No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArts & CultureLearning Costa Rica Spanish for expats and tourists: Part 6

Learning Costa Rica Spanish for expats and tourists: Part 6

You can’t call yourself fluent in Costa Rican Spanish unless you understand its slang.

Over the past several weeks, we brought you Parts 1,2, 3, 4 and 5 of our Tico Talk series on tiquismos or costarriqueñismos.

Ready for Part 6? Here you go, my friends!

Costa Rican Slang, Part 6

Achantado/a: lazy. Perezoso/a is a synonym.

Acois: Slang for “here.” Aquí and acá are the more common Spanish words for “here.”

Agarrar volados: To take advice or pointers. Tomar consejos is the better-known expression in Spanish.

Ah bueno: Whatever.

Al chile: Right! Really!

Al rato: Perhaps. Quizás or a lo mejor are synonyms. 

Como maleante perseguido: To move quickly. Como alma que lleva el diablo is a synonym.

Echarse la soga al cuello: To get yourself into a mess … or to get married.

Pega: A pain in the neck. Dolor de culo (vulgar), or pain in the butt, is also used.

¡Qué va!: No way!

Vivazo/a: A smart ass.

Volar pata: To walk. Trolear is also used here.

¡Ya voy!: Give me a break! Ya voy en carrera is another version.

Tiquismo, or Costa Rican expression of the week:

Cuando la rana eche pelo: When a frog grows hair, which means “never.”

Christopher Howard has been conducting monthly relocation/retirement tours and writing retirement guidebooks for over 30 years. See www.liveincostarica.com. He is also the author of the one-of-a-kind bestselling, “Guide to Costa Rican Spanish,” that can be purchased through Amazon.

Trending Now

Juanes Lands in Costa Rica to Shoot Videos for New Tracks

Colombian singer Juanes has arrived in Costa Rica, turning our country's landscapes into backdrops for his latest music videos. The artist, known for hits...

Guatemala Joins Costa Rica and Ecuador in Building Anti-Gang Prisons

The Guatemalan government has put forward a new bill aimed at hitting gangs harder, with steeper sentences and a dedicated high-security prison, as the...

Costa Rica Ranger Trapped After Falling off Cliff on Cocos Island

Rescue teams in Costa Rica continue their efforts to save a park ranger who fell down a 40-meter cliff on Isla del Coco. The...

Costa Rica Court Orders Urgent Regulation of Tuna Fishing Law

Costa Rica's Constitutional Court has stepped in to push the government on a long-delayed tuna fishing law. The court partially backed an appeal from...

Costa Rican Congressman Faces Sexual Abuse Allegations from 2006

Fabricio Alvarado, a sitting congressman and presidential hopeful for the New Republic Party, now contends with a formal complaint accusing him of sexually abusing...

New Poison Dart Frog Species Discovered in Peru’s Amazon

Peruvian researchers have identified a new poison dart frog in the Amazon rainforest, adding to the region's rich array of wildlife. The tiny creature,...
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica