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🇨🇷 Jerga · Practice & Play

Jerga de Costa Rica

The 20 words and phrases you’ll hear in Costa Rica, with friendly pronunciation, 3 examples each, games and dialogues to practice.

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Paso 1

Las 20 · The 20 words and phrases

Costa Rican Spanish is famous for “pura vida,” an all-purpose phrase Ticos use to say hello, goodbye, thanks and “all good.” Costa Ricans often use “usted” even with close friends, and their fondness for the diminutive -ico (as in “momentico”) gave them the nickname “ticos.”

Tap any word to see its meaning, 3 examples and a cultural note. Pronunciation: the CAPITAL syllable is stressed. 🔊 uses your device’s Spanish voice, so the accent may not match Costa Rica exactly.

¡Pura vida!/POO-rah BEE-dah/all good, great; also used to say hello, goodbye or thanks

phrasecasual, friendly [pu-ra vi-da]

Literally: pure life

3 examples

  • —¿Cómo estás? —¡Pura vida, gracias!“How are you?” “All good, thanks!”
  • Gracias por el café, ¡pura vida!Thanks for the coffee, much appreciated!
  • El viaje a Monteverde estuvo pura vida.The trip to Monteverde was great.

Costa Rica's unofficial national motto; the RAE dictionary lists it as a Costa Rican expression. La Nación links its spread to the 1950s Mexican film “¡Pura vida!”.

mae/MAH-eh/dude, man; any person (used for men and women)

wordcasual, between friends [ma-e]

3 examples

  • Mae, ¿vamos a jugar fútbol después de clase?Dude, should we play soccer after class?
  • Ese mae de la soda hace el mejor casado.That guy at the diner makes the best casado.
  • ¡Mae, ya llegué! Estoy en la parada.Dude, I'm here! I'm at the bus stop.

Comes from “maje,” which once meant “fool”; in Costa Rica it is now friendly and very frequent. Use it with friends, not with teachers or bosses.

tuanis/TWAH-nees/cool, great, excellent

wordcasual [tua-nis]

3 examples

  • Tus tenis nuevos están tuanis.Your new sneakers are cool.
  • El profe nos dio el viernes libre, ¡qué tuanis!The teacher gave us Friday off, how great!
  • Ese restaurante en Escazú es muy tuanis.That restaurant in Escazú is really nice.

Often said to come from English “too nice”; another theory links it to malespín, an old Central American letter-swapping slang. Nicaragua says “tuani.”

diay/dee-EYE/well…, so…, hey (filler); what?! (surprise)

wordcasual [di-ay]

3 examples

  • Diay, ¿qué hacemos hoy?So, what are we doing today?
  • ¡Diay! ¿Ya se acabó el gallo pinto?What?! The gallo pinto is all gone already?
  • —¿Vas a la fiesta? —Diay, no sé.“Are you going to the party?” “Well, I don't know.”

Also “idiay.” From “y de ahí.” UCR research calls it a hallmark of Costa Rican identity. Nicaraguans say “ideay.”

brete/BREH-teh/work, job

wordcasual [bre-te]

3 examples

  • Mañana tengo mucho brete en la oficina.Tomorrow I have a lot of work at the office.
  • Mi hermana consiguió brete en un hotel en Tamarindo.My sister got a job at a hotel in Tamarindo.
  • Después del brete nos vemos en el parque.After work let's meet at the park.

Verb: “bretear” (to work).

harina/ah-REE-nah/money

wordcasual [ha-ri-na]

Literally: flour

3 examples

  • No puedo ir al cine, no tengo harina.I can't go to the movies, I don't have any money.
  • Ese celular cuesta mucha harina.That phone costs a lot of money.
  • Mi papá me prestó harina para el bus.My dad lent me money for the bus.

In standard Spanish “harina” just means flour.

tico, tica/TEE-koh/Costa Rican (person or thing)

wordcasual, proud [ti-co]

3 examples

  • Mi novia es tica, de Cartago.My girlfriend is Costa Rican, from Cartago.
  • El gallo pinto es un desayuno muy tico.Gallo pinto is a very Costa Rican breakfast.
  • Hay muchos ticos en el equipo nacional de surf.There are lots of Costa Ricans on the national surf team.

Comes from the Costa Rican habit of using -ico for diminutives (chiquitico, momentico). Ticos use it proudly; “tiquismo” = a Costa Rican expression.

¡upe!/OO-peh/“Hello, anybody home?” (called out at a gate or door)

wordcasual, traditional [u-pe]

3 examples

  • ¡Upe! Doña Ana, ¿está en casa?Hello! Doña Ana, are you home?
  • Llegué a la finca y grité “¡upe!”I got to the farm and called out “anybody home?”
  • ¡Upe! Vengo a dejar el pan.Hello there! I'm dropping off the bread.

Called out from a gate or doorway instead of knocking, especially in rural areas and small towns.

chante/CHAHN-teh/house, home

wordcasual [chan-te]

3 examples

  • Vamos a mi chante a ver la película.Let's go to my place to watch the movie.
  • Su chante queda cerca del mercado.Her house is near the market.
  • Ya llegué al chante, te escribo luego.I just got home, I'll text you later.

Of Nahuatl origin, according to La Nación.

jupa/HOO-pah/head

wordcasual, playful [ju-pa]

3 examples

  • Me duele la jupa después del examen.My head hurts after the exam.
  • Ponete la gorra, que el sol te quema la jupa.Put your cap on, the sun is burning your head.
  • ¡Usá la jupa, mae!Use your head, dude!

Playful and informal; don't use it in formal settings.

güila/GWEE-lah/kid, child (boy or girl)

wordcasual, affectionate [güi-la]

3 examples

  • Los güilas están jugando en el patio.The kids are playing in the yard.
  • Cuando era güila, vivía en Limón.When I was a kid, I lived in Limón.
  • Llevo a los güilas a la escuela a las siete.I take the kids to school at seven.

Works for both genders: el güila, la güila.

vara/BAH-rah/thing, stuff; situation

wordcasual [va-ra]

Literally: stick, rod

3 examples

  • ¿Qué es esa vara que compraste?What's that thing you bought?
  • Mae, ¿qué es la vara? ¿Qué pasó?Dude, what's going on? What happened?
  • Pasame esa vara azul de la mesa.Hand me that blue thing on the table.

“¿Qué es la vara?” = “What's up?” In most countries “vara” only means a stick or rod.

goma/GOH-mah/hangover

wordcasual [go-ma]

Literally: rubber; glue

3 examples

  • Mi tío amaneció con goma después de la boda.My uncle woke up with a hangover after the wedding.
  • No hablés tan duro, que tengo goma.Don't talk so loud, I have a hangover.
  • Para la goma, nada como un caldo.For a hangover, nothing beats a hot broth.

A big one is a “gomón.” Also used elsewhere in Central America; in most countries “goma” is rubber, glue or an eraser.

chinear/chee-neh-AHR/to pamper, spoil; to hold or carry a baby

wordcasual, affectionate [chi-ne-ar]

3 examples

  • A mi abuela le encanta chinear a los nietos.My grandma loves pampering the grandkids.
  • ¿Puedo chinear al bebé un ratito?Can I hold the baby for a little while?
  • Mi perro está muy chineado, duerme en el sofá.My dog is very spoiled, he sleeps on the sofa.

Also used in Nicaragua. Adjective: “chineado” (spoiled, pampered).

¡Qué chiva!/KEH CHEE-bah/How cool! Awesome!

phrasecasual [qué chi-va]

Literally: What a goat!

3 examples

  • ¡Qué chiva tu bici nueva!Your new bike is awesome!
  • Ganamos el partido, ¡qué chiva!We won the game, how cool!
  • ¡Qué chiva el concierto en el Estadio Nacional!The concert at the National Stadium was awesome!

Careful: “ponerse chiva” means to get angry. Elsewhere “chiva” is a goat, and in Colombia a colorful rural bus.

por dicha/pohr DEE-chah/luckily, fortunately, thank goodness

phraseneutral [por di-cha]

Literally: by bliss / by good fortune

3 examples

  • Por dicha no llovió en la excursión.Luckily it didn't rain on the trip.
  • —¿Cómo sigue tu mamá? —Mejor, por dicha.“How is your mom?” “Better, thank goodness.”
  • Por dicha encontré mi cédula en el carro.Fortunately I found my ID card in the car.

Ticos use it where others say “por suerte” or “menos mal.”

a cachete/ah kah-CHEH-teh/great, really well, going fine

phrasecasual [a ca-che-te]

Literally: to the cheek

3 examples

  • —¿Cómo te va en el brete? —¡A cachete!“How's work going?” “Really well!”
  • La pasamos a cachete en la playa.We had a great time at the beach.
  • Este helado de mora está a cachete.This blackberry ice cream is great.
¡Qué torta!/KEH TOHR-tah/What a mess! What a blunder!

phrasecasual [qué tor-ta]

Literally: What a cake!

3 examples

  • Se me olvidó la tarea en la casa, ¡qué torta!I left my homework at home, what a mess!
  • ¡Qué torta! Me subí al bus equivocado.What a blunder! I got on the wrong bus.
  • Se cayó el pastel de cumpleaños. ¡Qué torta!The birthday cake fell. What a disaster!

In Mexico a “torta” is a sandwich; in Spain it can be a flat cake or a slap.

¡Qué color!/KEH koh-LOHR/How embarrassing!

phrasecasual [qué co-lor]

Literally: What a color!

3 examples

  • Me caí frente a toda la clase, ¡qué color!I fell in front of the whole class, how embarrassing!
  • ¡Qué color! Llamé a la profe “mamá”.How embarrassing! I called the teacher “Mom.”
  • Llegué tarde a la reunión. ¡Qué color!I showed up late to the meeting. So embarrassing!

Think of a face turning red. Related: “dar color” (to embarrass).

estar p'al tigre/ehs-TAHR pahl TEE-greh/to be worn out, in bad shape

phrasecasual, humorous [es-tar pal ti-gre]

Literally: to be (ready) for the tiger

3 examples

  • Después de subir el volcán, estoy p'al tigre.After climbing the volcano, I'm wiped out.
  • Este carro viejo ya está p'al tigre.This old car is falling apart.
  • Dormí tres horas y estoy p'al tigre.I slept three hours and I'm exhausted.

La Nación traces it to wild cats picking off the weakest cattle. “P'al” is short for “para el.”

Paso 2

Tarjetas · Flashcards

Say the meaning out loud, then tap the card to check.

Paso 3

Quiz · ¿Lo sabes?

10 quick questions: match each word with its meaning. You get instant feedback.

Paso 4

Diálogos · Dialogues

Three conversations, from beginner to advanced. Together they use all 20. Read and listen first, then press Practicar to fill in the blanks.

Visita en Heredia (Principiante · Beginner)

Andrés visits his friend Sofía at her family's house in Heredia.

  1. Andrés:¡Upe! ¿Hay alguien en casa?Hello! Anybody home?
  2. Sofía:¡Hola, Andrés! ¡Pura vida! Pasá, pasá.Hi, Andrés! Great to see you! Come in, come in.
  3. Andrés:Gracias. Tu chante es muy bonito.Thanks. Your house is really pretty.
  4. Sofía:Gracias, mae. Mis güilas están en el patio.Thanks, man. My kids are in the yard.
  5. Andrés:¿Y ese perro? ¡Qué tuanis!And that dog? How cool!
  6. Sofía:Se llama Bruno. Es muy tico: ¡le encanta el gallo pinto!His name is Bruno. He's very Costa Rican: he loves gallo pinto!
  7. Andrés:¡Ja, ja! Yo también como gallo pinto todos los días.Ha ha! I eat gallo pinto every day too.

Lunes en la soda (Intermedio · Intermediate)

Coworkers Daniela and Esteban talk about the weekend over breakfast at a soda (small diner) in San José.

  1. Daniela:¿Qué tal el fin de semana, Esteban?How was your weekend, Esteban?
  2. Esteban:Diay, muy movido. Fuimos a Puntarenas con mi familia.Well, really busy. We went to Puntarenas with my family.
  3. Daniela:¡Qué bien! ¿Y cómo les fue?Nice! How did it go?
  4. Esteban:El sábado se nos varó el carro en la carretera. ¡Qué torta!On Saturday our car broke down on the highway. What a mess!
  5. Daniela:¡No! ¿Y qué hicieron?No! What did you do?
  6. Esteban:Por dicha, un señor nos ayudó y no nos cobró nada.Luckily, a man helped us and didn't charge us anything.
  7. Daniela:Menos mal, porque arreglar esa vara cuesta mucha harina.Good thing, because fixing that thing costs a lot of money.
  8. Esteban:Sí. Al final, el domingo la pasamos a cachete en la playa.Yes. In the end, on Sunday we had a great time at the beach.
  9. Daniela:Bueno, ahora a volver al brete. Hoy tenemos reunión a las diez.Well, now back to work. We have a meeting at ten today.

Camino a la U (Avanzado · Advanced)

University students Valeria and Mauricio chat on the bus to the University of Costa Rica in San Pedro.

  1. Valeria:Mauricio, estás p'al tigre. ¿No dormiste?Mauricio, you look wiped out. Didn't you sleep?
  2. Mauricio:Casi nada. Anoche fue el cumpleaños de mi abuela y bailamos hasta la una.Hardly. Last night was my grandma's birthday and we danced until one.
  3. Valeria:¡Qué chiva! Ojalá me hubieran invitado.How cool! I wish they'd invited me.
  4. Mauricio:La próxima vez te invito. Mi tío amaneció con goma, aunque jura que solo tomó café.Next time I'll invite you. My uncle woke up with a hangover, though he swears he only drank coffee.
  5. Valeria:¡Ja! ¿Y tu abuela qué tal?Ha! And how's your grandma?
  6. Mauricio:Feliz. Le encanta chinear a los bisnietos; si por ella fuera, los cargaría todo el día.Happy. She loves pampering the great-grandkids; if it were up to her, she'd carry them all day.
  7. Valeria:Qué lindo. Pero bueno, ¿estudiaste para el examen de hoy?How sweet. But anyway, did you study for today's exam?
  8. Mauricio:¿Qué examen? ¡No me digás que es hoy!What exam? Don't tell me it's today!
  9. Valeria:Sí, mae. Te lo dije el viernes.Yes, dude. I told you on Friday.
  10. Mauricio:¡Qué color! ¿Dónde tengo la jupa? Se me olvida todo.How embarrassing! Where's my head? I forget everything.
  11. Valeria:Tranquilo. Si repasáramos juntos en el bus, podrías aprobar.Relax. If we reviewed together on the bus, you could pass.
  12. Mauricio:Trato hecho. Te debo una, en serio.Deal. I owe you one, seriously.

Paso 5 · Apply it

Habla y escribe: Un mensaje para un amigo

Record a voice note or write a text to a friend from Costa Rica. Tell them about your weekend and make a plan to meet. Use at least 5 words or phrases from the list.

  1. Open with a greeting from the list (or a friendly ¡Hola!).
  2. Tell 2–3 things you did, using slang to describe them.
  3. Suggest a plan: where, when and what you’ll eat or do.
  4. Close the way a friend from Costa Rica would.
  5. Now say it out loud, twice: once slowly, once at natural speed.

    Slang detection is a helper and may miss some forms.

    Self-check

    Need ideas? Re-read the advanced dialogue above. Want feedback on your Spanish? Book a free consultation.

    Sources and a note

    Slang changes fast and varies by region, age and social group. These are words and phrases widely used in Costa Rica today, checked against the sources below. Heard something different? Tell me.