No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeTopicsExpat LivingLearning Spanish in Costa Rica: Lessons Beyond the Textbook

Learning Spanish in Costa Rica: Lessons Beyond the Textbook

Learning a new language later in life requires patience, perseverance, and the understanding that, no matter how fluent you become, you’ll probably never reach the level you have with your native tongue. I learned Spanish in my 30s and have worked several jobs that required as much—or more—Spanish than English. I speak Spanish with my wife, live in a barrio where I’m likely the only native English speaker, and feel confident in my abilities. And yet…

Take the word faruscas. My wife once used it to describe a mechanic who did shoddy work on my car. Despite my fairly expansive Spanish vocabulary, I had never heard, read, or spoken the word. According to El Diccionario de la Lengua Española, it’s Costa Rican slang meaning anything from a gossip to a hypocrite to a fake. It’s not a word I use, but I like the way it rolls off the tongue.

I also enjoy my favorite putdown word: pendejo. Technically defined as “pubic hair,” it’s more commonly used to describe a stubborn or unlikeable person—or as I see it, a synonym for “a-hole.”

Every region has its unique slang, and Costa Rica is no exception. Beyond well-known phrases like Pura Vida, tuanis, and solo bueno, here are some others:

  • Dar pelota – To seek attention (not to give someone a ball)
  • Mechudo – A person with long, messy hair
  • Apretar – To squeeze, or in Tico slang, to French kiss
  • Bomba – A gas station (not just a pump)
  • Presa – Commonly used to mean a traffic jam, though it literally means dam
  • Gallo pinto – A staple breakfast dish, not a painted rooster
  • Zaguate – A mutt or street dog
  • Preservativo – A condom, not a food preservative
  • Tío político – An uncle-in-law, not a political uncle

Also, beware of direct translations: Dedos are fingers, but dedos de pie are toes. No me molesta means “don’t bother me,” not “it doesn’t bother me.” A malabarista is a juggler—not a bad barista.

Then there’s the common confusion between the letters “V” and “B.” While they’re pronounced the same in Spanish—with a hard B sound—I’ve seen signs like “No votar basura” (“Don’t vote for garbage!”), which should say “No botar basura” (“Don’t litter”). I’ve seen bicicleta spelled vicicleta, and vaso as baso. But in the end, the reader usually understands the meaning.

Every language has a living lexicon beyond what you learn in class. I try to keep up with slang and lesser-known terms—not just for personal enrichment, but so I don’t come across as a faruscas.

Trending Now

US Marines Head to Panama Jungle for Joint Drills

US Marines plan to join forces with Panamanian security teams for a joint exercise in the country's thick jungle next month. The move comes...

Jane Goodall dies at 91 after transforming chimpanzee science and conservation

British primatologist Jane Goodall, who transformed the study of chimpanzees and became one of the world's most revered wildlife advocates, has died at the...

Costa Rica Landslide Tragedy as Family Buried Alive

Heavy rains triggered a deadly landslide in Piedades Sur, San Ramón, Alajuela, late Saturday night, burying a family home and killing two adults and...

FIFA Fines El Salvador Federation Over Racist Chants in Suriname Qualifier

FIFA has slapped the Salvadoran Football Federation with a fine and attendance cuts following racist slurs from fans aimed at Suriname players in a...

Bank of America Predicts Stable Exchange Rate for Costa Rica

Bank of America has released a fresh analysis of Costa Rica's economy, pointing to steady conditions ahead. The report predicts the dollar exchange rate...

El Salvador Bans Inclusive Language in Public Schools

El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele has taken another step to reshape the country's education system. On Thursday, he declared a complete ban on what...
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