissa, no se pierde un partido.He's a diehard Saprissa fan, he never misses a game.	Casual Works for any hobby.
124	Morado	Saprissa fan	Mi papá es morado de toda la vida.My dad has been a Saprissa fan all his life.	Everyday Saprissa plays in purple.
125	Manudo	Alajuelense fan	Ese bar se llena de manudos.That bar fills up with Alajuelense fans.	Everyday Fans of the Liga, Saprissa's big rival.

Friends and people 25

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
126	Mae / maje	Dude, guy	Mae, ¿qué hacemos hoy?Dude, what are we doing today?	Casual Ticos say it every few words, to men and women. Skip it with strangers and elders.
127	Tico / tica	Costa Rican	Mi novia es tica.My girlfriend is Costa Rican.	Everyday What Costa Ricans call themselves. Ticos say it with pride.
128	Gringo / gringa	American	Ese bar se llena de gringos.That bar fills up with Americans.	Casual Rarely rude. Ticos use it for most light-skinned tourists.
129	Macho / macha	Blond person	Esa macha es de Alemania.That blond woman is from Germany.	Casual Lots of tourists get called "macho" or "macha".
130	Tiquicia	Costa Rica	¡Bienvenido a Tiquicia!Welcome to Costa Rica!	Casual A loving nickname for the country.
131	Don / doña	Mr. / Mrs. with a first name	Buenas, doña Lupe, ¿cómo está?Hi, Mrs. Lupe, how are you?	Everyday Show respect to older people and shop owners.
132	Primo / prima	Buddy (to a stranger)	Primo, ¿qué hora es?Hey buddy, what time is it?	Casual Country folk call strangers "primo". In San José, younger people say "mae" or "mopri" instead.
133	Mopri	Buddy	¿Qué hubo, mopri? ¿Todo bien?What's up, buddy? All good?	Slang "Primo" with its syllables swapped.
134	Compa	Buddy	Él es un compa del brete.He's a buddy from work.	Casual Mostly men say it about male friends.
135	Chiquillo / chiquilla	Kid, young person	Los chiquillos están jugando mejenga en la calle.The kids are playing soccer in the street.	Everyday Ticos say it about kids and teens. "Los chiquillos" can mean your own children.
136	Buena nota	A good person	Su hermano es muy buena nota.Your brother is really nice.	Casual Also for a nice thing or plan.
137	Botado / botada	Generous	Mi tío es muy botado, siempre invita la cena.My uncle is really generous, he always pays for dinner.	Casual Someone who loves to treat friends.
138	Güila	Kid	Los güilas están jugando en la plaza.The kids are playing at the field.	Casual Say "el güila" for a boy and "la güila" for a girl.
139	Carajillo / carajilla	Kid, little one	Ese carajillo se comió todo el pinto.That kid ate all the gallo pinto.	Casual Everyone says it about kids. Pair it with güila.
140	Es una carga	He's or she's great at it	Mi sobrina es una carga para el surf.My niece is great at surfing.	Casual "Carga" praises skill.
141	Tata	Dad	Mi tata me enseñó a ordeñar.My dad taught me to milk cows.	Casual Warm and a bit old-fashioned.
142	Roco / roca	Old-timer, old person	Ese roco sabe mucho de fútbol.That old-timer knows a lot about soccer.	Slang Friendly, sometimes teasing. Keep it for people you know.
143	Gato / gata	Person with light eyes	Ese chiquito es gato como el papá.That little boy has light eyes like his dad.	Casual For someone with green or blue eyes.
144	Necio / necia	Pesky, annoying; naughty (kids)	No sea necio, deje de molestar al perro.Stop being a pest, leave the dog alone.	Everyday For kids it means naughty.
145	La barra	Your group; a fan club	Vino toda la barra al cumpleaños.The whole gang came to the birthday party.	Casual Also a soccer fan group.
146	Surfo / surfa	Surfer	En Santa Teresa hay surfos de todo el mundo.In Santa Teresa there are surfers from all over the world.	Slang Young Ticos say it about anyone who lives to surf. You'll hear it in Tamarindo, Jacó and Santa Teresa.
147	Chata	Young reggaeton fan in baggy clothes	Esos chatas andan con el reggaetón a todo volumen.Those reggaeton kids are blasting their music.	Slang A bit of a put-down, so keep it among friends.
148	Palma	High five	¡Deme esa palma, mae!Give me a high five, man!	Casual Literally "palm".
149	Mi vieja / mi viejo	My mom / my dad	Voy a almorzar con mi vieja.I'm having lunch with my mom.	Casual A loving way to talk about your parents.
150	Buchón / buchona	Greedy person, hog	No sea buchón, deje pinto para los demás.Don't be a hog, leave some gallo pinto for everyone else.	Casual Teasing among friends. The saying is "cada buchón muere pelón".

Reactions and feelings 39

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
151	Tuanis	Cool, great	La playa estuvo tuanis.The beach was great.	Slang Young Ticos say it about anything good. "Toanis" is the same word, and "¿todo tuanis?" means all good?
152	¡Qué chiva!	How cool!	¿Consiguió entradas? ¡Qué chiva!You got tickets? How cool!	Slang The top word for cool. "Estar chiva" means to be angry, and it's mostly said about women.
153	Tranquilo / tranqui	Relax, no worries	Tranqui, mae, todavía hay tiempo para agarrar el bus.Relax, man, there's still time to catch the bus.	Everyday Ticos say it to calm you down or to say "no problem". "Tranqui" is the short, casual form.
154	¡Solo bueno!	All good! Only good things	¿Cómo le fue en el viaje? ¡Solo bueno, mae!How was the trip? All good, man!	Casual A cheerful answer when things are going well, a cousin of "pura vida".
155	Pichudo / pichuda	Awesome; tough to do	¡Qué pichudo el concierto, mae!The concert was awesome, man!	Vulgar Young Ticos say it all the time, but it comes from "picha", a vulgar word for penis. Keep it for friends.
156	A cachete	Great, just right	¿Cómo va el negocio? A cachete, mae.How's business going? Great, man.	Slang The long form is "a cachete inflado".
157	¡Nombre!	No way! Wow!	¿Que se va a vivir a Japón? ¡Nombre!You're moving to Japan? No way!	Casual From "¡no, hombre!". It shows surprise, or a firm "nope".
158	¡Qué dicha!	Thank goodness! How lucky!	¿Llegó bien? ¡Qué dicha!You got here safely? Thank goodness!	Everyday Ticos say it all day long.
159	¡Qué mala pata!	What bad luck!	Se me pinchó la llanta. ¡Qué mala pata!I got a flat tire. What bad luck!	Casual "Pata" is a paw, and a bad one brings bad luck.
160	Tener leche	To be lucky	Ese mae tiene leche, ganó otra vez.That guy is lucky, he won again.	Casual "Leche" means luck here. It is not the Spanish "mala leche".
161	¡Qué suerte!	How lucky!	¡Qué suerte, encontramos campo!How lucky, we found a table!	Everyday A plain way to say you are glad.
162	¡Qué torta!	What a problem!	Perdimos el bus. ¡Qué torta!We missed the bus. What a problem!	Casual Said when something goes wrong.
163	¡Déle!	Go for it!	¡Déle, mae, usted puede!Go for it, dude, you can do it!	Casual A cheer or a "let's do it".
164	¡Qué salado!	Bad luck!	¿Se le cayó el celular al río? ¡Qué salado!Your phone fell in the river? Bad luck!	Casual "Salado" means unlucky.
165	Jalarse una torta	To mess up big	Dejé el pasaporte en el hotel. ¡Me jalé una torta!I left my passport at the hotel. I really messed up!	Casual A "torta" is a blunder. "¡Qué torta!" means "what a mess!". It can also mean getting someone pregnant by accident.
166	¡Qué pereza!	What a drag!	¿Hacer fila 2 horas? ¡Qué pereza!Wait in line for 2 hours? What a drag!	Everyday When you can't be bothered.
167	¡Wácala! / ¡guácala!	Yuck! Gross!	¡Wácala, hay una cucaracha en el baño!Yuck, there's a cockroach in the bathroom!	Casual Say it about bad smells, bugs and food you won't touch.
168	Bravo / brava	Angry; fierce	Mi jefe está bravo porque llegué tarde.My boss is angry because I was late.	Everyday A "perro bravo" sign on a gate means a fierce dog.
169	Estar de chicha	To be mad	Mi mamá está de chicha porque llegué tarde.My mom is mad because I got home late.	Casual "Chicha" here means anger.
170	Estar con piedra	To be angry	Mi papá está con piedra porque choqué el carro.My dad is angry because I crashed the car.	Casual "Piedra" is a rock, and here it means anger.
171	Tener taco	To be scared	Tengo taco de tirarme en el canopy.I'm scared to go on the zip line.	Casual "Taco" here means fear.
172	¡Achará!	What a shame!	Achará que no pudo venir.What a shame you couldn't come.	Everyday Very Tico. "Acharita" is softer.
173	¡Qué jeta!	Yeah right! What a lie!	¿Que usted vio un jaguar en el hotel? ¡Qué jeta!You saw a jaguar at the hotel? Yeah right!	Slang Say it when you doubt a story. A "jetón" is a big mouth or a liar.
174	Me extraña	Of course! Obviously	¿Viene a la mejenga? ¡Me extraña, mae!Are you coming to the pick-up game? Of course, man!	Casual A friendly "of course" between friends. They aren't surprised at all.
175	Agüevado / agüevada	Bummed out, bored	Estoy agüevado porque se acabaron las vacaciones.I'm bummed because the vacation is over.	Slang From "huevo", and fine with friends. It also means boring.
176	Cabanga	Heartache, the blues	Desde que se fue la novia, el mae anda con una cabanga.Since his girlfriend left, the guy has had the blues.	Casual The sadness of missing a person or a thing you've lost. "Tener cabanga" is to feel it.
177	Corrongo / corronga	Cute	¡Qué corrongo el perrito!What a cute puppy!	Everyday For babies, pets and cute things.
178	Rajado / rajada	Amazing	La fiesta estuvo rajada.The party was amazing.	Slang Big praise among young people.
179	Anjá	Uh-huh	¿Ya comió? Anjá.Did you eat already? Uh-huh.	Everyday A yes. With a stern tone it means "caught you".
180	¡Juepuña!	Darn it!	¡Juepuña, se me olvidó la billetera!Darn it, I forgot my wallet!	Vulgar A softened form of "hijueputa". Friends say it, but a stranger or an elder may take offense.
181	¡Pucha!	Darn! Oh no!	¡Pucha, se fue el último bus!Darn, the last bus is gone!	Slang A soft "darn" for surprise or a letdown. It is a clipped "hijuepucha", so keep it light with strangers.
182	Estar atigrado	To be sleepy and lazy after eating	Después del casado quedé atigrado.After the casado I was in a total food coma.	Casual From "tigra", laziness.
183	¡Qué bañazo!	How ridiculous!	Llegó de traje a la playa. ¡Qué bañazo!He showed up at the beach in a suit. How ridiculous!	Slang For something over the top or cringe.
184	¡Qué carajada!	What the heck!	¡Qué carajada, se fue la luz otra vez!What the heck, the power went out again!	Casual Mild swearing. A "carajada" is a thing or a mess.
185	Chuzo	Sweet, cool (for things)	¡Qué carro más chuzo!What a sweet car!	Slang Mostly for cars and gadgets.
186	¡Qué mamón!	How annoying!	Perdí el bus por 1 minuto. ¡Qué mamón!I missed the bus by 1 minute. How annoying!	Slang Say it about small things that bug you.
187	¡Tome chichi!	Take that!	¡Tome chichi! Le gané otra vez.Take that! I beat you again.	Vulgar A cocky taunt from a word for breast. Keep it for friends.
188	¡Qué pichazo!	Wow, what a ton!	¡Qué pichazo de gente en la playa!What a ton of people at the beach!	Vulgar It comes from "picha", a vulgar word for penis, so keep it for friends. It can also mean a big crash.
189	¡No joda!	Knock it off! You're kidding!	¡No joda, mae, devuélvame las llaves!Knock it off, man, give me back my keys!	Vulgar Mildly rude. Keep it for friends.

Fillers and everyday words 29

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
190	Diay	Well, so, hey	Diay, ¿qué hacemos?Well, what do we do?	Everyday The top Tico filler, also "idiay", from "de ahí". "¿Diay?" can also open a hello.
191	Vara	Thing, situation	Diay, mae, ¿qué vara es esa? La vara es que no hay bus hasta mañana.Hey, man, what's that thing? The thing is, there's no bus until tomorrow.	Casual After "mae", the word you'll hear most. It stands for any object or situation, as in "¡qué vara!" for "what a mess!".
192	Estar al suave	To take it easy, to be chill	Hoy estoy al suave, no tengo brete.I'm taking it easy today, I've got no work.	Casual Relaxed and in no hurry. "¡Suave!" alone means slow down.
193	De por sí	Anyway	No importa que llueva, de por sí no íbamos a la playa.It doesn't matter if it rains, we weren't going to the beach anyway.	Everyday Ticos say it far more than "de todos modos".
194	Viera / vieras	You should see	¡Viera qué bonita es la playa!You should see how pretty the beach is!	Everyday Ticos open a story with it. "Viera" goes with usted, "vieras" with friends.
195	Son varas	Just kidding	Tranquilo, mae, son varas.Relax, man, I'm just kidding.	Casual Say it right after a joke.
196	Brete	Work, job	Mañana tengo mucho brete.I've got a lot of work tomorrow.	Casual Also your workplace. "Bretear" means to work.
197	Chunche	Thingamajig	¿Para qué sirve este chunche?What's this thingamajig for?	Casual Any object, gadget or tool.
198	Come huevos	Cheap, demanding customer	Ese turista es un come huevos, nunca deja propina.That tourist is cheap and demanding, he never leaves a tip.	Slang It does not mean "egg eater". Servers say it about a customer who complains and never tips.
199	Cole	High school	Qué pereza, mañana tengo que ir al cole.What a drag, I have to go to school tomorrow.	Casual Short for "colegio", which here means high school.
200	Chante / choza	House, home	Venga al chante el sábado.Come over to my place on Saturday.	Slang Your house or your place. Both words mean the same.
201	Jupa	Head	Me pegué en la jupa.I hit my head.	Slang Playful. A "jupón" is a stubborn person.
202	Timba	Belly	Comí tanto pinto que tengo la timba llena.I ate so much gallo pinto my belly is full.	Casual Also a big belly.
203	Chema	Shirt, T-shirt	Me compré una chema de la Sele.I bought a national team shirt.	Slang Any shirt or T-shirt.
204	Salveque	Backpack	Eche el bloqueador en el salveque.Put the sunscreen in the backpack.	Casual "Mochila" works too.
205	Caites	Shoes	Me quité los caites para caminar en la arena.I took off my shoes to walk on the sand.	Casual Once a kind of sandal, now any shoe.
206	Chuncherequear	To fiddle with, to fix up	Mi tío está chuncherequeando el carro otra vez.My uncle is fiddling with the car again.	Casual The do-anything verb. It comes from "chunche", a thing.
207	Bostezo	A bore, boring	Esa película fue un bostezo.That movie was a total bore.	Slang Literally "a yawn". Say it about a dull class, plan or party.
208	Aguacero	Downpour	Nos agarró un aguacero en el sendero.We got caught in a downpour on the trail.	Everyday Rainy season afternoons bring one almost daily. A really heavy one is a "baldazo", from "balde", a bucket.
209	Pegarse una ducha	To take a quick shower	Ya vengo, me voy a pegar una ducha.Be right back, I'm going to take a quick shower.	Casual Ticos "pegarse" all sorts of things, from a shower to a nap.
210	Pepas	Eyes	Abra bien las pepas, que hay huecos en la calle.Keep your eyes peeled, there are potholes in the road.	Slang Literally "seeds". "Pelar las pepas" is to open your eyes wide.
211	Polada	Tacky thing, dumb move	Esa decoración es una polada.That decoration is tacky.	Slang From "polo".
212	Rulear	To sleep	Estoy muerto, voy a rulear.I'm wiped, I'm going to sleep.	Slang Say it with friends, not at work.
213	Chingo	Naked	Los güilas andan chingos en el río.The kids are running around naked in the river.	Casual Harmless here, but vulgar in Mexico.
214	Chinga	Cigarette butt	No tire la chinga en la arena.Don't throw your cigarette butt on the sand.	Casual Vulgar in Mexico, harmless here.
215	Zaguate	Mutt	Adoptamos un zaguate de la calle.We adopted a street mutt.	Everyday Ticos love their zaguates.
216	Pizote	Coati	Un pizote se robó la comida del salveque.A coati stole the food out of my backpack.	Everyday You'll see them at parks and beaches. Don't feed them.
217	Pelo de gato	Light drizzle	Está cayendo pelo de gato, solo una llovizna.It's only a light drizzle.	Casual Literally "cat hair". Rain so fine you barely feel it.
218	Sueta	Sweater	Lleve sueta, que en Monteverde hace frío.Bring a sweater, it's cold in Monteverde.	Casual From English "sweater". Pack one for the cloud forest and the volcanoes.

Time and plans 20

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
219	Ahorita	Right now, in a moment	Ahorita le ayudo.I'll help you in a moment.	Everyday Most Ticos mean right now or very soon. It can still stretch a bit.
220	Hora tica	Tico time	Dijo a las 7, pero es hora tica.He said 7, but that's Tico time.	Casual Social plans run late, but tours and buses don't. "A la hora tica" means later than agreed.
221	Sale	OK, deal	Sale, nos vemos a las 7.OK, see you at 7.	Everyday A quick "OK" to agree on a plan. Street use
222	Un momentico	Just a moment	Un momentico, ya le traigo la cuenta.Just a moment, I'll bring your bill.	Everyday Softer than "un momento".
223	Un toque	A moment; a little	Espéreme un toque.Wait for me a sec.	Casual "Suave un toque" means hang on a sec. "Deme un chance" works too.
224	Ni modo	Oh well	Se canceló el tour. Ni modo.The tour got canceled. Oh well.	Everyday People say it across Latin America.
225	Invierno / verano	Rainy season / dry season	En invierno llueve casi todas las tardes.In the rainy season it rains almost every afternoon.	Everyday Ticos name the seasons by the rain. July is "invierno".
226	Al rato	Maybe, it could be	Lleve sombrilla, al rato llueve.Take an umbrella, it might rain.	Casual Ticos of all ages use it for "maybe". In Mexico it means "later".
227	Primero Dios	God willing	Primero Dios, mañana salimos.God willing, we'll leave tomorrow.	Everyday You'll hear it in every plan.
228	Le caigo	I'll swing by	Le caigo a las 8 a la casa.I'll swing by your place at 8.	Casual From "caer", to drop in. Fine with friends.
229	¡Jale! / ir jalando	Come on, let's go! / to head out	¡Jale, jale, que perdemos el bus! En una hora voy jalando del brete.Come on, let's go, we'll miss the bus! I'm heading out of work in an hour.	Casual "Jalar" means to leave here, so "¡jale!" is let's go. Say it twice when you're in a hurry.
230	¡Sóquele! / ¡sócale!	Push harder! Hurry up!	¡Sóquele, que se va el bus!Hurry up, the bus is leaving!	Casual From "socar", to push harder. "¡Sóquele!" is the usted form.
231	¡Pellízquese!	Wake up! Get moving!	¡Pellízquese, mae, que nos deja el bus!Get moving, man, the bus is going to leave us!	Casual Tell someone to wake up and get on it.
232	Pegarse una volada	To dash off	Me pegué una volada a la pulpería antes de que cerrara.I dashed to the corner store before it closed.	Casual A quick trip somewhere.
233	Parguear	To slack off, to kill time	Deje de parguear y ayúdeme con las maletas.Stop slacking off and help me with the bags.	Slang Most often said about wasting time at work.
234	Achantarse	To sit down and chill	Jale a achantarnos un rato en la playa.Let's go chill on the beach for a while.	Slang Kick back somewhere and stay put.
235	Ventiarse	To get some fresh air	Estoy cansado del cuarto, vamos a ventiarnos un rato.I'm tired of the room, let's go get some fresh air.	Casual Step outside for a walk or a break.
236	Estar en la jugada	To be in the loop	Pregúntele a Ana, ella está en la jugada.Ask Ana, she's in the loop.	Casual It also means you're in on a plan.
237	Estar en todas	To be on top of everything	Mi abuela está en todas.My grandma is on top of everything.	Casual Praise for someone sharp.
238	Estar de agua	Rain is on the way	Vámonos ya, que está de agua.Let's go now, it looks like rain.	Casual Country folk say it when the sky turns dark. Plan around it in rainy season.

Teasing and insults 26

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
239	Metiche	Busybody	No sea metiche.Don't be nosy.	Everyday Mild. You can say it to a friend's face.
240	Chepear	To snoop	No me chepee el celular.Don't snoop through my phone.	Casual To pry into things that aren't yours. "Vinear" means the same.
241	Agarrar de mae	To make a fool of someone	No me agarre de mae.Don't take me for a fool.	Casual Say it when someone tries to trick you.
242	Añejo / añeja	Unwashed, smelly	Báñese, mae, anda añejo.Take a shower, dude, you smell.	Casual Teasing among friends.
243	Rajón / rajona	Show-off	Ese mae es un rajón con su carro.That guy never stops showing off his car.	Casual "Rajar" means to show off.
244	Bombeta	Show-off, big talker	Ese mae es un bombeta, dice que tiene finca y vive con la mamá.That guy is such a show-off, he says he owns a farm and he lives with his mom.	Casual A put-down for someone who brags about things they don't have.
245	Jugar de vivo	To act smart, to show off	No juegue de vivo, mae, todos sabemos que usted no sabe surfear.Don't act smart, dude, we all know you can't surf.	Casual You'll also hear "un juega'e vivo" for a show-off.
246	Ser una cabra loca	To be wild and unpredictable	Mi prima es una cabra loca, nunca se sabe qué va a hacer.My cousin is wild, you never know what she'll do.	Casual Literally "a crazy goat".
247	Lora	Chatterbox	Su tía es una lora.Your aunt is a chatterbox.	Casual Literally "parrot".
248	Jupón / jupona	Stubborn	No sea jupón y pregunte la dirección.Don't be stubborn, ask for directions.	Casual From "jupa", head.
249	Polo / pola	Tacky, uncouth	Qué polo ese mae, gritando en el cine.What a hick, yelling in the movie theater.	Slang Classist. Use it with care.
250	Concho / concha	Rude, hick	No sea concho, salude.Don't be rude, say hello.	Slang Also classist.
251	Pachuco / pachuca	Crude, rough	Ese mae habla muy pachuco.That guy talks really crude.	Slang It also names street slang itself.
252	Ñeco / ñeca	Toothless	El perro ya está ñeco.The dog has no teeth now.	Casual Teasing, so keep it for friends.
253	Carebarra	Brazen, shameless	¡Qué carebarra! Se coló en la fila.How brazen! He cut in line.	Slang Also spelled "care'barra". "Conchudo" and "jachudo" mean the same.
254	Sapo / sapa	Snitch, tattletale	No sea sapo, no le cuente a mi mamá.Don't be a snitch, don't tell my mom.	Casual Kids say "acusetas" too.
255	Aborrecido / aborrecida	Annoying, unbearable person	Qué aborrecido ese mae, no deja de molestar.That guy is so annoying, he won't stop bugging us.	Casual Teasing among friends.
256	Choricero / choricera	Crook, hustler	Ese taxista es un choricero.That cab driver is a crook.	Slang From "chorizo", a shady deal.
257	Brocha	Suck-up, brown-noser	No sea brocha con el profe.Don't be such a suck-up with the teacher.	Casual Someone who flatters the boss to get ahead.
258	Chúcaro / chúcara	Skittish, standoffish	El gato es chúcaro con la gente.The cat is skittish around people.	Everyday For animals and shy people.
259	Aletazo	B.O., armpit smell	Mae, ¡qué aletazo! Póngase desodorante.Dude, what B.O.! Put on some deodorant.	Casual "Ala" is a wing, so the smell comes from the armpit. Tease close friends with it.
260	H.P.	S.O.B.	¡Qué H.P., me robó el celular!What an S.O.B., he stole my phone!	Vulgar Short for "hijueputa", Costa Rica's top swear. Say "hache pe".
261	Pendejo / pendeja	Fool, coward	¡No sea pendejo, fíjese por dónde camina!Don't be a fool, watch where you walk!	Vulgar It can be a real insult. Know it so you can spot it.
262	Carepicha	Dickhead	¡Carepicha, fíjese por dónde maneja!Dickhead, watch where you're driving!	Vulgar A strong insult, from "picha", penis. Don't use it.
263	Playo	Gay man (a slur)	Le gritaron "playo" y él se fue del bar.Someone yelled a slur at him and he left the bar.	Vulgar A slur for gay men. Know it so you can spot it, but never say it.
264	¡Qué barco!	So over the top!	Llegó con 3 maletas para 1 noche. ¡Qué barco!He showed up with 3 bags for 1 night. So over the top!	Slang Said about a person who does something silly or hard to believe.

Love and flirting 19

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
265	¿Cómo se llama?	What is your name?	Hola, ¿cómo se llama usted?Hi, what is your name?	Everyday The polite way to ask. Ticos say usted even at a bar.
266	¡Qué guapa! / ¡qué guapo!	How good-looking!	¡Qué guapa se ve hoy!You look great today!	Casual A friendly compliment. Say it once and take the hint.
267	Mi amor	My love	Gracias, mi amor.Thanks, my love.	Everyday Couples say it, and so do older people to kids and to anyone they are fond of.
268	Chulo / chula	Good-looking	Qué chula su casa.Your house is lovely.	Casual Slang for good-looking. It also works for nice things.
269	Aminovio / aminovia	Friend who is like a partner	Es mi aminovia, pero no somos novios.She is like a girlfriend to me, but we are not a couple.	Slang A close friend with a romantic feel.
270	¿Quiere bailar?	Do you want to dance?	Buenas, ¿quiere bailar esta canción?Hi, do you want to dance to this song?	Everyday Ticos ask with usted, even at a club. Salsa and swing criollo fill the dance floor.
271	Tirar los perros	To flirt	Le está tirando los perros a la bartender.He's flirting with the bartender.	Casual Light teasing, said across Latin America.
272	Jalar	To date	Ellos jalan desde el colegio.They've been dating since high school.	Casual The Tico word for going out with someone.
273	Tener pegue	To be a hit with people	Ese mae tiene pegue con las chicas.That guy is a hit with girls.	Casual Charm that pulls people in.
274	Dar pelota	To pay attention to someone	Le hablé toda la noche, pero no me dio pelota.I talked to her all night, but she ignored me.	Casual "No dar pelota" means to ignore. "¡Deme pelota!" means listen to me, pay attention to me.
275	Pulsear	To go after someone	Estoy pulseando a la vecina.I'm trying to win over the neighbor.	Slang Also to chase a job. "Hay que pulsearla" means you've got to hustle.
276	Chinear	To pamper, cuddle	Me encanta que me chinee.I love it when you pamper me.	Everyday Also to carry a baby in your arms. "Chineado" is spoiled, and "chineo" is the cuddling.
277	Pepiado / pepiada	Smitten	Estoy pepiado con esa chica.I'm smitten with that girl.	Slang Head over heels.
278	Tener un lance	To have a fling	Tiene un lance con la vecina.He's got a thing going with the neighbor.	Slang A flirtation or a fling.
279	Palabrear	To sweet-talk	Me palabreó hasta que acepté salir con él.He sweet-talked me until I agreed to go out with him.	Casual Smooth talk to win someone over.
280	Papito / mamita	Sweetie	¡Qué lindo, papito!How cute, sweetie!	Everyday Said to kids and partners.
281	Cabra	Girl, girlfriend	Llegó con la cabra al bar.He showed up at the bar with his girlfriend.	Slang Men's slang. Some women find it rude.
282	Enculado / enculada	Madly in love	Está enculado con una mujer casada.He's madly in love with a married woman.	Vulgar Often for someone who doesn't love you back. It comes from "culo", so keep it for friends.
283	Amiguillo / amiguilla	Friend with benefits	Tiene un amiguillo, pero nada serio.She has a friend with benefits, but nothing serious.	Slang A casual flirt or hookup buddy. "Ligarse a alguien" is to hook up with them.

Sayings and expressions 17

#	Phrase	Meaning	Example	When to use
284	Por aquello	Just in case	Lleve una chaqueta por aquello.Take a jacket just in case.	Everyday Short for "por aquello de que...".
285	¡Dios guarde!	God forbid!	¿Un terremoto? ¡Dios guarde!An earthquake? God forbid!	Everyday Older Ticos say it a lot.
286	Ir a la segura	To play it safe	Mejor vamos a la segura y salimos temprano.Better to play it safe and leave early.	Everyday Good advice on mountain roads.
287	Hablar paja / hablar papaya	To talk nonsense	Dejen de hablar paja y vámonos.Stop talking nonsense and let's go.	Casual "Paja" is straw. "Hablar papaya" is the softer way to say it.
288	Cuidado pierde	You can't go wrong, it's a sure thing	¿El tour al Arenal? Cuidado pierde, es buenísimo.The Arenal tour? You can't go wrong, it's great.	Casual Say it about a sure bet or a pick you can't go wrong with.
289	Andar tras del palo	To be clueless	Ando tras del palo, no entendí nada.I'm lost, I didn't get a thing.	Casual Laugh at yourself with it.
290	Hacerse el maje	To play dumb	No se haga el maje, usted sabía.Don't play dumb, you knew.	Casual Say it to someone who acts like they don't know.
291	¡Qué despiche!	What a mess!	¡Qué despiche dejaron en la cocina!What a mess they left in the kitchen!	Vulgar It comes from "picha", a vulgar word for penis, so keep it for friends. "Se despichó" means it fell apart.
292	Estar hecho leña	To be wiped out	Después de la caminata estoy hecho leña.After the hike I'm wiped out.	Casual Literally "turned into firewood".
293	Más tico que el gallo pinto	As Tico as it gets	Ese mae es más tico que el gallo pinto.That guy is as Tico as it gets.	Casual Praise for anyone who loves all things Tico.
294	Estar de manteles largos	To be celebrating in style	Hoy estamos de manteles largos, mi abuela cumple 90.We're celebrating big today, my grandma turns 90.	Casual For a special day with a big meal.
295	De feria	What's more, as a bonus	Compramos 2 piñas y de feria nos regaló un mango.We bought 2 pineapples and what's more she gave us a mango.	Casual For a little extra you didn't expect.
296	Salir como un cachiflín	To dash off fast	Sonó la alarma y salió como un cachiflín.The alarm went off and he shot out the door.	Casual A cachiflín is a firecracker that zips along the ground. Older Ticos also call a skinny person a cachiflín.
297	A mecate corto	On a short leash	La novia lo tiene a mecate corto.His girlfriend keeps him on a short leash.	Casual "Mecate" is rope.
298	¡Qué salidas!	What nonsense!	Usted sale con cada cosa. ¡Qué salidas!You come out with the craziest things. What nonsense!	Casual Teasing a friend who says odd things.
299	Más largo que un domingo sin plata	Endless, dragging on	Esta fila está más larga que un domingo sin plata.This line is dragging on forever.	Casual A Sunday with no money feels like it never ends.
300	Embarcarse	To get into a mess	Me embarqué con ese préstamo y ahora no puedo pagarlo.I got into a mess with that loan and now I can't pay it.	Casual "Me embarcaron" means they got me into trouble. It's also a joke for getting married.

Around Costa Rica 29

Most Tico slang works coast to coast, but place nicknames, food and surf talk change as you travel.

The Central Valley

In the Central Valley, around San José, Alajuela, Heredia and Cartago, people use their city's nicknames with pride.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Josefino / josefina	Person from San José	Soy josefina, pero vivo en Heredia.I'm from San José, but I live in Heredia.
Brumoso / brumosa	Person from Cartago	Mi novia es brumosa, nació en Cartago.My girlfriend is from Cartago, she was born there.
Florense	Person from Heredia	Mi novio es florense de toda la vida.My boyfriend is a Heredia guy through and through.
La ciudad de los mangos	Alajuela's nickname	Nací en la ciudad de los mangos.I was born in the city of mangoes.
Parque de los Mangos	Alajuela's central park	Nos vemos en el Parque de los Mangos.See you at the Mango Park.
La ciudad de las flores	Heredia's nickname	Heredia es la ciudad de las flores.Heredia is the city of flowers.

Guanacaste

Guanacaste is the dry northwest, and you'll hear these words at its cattle ranches, dances and fiestas.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Sabanero	Cowboy, cattle hand	Mi abuelo fue sabanero toda la vida.My grandpa was a cowboy his whole life.
¡Güipipía!	A happy country yell	En las fiestas de Liberia todos gritaban "¡güipipía!".At the Liberia festival everyone was yelling "güipipía!".
Echar una bomba	To shout a funny rhyme mid-dance	En el baile, el tío echó una bomba y todos se rieron.At the dance, my uncle shouted a rhyme and everyone laughed.
¡Uyuyuy, bajura!	The yell that ends a bomba	El tío terminó la bomba con un "¡uyuyuy, bajura!".My uncle ended the rhyme with a "uyuyuy, bajura!".
La bajura	The Tempisque lowlands	Mi abuelo tenía ganado en la bajura.My grandpa kept cattle in the lowlands.
Chicheme	Purple corn drink	Probamos chicheme en las fiestas de Santa Cruz.We tried chicheme at the Santa Cruz festival.

Tamarindo and the surf towns

Tamarindo, Playa Grande and Santa Teresa draw surfers from everywhere, and the surf schools there share a handful of words.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Buen ride	Awesome (about a surf session)	¡Buen ride, mae! Qué olas hoy.Awesome ride, dude! What waves today.
¡Hale!	Let's go	¡Hale, vámonos a surfear a Santa Teresa!Let's go surf at Santa Teresa!
Suave un toque	Hold on a second	Suave un toque, mae, voy por la tabla.Hold on a second, dude, I'll go get the board.
Irse de jupa	To fall head first	Me fui de jupa en la última ola.I fell head first on the last wave.
Irse de espaldas	To fall backwards	Me fui de espaldas y tragué agua.I fell backwards and swallowed water.

The Caribbean coast

The Caribbean coast runs from Limón to Cahuita and Puerto Viejo, and many families there speak Limonese Creole as well as Spanish.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Mop	Bro, buddy	¿Qué hubo, mop? ¿Vamos a la playa?What's up, bro? Shall we hit the beach?
Nyam	To eat	Ya está la comida, ¡a nyam!Food's ready, let's eat!
¡Cho!	Ugh! Come on!	¡Cho! Otra vez está lloviendo.Ugh! It's raining again.
Rice and beans	Rice and beans cooked in coconut milk	Pedí un rice and beans con pollo.I ordered rice and beans with chicken.
Patí	Spicy meat pastry	Compré un patí en el mercado de Limón.I bought a patí at the Limón market.
Pan bon	Spiced fruit bread	Mi abuela hornea pan bon en Navidad.My grandma bakes pan bon at Christmas.
Rondón	Coconut fish stew	El rondón de doña Vera es famoso.Mrs. Vera's coconut stew is famous.

Puntarenas and the Pacific

Puntarenas is the old Pacific port, about 2 hours from San José, and its province runs south past Quepos and Manuel Antonio to the Osa Peninsula.

Phrase	Meaning	Example
Porteño / porteña	Person from Puntarenas	Mi papá es porteño, creció cerca del muelle.My dad is from Puntarenas, he grew up near the pier.
Chuchequero / chuchequera	Person from Puntarenas (said with pride)	Los chuchequeros dicen que su ceviche es el mejor del país.People from Puntarenas say their ceviche is the best in the country.
Churchill	Loaded shaved ice	No se vaya sin comerse un Churchill.Don't leave without eating a Churchill.
Orero	Gold panner (Osa)	Un orero nos enseñó a sacar oro del río.A gold panner showed us how to pan for gold in the river.
Coligallero	Small-scale river gold miner (Osa)	Mi tío fue coligallero en la península de Osa.My uncle was a river gold miner on the Osa Peninsula.

Don't mix these up

Word	In Costa Rica	Elsewhere
Soda	A small cheap diner	A fizzy drink
Presa	A traffic jam	A dam, prey, or a prisoner
Bomba	A gas station, or a folk rhyme	A bomb
Natilla	Sour cream	Custard (Spain)
Harina	Money	Flour
Al rato	Maybe, it could be	Later (Mexico)
Pipa	A green coconut you drink from	A pipe, or a sunflower seed (Spain)
Fresco	A fruit drink, or a soda pop	Fresh, or cheeky
Macho / macha	A blond person	A tough guy
Gato / gata	A person with light eyes	A cat
Goma	A hangover	Glue or rubber
Torta	A blunder; "jalarse una torta" is to mess up	A cake or a sandwich
Jalar	To date, to give a ride, or to leave	To pull
Chorizo	A shady deal	A sausage
Foco	A flashlight	A light bulb
El diario	Weekly groceries	A newspaper
Montaña	Forest or jungle, even on flat land	A mountain
Verano / invierno	The dry season / the rainy season	Summer / winter by the calendar
Pinche	Stingy	A rude word for lousy (Mexico)
Chingo / chinga	Naked; a cigarette butt	Very vulgar in Mexico
Coger	Ticos avoid it, because many hear it as sex. Say "agarrar el bus"	To take or grab (Spain)
Ocupar	To need: "¿ocupa bolsa?"	To occupy
Regalar	To order politely: "¿me regala un café?" You still pay	To give as a gift
Ahorita	Right now or in a moment, and it can stretch a bit	Now, or hours from now (Mexico)
Cabra	A girl or girlfriend (men's slang)	A goat
Rajado / rajada	Amazing	A coward (Mexico)
Tortilla	A corn flatbread	An egg omelette (Spain)
Chile dulce	A bell pepper, not hot at all	A "chile" is a hot pepper (Mexico)
Concho / concha	A rude person or a hick	Concha is a very vulgar word in Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, and a seashell elsewhere
Cajeta	A milk fudge, often with coconut	A very vulgar word (Argentina, Uruguay)
Pena	"¡Qué pena!" means sorry, or how embarrassing	Sadness or sorrow
Bravo / brava	Angry, or a fierce dog ("perro bravo")	Brave, or "well done!"
Chiva	Cool; "estar chiva" is to be angry	A goat, or a party bus (Colombia)

Questions people ask

What does pura vida mean?

It means "pure life", and it's the phrase you'll hear most. Ticos use it for hi, bye, thanks and "all good", and as the answer when someone asks how you are.

What is the slang term for Costa Ricans?

Costa Ricans call themselves "ticos" and "ticas". The name comes from their love of the -tico ending, as in "chiquitico".

How do Costa Ricans say cool?

Say "tuanis", "¡qué chiva!" or "a cachete". For a cool car or gadget, say it's "chuzo".

What does tuanis mean?

"Tuanis" means cool or great. Young Ticos say it about a place, a plan or a person, and "¿todo tuanis?" means "all good?".

How do you say thank you in Costa Rica?

Say "gracias", or "muchas gracias" to be warm. You'll hear "con mucho gusto" or "a la orden" back, not "de nada".

What does "chiva" mean in Costa Rican slang?

"¡Qué chiva!" means "how cool!". "Estar chiva" can also mean to be angry, so the tone tells you which one.

What does "a cachete" mean in Costa Rica?

It means great or just right. "¿Cómo va todo? A cachete" means everything is going really well.

What are some Costa Rican slang bad words?

The big one is "hijueputa", and Ticos shorten it to "H.P.". "Carepicha" and "pendejo" are strong insults, and "juepuña" is a softened swear that strangers may still take badly.

How do you say hello in Costa Rica?

Say "¡buenas!" at any hour. Call out "¡upe!" at a gate, and ask friends "¿qué es la vara?".

Do Costa Ricans use tú or usted?

Many Ticos use usted even with friends. Younger people often use vos or tú, so usted is the safe pick.

What are Costa Rican terms of endearment?

Parents call kids "papito" or "mamita", and couples say "mi amor". "Chinear" means to pamper someone you love, and being "pepiado" means you're smitten.

What does qué es la vara mean?

"¿Qué es la vara?" means "what's up?" between friends. "Vara" alone means a thing or a situation, so "la vara es que..." means "the thing is...".

What does diay mean?

"Diay" means well, so or hey. Ticos use it to fill a pause, to greet you or to ask "and then what?".

What does upe mean?

"¡Upe!" is what you call out at a gate or door to say you're there. Ticos say it instead of knocking.

What does mae mean?

"Mae" means dude or man, and Ticos say it to men and women. Use it with friends, not with strangers or elders.

Which Costa Rican words should I never say?

Skip "playo", a slur for gay men, and "carepicha", a strong insult. Never call out to strangers on the street, because street harassment is a crime in Costa Rica.

How is Costa Rican slang different from Mexican slang?

Ticos say "mae" where Mexicans say "güey", and "tuanis" where Mexicans say "chido". Costa Ricans also use usted with friends, while Mexicans use tú.

What Spanish phrases should I learn before a trip to Costa Rica?

Start with "¡buenas!", "pura vida", "con mucho gusto" and "¿me regala...?". Add "¿me pone la maría?" for taxis, and "un rojo" and "¿me hace un descuentito?" for prices.

Slang in other countries

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Sources

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