PHRASES
The ATM ate my card!		¡El cajero automático se comió mi tarjeta!
When does it open?		¿A qué hora abre?
When does it close?		¿A qué hora cierra?
What is the exchange rate?		¿Cómo es el tipo de cambio?
What is the commission?		¿Cuál es la comisión?
How much do you charge?		¿Cuánto cobra?
How much does ___ cost?		¿Cuánto cuesta ___?
Where should I sign?		¿Dónde firmo?
Where can I exchange traveler checks?		¿Dónde puedo cambiar cheques de viajero?
Where can I exchange money?		¿Dónde puedo cambiar dinero?
I am looking for (Could you please help me find…) a bank		Estoy buscando un banco (por favor)
I am looking for (Could you please help me find…) an ATM.		Estoy buscando un cajero automático (por favor).
I want to exchange traveler checks.		Quiero cambiar cheques de viajero.
I want to exchange money.		Quiero cambiar dinero.
I would like some change (coins).		Quisiera unas monedas.
Is there room for my car?		¿Habrá espacio para mí carro?
Where is the restroom?		¿Dónde está el baño?
Which way to immigration?		¿Qué camino a la migración?
Where is baggage claim?		¿Dónde está reclamo de equipaje?
I am a tourist		Soy un turista
I have nothing to declare		No tengo nada que declarar
Where are the official taxis?		¿Dónde están los taxis oficiales?
I would like to go to ____ please		Me gustaría ir a ____ por favor
I don’t need a taxi, thank you		No necesito un taxi, gracias
My driver is waiting		Mi chofer está a la espera
I cannot locate my driver		No puedo localizar a mi chofer
WORDS
English	Spanish
acid guava	cas	Costa Rican acidic guava, small and tart but remarkably refreshing with sugar and ice in a refresco.
ackee	ackee	Small pink-skinned fruit of Jamaican origin
anchors	anclajes	rock climbing
apple	manzana	Apples are a traditional Christmas treat, and most of what you find in Costa Rica have been imported from the United States.
ATM	cajero automático	automatic teller machine
avenue	avenida	Avenues run east/west in Costa Rica. Odd numbers are north of Avenida Central, even numbers are south.
avocado	aguacate
banana	banano
banana	plátano
beans and rice	gallo pinto	Literally painted/spotted rooster. Black beans and white rice are cooked together with a hint of onion, red pepper, cilantro and broth to create this ubiquitous national dish. Along the Caribbean coast, coconut milk is sometimes added.
beef soup	olla de carne	Literally pot of meat. A rich soup of beef stock with yuca (root), chayote (squash), ayote (pumpkin family), and other more familiar vegetables.
beer	cerveza	There are several respectable lagers brewed in Costa Rica. The most popular is Imperial (una águila, after the eagle on the label), followed closely by Pilsen, Bavaria, Tropical and Heineken (brewed locally under license). Rock Ice is a newcomer gaining popularity with an extra two-tenths of a percent alcohol content. Especially in Guanacaste a tall glass of ice often accompanies the bottle, and yes, you are supposed to pour the beer in the glass. These brews are priced from $0.75 to $3.00US depending on where you are drinking. Imported beers are available in most upscale hotel and resort bars, casinos and restaurants.
below	abajo
black bean soup	sopa negra	Black beans and chicken stock are the base for this rich soup which often contains a hard-boiled egg. In Guanacaste, you may find it in the spicier Cuban version.
black pepper	pimienta negra
blackberry	mora
bribe	chorizo	Also mordida.
bribe	mordida	Also chorizo.
cancel (to)	cancelar	One usage of this cognate is the reverse of what you may be used to. When paying a bill, the paperwork will be stamped with a flourish and the enthusiastic announcement -¡está cancelada!- Not to worry. This means that the debt has been canceled, not your prepaid tour reservation or the repair work to get your rental car back on the road.
cantaloupe	melón
cashew fruit	marañón
Central Plateau	Meseta Central	Refers specifically to the geographic region around San José.
Central Valley	Valle Central	Refers specifically to the geographic region around San José
cents	centimos	one hundredth of a colon (no longer in use as currency)
ceviche	ceviche	Seafood (corvina-sea bass, conchas-shellfish, langostinos or camarones-small lobster or shrimp) marinated with lime or lemon, onion, garlic, cilantro (coriander leaves) and red peppers and served ice cold. Although we have never experienced any intestinal difficulties ceviche is raw, and seafood (especially shellfish) can be a source of several nasty bacteria. Corvina is more common, and generally safer than the other varieties.
chalk	magnesio	rock climbing
chan	chan	Naturale made from seeds that look like frog eggs and taste little like really sweet iced tea
cheap	barato, barata	inexpensive
cherry	cereza
Christmas bonus	aguinaldo
Civil Guard	Guardia Civil	a civilian controlled national police force
clams	ostiones
climbing gym	gimnasio de escalada
climbing walls	paredes
coconut	coco
coconut water	pipa	The water in the center of a young coconut. Most often drunk with a straw from a plastic bag or straight out of the shell. Found at stands along the road or beach.
coffee	café	If you enjoy coffee, you are aware that Costa Rica produces some of the finest high-altitude shade grown coffee in the world.
coffee and cream liqueur	Café Rica	Similar to Mexican Kalhlúa. The same distillery produces an undrinkable sugary orange flavored concoction that makes excellent ice cream topping.
coffemaker	chorreador	Traditional coffee making apparatus consisting of a wooden frame, cloth filter, and stainless steel pot.
coins	menudo	pocket change
colón	caña	slang for the unit of Costa Rican currency
colón	peso	slang for the unit of Costa Rican currency
colón	colón	Costa Rica’s unit of currency.
commercial moonshine	guaro	Greece has its ouzo, Louisiana white lightning , and Mexico mescalalcoholic beverages that seem to have stupefying capabilities beyond their proof and an aftermath beyond imagination. In Costa Rica it is guaro. Distilled from fermented cane juice it costs about $0.40 for a generous shot and is available in bulk from some establishments if you want to fill your canteen. It can be rendered drinkable by the addition of cola or fruit juice, and if you keep the average juice content high enough the natural antioxidants and vitamins might even trim a little of the edge off of the inevitable hangover.
convenience store	pulpería	A corner store that often doubles as an informal tavern. The term tienda is more common in other Latin American countries and sometimes seen in Costa Rica.
convenience store	tienda	A corner store that often doubles as an informal tavern. The term pulpería is more common in Costa Rica.
corn beer	chicha	A beverage fermented from corn, commonly found at fiestas in Guanacaste and Nicoya.
corn on the cob	elote	Best when charcoal roasted (elote asado), but also found boiled (elote cocinado).
corn pancakes	chorreados	Usually accompanied by natilla (sour cream) and commonly sold by vendors at fiestas and other events.
corn pancakes	pupusas	Similar to chorreados, but with the El Salvadoran inspired addition of cheese.
Costa Rican	Tico	Much more common than the formal Costarisense.
Costa Rican	Tica	Much more common than the formal Costarisense.
Costa Rican Cititzen	Costaricense	Tico/Tica is much more common than this formal term.
costal reedbed	carrizal litoral	Composed of reeds, sedges, and rushes common where water is brackish and flooding is seasonal
cowboy	sabanero
crab	cangrejo
credit card	tarjeta de crédito
currency exchange (exchange rate-tipo de cambio)	cambio
currency exchange rate (exchange-cambio)	tipo de cambio
custard apple	anona
debit card	tarjeta débito
debt	jarana
deserts	postres
dictator	caudillo
dollar U.S.	dolár
downpour	aguacero
drink	bebida
driving license	carnet
drizzle, light rain	temporal	especially associated with winter storms of the Atlantic
drizzling rain	garua
dulces	sweets
embrace	abrazo	Greeting, embrace with a pat on the back or grasped forearms, usually between close male friends.
eskimo roll	esquimo roll	kayaking
expeditor	tramitador	A local often a youth who knows the ropes and will speed your transactions through the system and wait in line while you enjoy a leisurely lunch. Sometimes unofficially required at border crossings.
expensive	caro, cara
fig	higo
fish	pescado	This is the term that is used for fish on a menu or in the market. Live fish are el pez.
ford	vano	Crossing a river or estuary in a vehicle without benefit of a bridge
freshwater swamp	pantano herbaceo	Composed of grasses, sedges, and herbs (good examples along the Río Sierpe and the northeast Atlantic side)
fruit drink	batido	Also called refrescos, or naturales, refreshing blenderized shakes. Refrescos can be made con agua (with water) or con leche (with milk). In addition to most fruits, refrescos are made with cas (acid guava), horchata (cinnamon corn meal), zanahoria (carrots), tamarindo (tamarind) and cebada (barley).
fruit drink	naturale	Sometimes called batidos, or refrescos refreshing blenderized shakes. Naturales can be made con agua (with water) or con leche (with milk). In addition to most fruits, refrescos are made with cas (acid guava), horchata (cinnamon corn meal), zanahoria (carrots), tamarindo (tamarind) and cebada (barley).
fruit drink	refresco	Sometimes called batidos, or naturales refreshing blenderized shakes. Refrescos can be made con agua (with water) or con leche (with milk). In addition to most fruits, refrescos are made with cas (acid guava), horchata (cinnamon corn meal), zanahoria (carrots), tamarindo (tamarind) and cebada (barley).
fruits	frutas
garlic	ajo
gear	equipo
give me	regala me	Regala me una cerveca por favor, literally-give me a gift of a beer please.
grape	uva
greedy	platero	money hungry person
Gringo gulch	Gringo gulch	The area around the low odd numbered calles and avenidas in downtown San José
guaba	guaba	The white pulpy flesh that coats the seeds inside and elongated fruit pod of the Inga tree.
guava	guayaba
harness	arnes	rock climbing, canopy tours
heart of palm	palmito	An 18-foot (5 meter) pejibaye palm tree (Bactris gasipaes) yields a 4 foot by 1 inch (120cm by 2.5cm) heart, about enough to fill a dozen cans.
heart of palm salad	ensalada palmito
helmet	casco	for kayaking, canopy tours or biking
hold	agarres	rock climbing
hole	hueco	kayaking
ice	hielo
ice cream cone.	cono
ice cream.	helado
identification	identificación	other identification-otra identificación, driving license-el carnet
iguana	gallina de pallo	Literally chicken of the tree, no not tuna that climbs, but an iguana. The reference is because, what else…they taste like chicken.
insufficient funds	los fondos insuficientes
ketchup	salsa de tomate	typically very sweet
knots	nudos
lemon	limón	There are dozens of varieties of citrus that take the moniker limón. The familiar yellow oblong, green ones that look just like limes but have a distinct flavor, the ones the size of large grapes with bright orange flesh are often squeezed into cerveza and the large warty limón dulce which are best as lemonade.
life guard	guardaviva
life jacket	chaleco
lime	lima
little summer	veranillo	Also veranillo de San Juan, relatively dry period in July and/or August in the northern Pacific.
lobster	langosta
mamone	mamone	These resemble small limes, crack like eggs, have flesh like grapes and a seed like an almond.
mango	mango	two varieties are common. The smaller are masculinemangos and the larger femininemangas.
mangrove swamp	manglar
marsh	marisma	Composed of salt tolerant plants.
mass turtle nesting	arribada	Also known locally as salida de flota.
mayonnaise	mayonesa
mist, misty rain	pelo de gato	literally cat fur
money	dinero
money (slang)	harina
money (slang)	plata
mountain range	cordillera	e.g. Cordillera Central to the east and south of San José
mountaineering	montañismo
mustard	mostaza
nice person	wicho
North American	Gringo
nuts	nuez
octopus	pulpo
orange	naranja	It may be a unique experience for you to pluck an orange from the tree, but be careful the ones in front of your hotel are often ornamental varieties that are better not eaten.
Organization of Judicial Investigation	OIJ	The police force arm of the Supreme Court, like the U.S. F.B.I.
out of order	fuera del servicio
paddle	remo	kayak, canoe, raft
palm kernel	pejibaye	Golf ball sized yellow to red fruits that grow in large clusters on the pejibaye palm tree (Bactris gasipaes). The fruit is boiled and the starchy nutty flesh eaten cold.
papaya	papaya	There are two main varieties of papaya in Costa Rica: the smaller, round, yellow amarilla, and the oblong, red-orange cacho.
passion fruit	granadilla	aka maracuya
passion fruit	maracuya	aka granadilla
passport	pasaporte
peanut	maní
pear	pera
pensioner	pensionado	Retiree
permenant resident	pensionado rentista	Permanent resident status in Costa Rica, pre-retirement requires proof of $1,000 per month income.
permenant resident	rentista inversionista	Permanent resident status in Costa Rica, based on an investment of $50k in an approved tourism or export business, $100k in reforestation, or $200k in any other type of business.
permenant resident	residente pensionado	Permanent resident status in Costa Rica, based on having a pension of $600 or more per month.
phone card	tarjeta de teléfono
pineapple	piña
plains	llanura
plantain	patacones	Sliced thin and deep fried. A common Caribbean side dish.
popcorn	pálomitas de maíz
potato snack	gallo de papas	Spiced potatoes wrapped in a tortilla
pothole	hueco
pulleys	poleas	rock climbing, canopy tours
put-in	entrada del río	kayaking
raisin	pasa
raspberry	frambuesa
reciept	recibo
residency papers	cédula
rice and chicken	arroz con pollo	If it were Chinese it would be chicken fried rice. Shredded or chopped chicken fried with rice and a variety of chopped vegetables.
rice and shredded beef	arroz con carne	see arroz con pollo
rice and shredded pork	arroz con cerdo	see arroz con pollo
rice and shrimp	arroz con camarones	see arroz con pollo
rock climbing	escalada
roof racks	barras	aka canastas-kayak, bike rack
roof racks (kayak, bike)	canastas	aka barras-kayak, bike rack
rude or ill behaved	mal educado	literally, poorly educated
S.P.	S.A.	(sociedad anónima con acciones al portador) Anonymous society with stocks owned by the bearer. This is the abbreviation you often see in place of Inc. or Ltd. in the name of Costa Rican companies. It is a company that is fully owned by the anonymous holder of the paper stock certificates.
salad	ensalada
salad	ensalada ruso	Similar to coleslaw but the vegetables may vary from cabbage and carrots.
Salsa Lizano	Salsa Lizano	Secret ingredients make up this addictive bottled sauce. Its availability in the duty free shops at the international airport is a testament to its unique delicious character. Have you ever seen ketchup displayed between the Gucci and Sony cases?
salt	sal
sapodilla plum	sapodilla	Fruit of the Achras zapota tree, rough brownish skin and very sweet brownish pulp.
sapodilla plum	sapota	Fruit of the Achras zapota tree, rough brownish skin and very sweet brownish pulp.
savory pastries	enchilada	Usually stuffed with meat, potatoes, cheese, and/or beans.
sea bass	corvina
seafoods	mariscos	Costa Rica, the “rich coast” was named with expectations of deposits of gold and silver. The mineral riches are minimal, but the two coasts support a thriving fishing industry harvesting the riches of the Caribbean and Pacific. Most of the riches are exported, and prices reflect the value at the Fulton St. markets in NYC. Excellent seafood is common but more costly than other meals.
set meal	casado	Literally married man. This refers to a set meal that usually includes some combination of rice, black beans, plantain, cabbage, salad, and meat. For example a casado pollo frito might be one large or two small pieces of fried chicken, a small salad of tomatoes and palmitos and a side of rice and beans.
severe earthquake	terremotos	tremblor
shrimp	camarone
signature	firma
small earthquake	temblores	tremblor
snack	boca	The one word translation while apt, falls short of a full description. Bocas are a cultural item as much as a food item.
snack	gallo
snacks	boquitas	see boca
snapper	pargo
snatch theives	chapulines	Literally grasshoppers. Used colloquially to describe groups of kids who swarm over an unsuspecting adult to distract or unbalance them while one snatches jewelry and wallets.
soursop	guanábana	Large dark green fruit with fleshy spines covering white flesh.
spray skirt	en agua	kayaking
squatter	precaista
star fruit	carambeloa
strawberry	fresa
street	calle	Streets run north south in Costa Rica. Odd numbers are east of Calle Central, even numbers are west.
sugar	azucar
summer	verano	December to May in Costa Rica
swamp	carrizal	Freshwater tule swamps of bullrushes and reeds ~ 1 meter high (best example at Palo Verde).
swamp forest	mezquital	Unique swamp forest of acacia, prickly pear cactus, mesquite, and divi-divi just inland of the mangroves in dry northwestern Costa Rica
takeout	salida del río	kayaking
tamale	tamale	Pork, chicken or potatoes with chilies or corn folded into cornmeal and steamed in a banana leaf. A Christmas tradition.
tamarind	tamarindo	The sour fruit of the tamarind tree makes an excellent refresco with a little sugar.
taxi meter	maría
tomorrow	mañana
tortilla	tortilla	Corn flour dough rolled flat then fried on a dry griddle.
traffic cop	trafico	highway patrol
transact (to)	tramitar
traveler checks	cheques de viajero
tuna	atún
turnover	empañada	Dough stuffed with meat, potatoes, cheese, and/or beans.
umbrella	paragua	Black umbrella carried by men (ladies carry colorful sombrillas).
umbrella	sombrilla	Colorful umbrella carried by ladies (men carry black paraguas)
unit of currency	colón	(colones, pl.)
United States citizen	Yankee
up	arriba
uphill	cuesta arriba
vara	vara	Archaic unit of measure based on a long walking stride.
very small earthquake	sacudidos	shake-up
view, overlook	mirador
watermelon	sandía
wave	ola
wine	vin	Costa Rica is not great grape country, and at least some of the few local vintages are fermented from imported grape juice or other fruits. Your best bets for a quality vintage at a reasonable price are Chilean and Argentine imports. French, German and Californian wines are available at a price.
winter	invierno	May to November in Costa Rica.
1,000 colones note	rojo	after the color (currency changed appearance in 2013 so this is pretty colloquial)
5,000 colones note	tucán	after the image (currency changed appearance in 2013 so this is pretty colloquial)

Dar por la nuca – Pagar mucho dinero por algo.

Dar un yeyo – Dar un bajón ( ej presión arterial)

Despapayar – Romper, caer

Cabanga – Nostalgia, tristeza

Carga – Alguien que hace cosas admirables.

Carreta – Lento

Chiva – Muy bueno

Chochosca – Dinero.

Chueca – Torcida, desviada

Chuzo – Automóvil

Colocho/a – De pelo rizado

Estar arratonado – Tener dolores musculares

Fachudo – Estar mal vestido

Ir en carreras – Ir con prisa

Jalea – Mermelada

Juega de vivo – Engreído

Majar – Pisar

Mandado – Recado

Manudo – Aficionado al equipo de fútbol La Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, más conocido como La Liga

María – Taxímetro

Mejenga – Partido de fútbol entre amigos

Morado – Aficionado al equipo de fútbol Deportivo Saprissa

No hay de piña – No hay de lo que buscas

Pepiado – Muy enamorado

Qué rajao – Expresión de asombro

Toque – Momento

Tuanis – Muy bueno

Vacilón – Gracioso, divertido

Zarpe – El último trago de la bebida