Costa Rica Spanish Glossary

aduana: customs

agencia de viaje: travel agency

aguardiente: strong liquor

aguas termales: hot springs

ahora: now

ahorita: “now in just a little bit,” which can mean anything from 5min. to 5hr.

aire acondicionado: air-conditioned (A/C)

al gusto: as you wish

alemán: German

almacén: (grocery) store

almuerzo: lunch, midday meal

alpaca: shaggy-haired, long-necked animal in the cameloid family

altiplano: highland

amigo/a: friend

andén: platform

anexo: neighborhood

arroz: rice

arroz chaufa: Chinese-style fried rice

artesanía: arts and crafts

avenida: avenue

bahía: bay

bandido: bandit

baño: bathroom or natural spa

barato/a: cheap

barranca: canyon

barro: mud

barrio: neighborhood

biblioteca: library

bistec/bistek: beefsteak

bocaditos: bar appetizers

bodega: convenience store or winery

boletería: ticket counter

bonito/a: pretty/beautiful

borracho/a: drunk

bosque: forest

botica: drugstore

bueno/a: good

buena suerte: good luck

buen provecho: bon appétit

burro: donkey

caballero: gentleman

caballo: horse

cabiñas: cabins

cajeros: cashiers

cajeros automáticos: ATMs

caldera: coffee or tea pot

caldo: soup, broth, or stew

calle: street

cama: bed

cambio: change

caminata: hike

camino: path, track, road

camión: truck

camioneta: small, pickup-sized truck

campamento: campground

campesino/a: person from a rural area, peasant

campo: countryside

canotaje: rafting

cantina: drinking establishment, usually male-dominated

capilla: chapel

caro/a: expensive

carretera: highway

carro: car, or sometimes a train car

casa: house

casa de cambio : currency exchange establishment

casado/a: married

cascadas: waterfalls

casona: mansion

catedral: cathedral

centro: city center

cerca: near/nearby

cerro: hill

cerveza: beer

ceviche: raw fish marinated in lemon juice, herbs, and veggies

chico/a: boy/girl, little

chicharrón: bite-sized pieces of fried meat, usually pork

cigarillo: cigarette

cine: cinema

ciudad: city

ciudadela: neighborhood in a large city

coche: car

colectivo: shared taxi

coliseo: coliseum/stadium

comedor: dining room

comida típica: typical/traditional dishes

con: with

consulado: consulate

correo: post office

cordillera: mountain range

crucero: crossroads

Cruz Roja: Red Cross

cuadra: street block

cuarto: room

cuenta: bill/check

cuento: story/account

cueva: cave

curandero: healer

damas: ladies

desayuno: breakfast

descompuesto: broken, out of order; spoiled/rotten food

desierto: desert

despacio: slow

de turno: 24hr. rotating schedule for pharmacies

dinero: money

discoteca: dance club

dueño/a: owner

edificio: building

embajada: embassy

embarcadero: dock

emergencia: emergency

encomiendas: estates granted to Spanish settlers in Latin America

entrada: entrance

estadio: stadium

este: east

estrella: star

extranjero: foreign/foreigner

farmacia en turno: 24hr. pharmacy

feliz: happy

ferrocarril: railroad

fiesta: party, holiday

finca: plantation-like agricultural enterprise or a ranch

friajes: sudden cold winds

frijoles: beans

frontera: border

fumar: to smoke

fumaroles: hole in a volcanic region which emits hot vapors

fundo: large estate or tract of land

fútbol: soccer

ganga: bargain

gobierno: government

gordo/a : fat

gorra: cap

gratis: free

gringo/a: North American

guanaco: animal in the cameloid family

habitación: a room

hacer una caminata: take a hike

hacienda: ranch

helado: ice cream

hermano/a: brother/sister

hervido/a: boiled

hielo: ice

hijo/a: son/daughter

hombre: man

iglesia: church

impuestos: taxes

impuesto valor añadido (IVA): value added tax (VAT)

indígena: indigenous, refers to the native population

isla: island

jarra: 1L pitcher of beer

jirón: street

jugo: juice

ladrón: thief

lago/laguna: lake

lancha: small boat

langosta: lobster

larga distancia: long distance

lavandería: laundromat

lejos: far

lente: slow

librería: bookstore

loma: hill

madre: mother

malo/a: bad

malecón: pier or seaside thoroughfare

maletas: luggage, suitcases

maneje despacio: drive slowly

manjar blanco: a whole-milk caramel spread

mar: sea

matas: shrubs, jungle brush

matrimonial: double bed

menestras: lentils/beans, or bean stew

mercado: market

merienda: snack

mestizaje: crossing of races

mestizo/a: person of mixed European and indigenous descent

microbus: local bus

mirador: observatory or look-out point

muelle: wharf

muerte: death

museo: museum

música folklórica: folk music

nada: nothing

niño/a: child

norte: north

obra: work of art/play

obraje: primitive textile workshop

oeste: west

oficina de turismo: tourist office

padre: father

pampa: a plain (geographical)

pan: bread

panadería: bakery

panga: motorboat

parada: stop (on a bus or train)

parilla: various cuts of meat, grilled

paro: labor strike

parroquia: parish

paseo turístico: tour covering a series of sites

payaso: clown

pelea de gallos: cockfighting

peligroso/a: dangerous

peninsulares: Spanish-born colonists

peña: folkl music club

pescado: fish

picante: spicy

pisa de uvas: grape-stomping

playa: beach

población: population, settlement

policía: police

pollo a la brasa: roasted chicken

pueblito: small town

pueblo: town

puente: bridge

puerta: door

puerto: port

rana: frog

recreo: place of amusement, restaurant/bar on the outskirts of a city

refrescos: refreshments, soft drinks

reloj: watch, clock

río: river

ropa: clothes

sábanas : bedsheets

sabor: flavor

sala: living room

salida: exit

salto: waterfall

salsa: sauce (can be of many varieties)

seguro/a: lock, insurance; adj.: safe

semáforo: traffic light

semana: week

Semana Santa: Holy Week

sexo: sex

shaman/chaman: spiritual healer

SIDA: Spanish acronym for AIDS

siesta: mid-afternoon nap; businesses often close at this time

sol: sun

solito/a: alone

solo/a: alone

solo carril: one-lane road or bridge

soltero/a: single (unmarried)

supermercado: supermarket

sur: south

tarifa: fee

telenovela: soap opera

termas: hot mineral springs

terminal terrestre: bus station

tienda: store

tipo de cambio: exchange rate

trago: mixed drink/shot of alcohol

triste: sad

trucha: trout

turismo: tourism

turista: tourist

valle: valley

volcán: volcano

zona: zone

agüevarse : to become sad, bored

al dele: upright

almadiada : slightly drunk

anticos: before

apretaera: black ant

armarse la gorda: , brawl

bañazo: something or someone ridiculous or embarrassing

birra: beer

bostezo: something or someone that is boring

buena nota: someone who is nice, pleasant

buseta: a bus used for public transportation

cabanga: sadness from missing someone; sometimes used to describe homesickness

cachos: shoes

cálamo: smart

cañas: colónes (Costa Rican currency)

casado: Costa Rican lunch that usually includes rice and beans, a steak, two eggs, and plantains

chao: goodbye (from Italian “ciao”)

chapón: simpleton

chapulín: young thief

chavalo: young boy, guy

Chepe: Costa Rica’s capital, San José

chiva, chivísima: expression used among youths that denotes liking

ponerse chiva: to get mad

con toda la pata: 1) satisfied, 2) very good, 3) in a good state of health

corrongo: funny, pretty

dicha: luck

diez con hueco: deception (allusion to a perforated coin with no value)

dolor de huevos: 1) someone who is vain or presumptuous, 2) a tedious chore or activity

echar(le) un ojo (a algo): to observe, guard

filo: hunger

fregar: to bother, annoy

gato: 1) person with green or blue eyes, 2) someone who’s talented at something

guachimán: guardian, generally the person who takes care of cars parked on the street

guacho: watch

guachos : eyes

lo estoy guachando: I am watching/supervising it

guaro: liquor made from sugar cane (Costa Rican national drink); by extension, any alcoholic beverage, liquor

güeiso: 1) something ugly, bad, 2) when you are left alone

güila: young boy/girl

hablar paja: to speak trivialities, say nothing of importance

hablar (hasta) por los codos: to speak too much, to chatter

harina: money, “dough”

jacha: face

jalar: to be boyfriend and girlfriend

joder: to bother, annoy, drive someone crazy

jupa: head

jupón: stubborn person

lata: bus

lavado: without money

ligar: to flirt, to seek someone’s company with romantic/emotional intentions

limpio: with no money

macho, machito: someone with light-colored skin and hair

mae/maje: used among young people to address each other

mariconera: man purse

media teja: 50 colón bill

mejenga: pick-up or neighborhood soccer match; depreciative when a professional team does not show much talent on the field

menear: to “shake it,” dance

menudo: bunch of coins

montado: self seeking, a person who takes advantage of others (v.: montarse)

mosca/mosquita muerta: person that feigns innocence or weakness

mota: marijuana

ni papa: nothing

¡ojo!: Watch out!

pa’l tigre: to feel or be bad for some reason; opposite of “pura vida”

pachanga: celebration

pacho: comical situation

paja: trivialities

palmar: to die

pelada: embarrassing, to do something wrong

pendejo: strong term for fearful, dumb, or incompetent at certain things

pinche: greedy, stingy, avaricious

plata: money

playo: homosexual

ponerse las pilas: 1) to hurry, do something with more effort or will, 2) to become ready, attentive

porfa: please (abbreviated form of “por favor”)

pringa pie: diarrhea

¡pura vida!: expression of satisfaction

quitarse: to go back on something previously said or agreed upon

rajón: presumptuous (v.: rajar)

rata: thief

un rico: good-looking, attractive man

una rica: good-looking, attractive, sexy woman.

rojo, rojito: 1) 1000 colón bill, 2) taxi

rulear: to sleep

salado: without luck

sobre: bed

soplado: very quick

¡suave!: expression used to ask someone to wait or stop

tanate: a lot

tatas: parents

teja: 100 colón bill

teresa: euphemistic word for breast

tigra: bored

tombo: policeman

torta: problem

tortillera: lesbian

troliar: to walk

tuanis: good, wonderful

tucán: 5000 colón bill

turno: party, specific fair of some community

la U: the University

¡upe!: expression used in place of knocking at the door

vacilón: fun, comical, entertaining

verde: someone who studies a lot or is very responsible with his/her studie

volado: crazy

vuelto: change (of money) when buying something

wuata (güater): water

¿Y diay?: What’s up? What happened? How have you been? What’s wrong?

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