Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [507]
English is often spoken in the upmarket hotels, airline offices and tourist agencies, and some other European languages are spoken in hotels run by Europeans. On the Caribbean coast, many of the locals speak some English (with a local creole dialect).
Every visitor to Costa Rica should make the effort to learn at least a few basic phrases in Spanish. Spanish language courses are available in all parts of the country (Click here). Don’t hesitate to practice your new skills – in general, Latin Americans meet attempts to communicate in the vernacular with enthusiasm and appreciation.
Lonely Planet’s Costa Rican Spanish phrasebook will be very helpful during your trip. If you’re traveling outside Costa Rica, Lonely Planet’s Latin American Spanish phrasebook is also a handy language guide. Another useful resource is the University of Chicago Spanish–English, English–Spanish Dictionary. For a comprehensive food and drink glossary, Click here.
SPANISH IN COSTA RICA
These colloquialisms and slang (tiquismos) are frequently heard, and are for the most part used only in Costa Rica.
¡Adiós! – Hi! (used when passing a friend in the street, or anyone in remote rural areas; also means ‘Farewell!’ but only when leaving for a long time)
bomba – gas station
buena nota – OK/excellent (literally ‘good note’)
chapulines – a gang, usually of young thieves
chunche – thing (can refer to almost anything)
cien metros – one city block
¿Hay campo? – Is there space? (on a bus)
machita – blonde woman (slang)
mae – buddy (pronounced ‘ma’ as in ‘mat’ followed with a quick ‘eh’; it’s mainly used by boys and young men)
mi amor – my love (used as a familiar form of address by both men and women)
pulpería – corner grocery store
¡Pura vida! – Super! (literally ‘pure life,’ also an expression of approval or even a greeting)
sabanero – cowboy, especially one who hails from Guanacaste Province
salado – too bad; tough luck
soda – cafe or lunch counter
¡Tuanis! – Cool!
¡Upe! – Is anybody home? (used mainly in rural areas at people’s homes, instead of knocking)
vos – you (singular and informal, same as tú)
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LATIN AMERICAN SPANISH
The Spanish of the Americas comes in many regional varieties. Slang and regional vocabulary, much of it derived from indigenous languages, adds to the linguistic richness. The boxed text above gives you a few insights into the local lingo of Costa Rica.
Throughout Latin America, the Spanish language is referred to as castellano more often than español. Unlike in Spain, the plural of the familiar tú (you) form is ustedes rather than vosotros; the latter term will sound quaint and archaic in the Americas. Another notable difference is that the letters c and z are never pronounced as lisped in Latin America.
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PRONUNCIATION
Spanish spelling is phonetically consistent, meaning that there’s a clear and consistent relationship between what you see in writing and how it’s pronounced. Also, most Spanish sounds have English equivalents, so English speakers shouldn’t have trouble being understood. The phrases in this language guide are all accompanied by guides to pronunciation, so the task of getting your message across is made even simpler. Even if you read our pronunciation guides as if they were English, you will be understood.
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Vowels
a as the ‘a’ in ‘father’
ai as in ‘aisle’
ay as in ‘say’
e as the ‘e’ in ‘met’
ee as the ‘ee’ in ‘meet’
o as the ‘o’ in ‘more’ (without the ‘r’)
oo as the ‘oo’ in ‘zoo’
ow as in ‘how’
oy as in ‘boy’
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Consonants
Pronunciation of Spanish consonants is similar to their English counterparts. The exceptions are given in the following list.
kh as the throaty ‘ch’ in the Scottish loch
ll in Costa Rica, as the ‘y’ in ‘yes’
ny as the ‘ny’ in ‘canyon’
r as in ‘run’ but stronger and rolled, especially at the beginning of a word and in all