Since the bill for 1,000 colones (roughly $0.80 at the time of writing in 2022) is red, people just refer to it as “red.” Literally “what a dickful of people.” Un Rojo – 1,000 colon bill Such as qué pichazo de gente – what a ton of people. This word is also derived from “ picha” and it means a whole bunch of something. The word is used when something is a big mess- like look what a mess traffic was yesterday. This word needs to be used carefully as it is derived from the word picha which means dick. Literally translates to talking straw, this is when everyone is just sitting around talking about nothing. It’s not used for talking about directions or location. Literally means “I’m behind the tree” this phrase is used when someone does not understand something. You’ll hear this when it’s time for everyone to go! Ando tras del palo – I am totally lost Shortened from nos juimos, a Costa Rican pronunciation for “ nos fuimios” which means we left. H.P is the shortening of the full phrase. Hijo de puta literally translates to son of a whore, but Costa Ricans don’t seem to find the phrase offensive and use it in front of children. – BastardĬosta Ricans are known throughout Latin America for using the phrase hijue puta liberally. Related post: 30+ Foods To Try In Costa Rica H.P. This verb can also be changed to an adjective- ¡qué mela! which means “what a great meal.” It literally translates as “to put your foot in it.” Jupa – Head There are apparently a lot of ways to get into trouble in Costa Rican Spanish, and this is another. Similar to que barco, this word translates as “to get on the boat.” Costa Ricans use it when someone has gotten into a mess that will be hard to get out of. It is used to refer to people and not things. Literally translating to “what a boat” this saying refers to someone who is doing something ridiculous or unbelievable. The favorite slang word for “things,” using this word will get a smile out of every Costa Rican you meet. This word is so uniquely Costa Rican it’s not even funny. One of my favorite Costa Rican slang words, this word literally translates “to the chile.” It can be used often in casual conversation with the word mae as in al chile, mae (dude, it’s true). It is used in verb form as well- “ bretear.” Al chile- seriously This means homework, housework, or a job. You will often hear this word when ticos are getting ready to do any type of work. Ironic, due to most Costa Ricans laissez faire attitude towards time. Literally translating to tighten it up, you will often hear this word when people want to go faster (like in a car) or hurry something up. Literally translating to “soft” ticos use this to mean slow down or hold on. One of the most used expressions for cool by all ages in Costa Rica. This word supposedly evolved from the English “too nice.” A favorite Costa Rica slang. It can express confusion, and it is also used like “um” to fill in sentences. It can be an expression of wonder at something outrageous someone has done (I just broke my foot). This Costa Rican word is used for a myriad of things. Older women don’t use it as much, and it’s not often used in formal conversation. This is more often used with younger people, or when older men are talking to each other. You will often hear Costa Ricans answer the question How are you? with pura vida, mae. Mae, or sometimes maje means dude or friend. Often instead of using the diminutive -ito such as chiquito (small) Costa Ricans will instead use -ico, as in chiquitico. This is what Costa Ricans call themselves, due to the way they talk. Many Costa Rican refer to their own country as tiquicia. Literally translates to “pure life” this might be the national saying of Costa Rica. Related post: 50 Interesting Costa Rica Facts You Need To Know Pura Vida – Pura Life This is not a comprehensive list of every slang word in tico Spanish, but it does include words that aren’t used in any other of the Spanish-speaking countries. Another trick for language learners in Costa Rica? Use the “usted” form of verbs rather than the “tú” form. If you are taking a trip to Costa Rica to learn to speak Spanish, you can use some of these words and phrases to impress ticos when you first arrive. It can be fun to use this guide to see if you can hear these phrases while you are visiting! These are Spanish words you will hear in casual conversation between ticos, but not necessarily directed at you if you are a tourist. This post will guide you on the most common words you’ll hear when interacting with ticos unfiltered. From nicknames to popular destinations to silly words for food, there are a lot of variations on common words. Like every country in the world, Costa Ricans have a lot of slang words. This guide to Costa Rican slang includes everything you need to know to really understand the ticos of Costa Rica.
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