Costarriñequizmos
If you have ever visited Costa Rica you will be quick to notice that Ticos (or Ticas) use a lot of expressions that may not seem familiar to even someone knowledgeable in Spanish.
Here are more (some humorous) examples from an email a tico friend recently sent me…..
- Face - jacha, tarro
- Head - jupa, torre
- Eyes - guachos
- Nose - ñata
- Mouth - jeta, trompa
- Stomach - panza, timba, chiberre
- Ass - nalgas, fondillo, trasero, bumper
- Underarm - sobacos, aletas
- Legs - canillas
- Fingers - troles, jocotes
- Feet – patas
- Walk - trolea, caitea, va a pata
- Lazy - achantado, esta de bagaces, se la tira rico
- Stingy - agarrado, codo, pinche
- Boring - se agüeva, se ostina, es un bostezo, tiene tigra
- To get married - se ahorca, se suicida, se embarca
- To owe money to someone - amarra el perro
- Distracted – está detrás del palo
- To sleep - rulea, plancha la oreja, está jetón, echa espuma, babea
- To kiss - apreta, marca
- To vomit - se rancha, llama a Hugo, se arroja
- To be ashamed - se la pela, se pega un bañazo
- To assume - batea
- To fight - arma bochinche, se agarra
- To be sociable - bombeta
- To work – bretea, chambea
- To be a suckup - brochazo, es un sopla guabas
- To flirt with a woman - echa el cuento, está ligando
- To cry - moquea, es una bomba de mocos, mariquea
- To have a boyfriend – esta jala, tiene cabra, tiene guila
- To have shoes - tiene cachos, caites
- To bitch at someone - lo cagan
- To take a piss - mea, le cambia el agua al pajarito
- A child - carajillo, güila, mocoso, chiquito
- To be without shame - carebarro, un montado, un cascarudo
- To be careless - un tortero, un carne molida, un chapa, mete la pata
- To be angry - se enchicha, se chivea, está de luna, se arranca, se encachimba
- To be handsome – cito paolo, es un rico (a), un chicha, corrongo (a)
- To go to the jail - lo enchorpan, lo engaletan, lo entaban
- To have a house - tiene chante, choza
- To have a car - tiene nave, chuzo o al contrario pichirilo, estornaco
- To die - cuelga las tenis, patea el balde, estira la pata, se palma
- To be stupid - es baboso, como las vacas, menso, sorompo, jetas
- To be doing well - pura vida, puros dieces, con toda la pata, tuanis
- To like something - le cuadra, está chiva, está fresa
- To brag about yourself - pesado, un culazo, es un dolor de guevos, rajón
- To cause damage - se queda hecho mierda o leña
- To be hungry - tiene filo, tiene moncha
- To be a bother - jode, friega, es majadero, 'seas tan necio'
- To be ugly - furris, güeisoTo have good luck - guavero, lechero, chepero
- To have a hangover - gomaTo be confused - se hace bolas
- To be drunk - se juma, hasta la cara me duele, está tapis
- To be in love - pepiado
- To eat - jarta, jama
- To be a liar – jetón, lengua larga
- To be broke - anda limpio, lavado
- To ignore someone - se hace el ruso, se hace el maje
- To fail - se la pela
- To play soccer - mejenguea, juega bola, patea bola
- To have bad luck - miado, salado
- To take advantage - se monta
- To be a bookworm - es nerdo, verde, es pipa, tiene masa gris
- To feel bad - paltigre, agüevado
- To go to party - va de pelón, va de pachanga, va de rumba
- To small bad - pateón
- To make an effort – la pellejea, la pulsea, se pone las pilas
- To have diarrea - tiene pringa pie, anda flojo, se le suelta el ruedo
- To be nosey - sapazo chepo, vina
- To be corrupt - es un choricero, trinquetero
- To run - se pega un morón
- To go or leave - se jala
- To be sure or certain - al chile, fuera de vara
Pura Vida!
6 Comments:
If someone is visiting Costa Rica for an extended period of time, there are some free, government-sponsored programs to learn Spanish (although I don't know how much slang they'll teach).
Here's a post from Costa Rica HQ on education in Costa Rica which mentions the program.
By Unknown, At February 28, 2008 at 9:57 PM
Thank you for the list of expressions. It will come in very handy as I am planning a visit to Costa Rica in the near future and it is good to be aware of things like this. I've been researching as many blogs as possible to gain as much information as I can so that I am fully prepared for my visit. I checked out the Costa Rica HQ blog that Jack mentioned in his comment. A lot of useful information. I've been lucky in finding quite a number of very informative blogs, including this one.
By Mary, At March 6, 2008 at 10:05 AM
Mary....just be careful, this is not "good" spanish but SLANG....use with caution! Let me know if I can help with any other aspects of your trip....ENJOY!
By That "Costa Rica Guy", At March 6, 2008 at 9:01 PM
I saw this post and the comments and one thing fascinates me. This is the third blog I have encountered of an American falling in love with Costa Rica and deciding to live there.
The blog referenced in the other comments Costa Rica HQ is one and another one called yo-yoinparadise are both by Americans that moved to Costa Rica.
They are all passionate advocates of how great a place Costa Rica is to live.
Are there a significant number of americans now living in Costa Rica?
I have only been there once and that was 30 years ago. I may have to consider going back.
Scott S
By Scott S, At March 8, 2008 at 5:58 PM
Scott....there are about 100,000 "gringos" (northamericans) living in Costa Rica and last year 2 million tourists arrived (though not all from US and Canada).....the 100,000 number is the one you hear all the time (not sure how completely accurate it is), but one thing is for sure, gringos are moving and buying here, making it one of the hottest real estate markets on the planet. The reasons are simple: stable and democratic, incredible biodiversity, great beaches on two coasts (Pacific and Caribbean) and the ticos are the some of the warmest people you can meet anywhere....there are other reasons too, stay tuned to the blog for more!
By That "Costa Rica Guy", At March 9, 2008 at 4:07 PM
thank you so much for sharing i have copied and saved it for future reference. it will be very handy for our planned trip.
i also have checked Costa Rica HQ and very informative as well.
By joyceyoj, At March 26, 2008 at 1:21 AM
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