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OO-peh!
A common call to see if anyone is home or to get someone's attention at a house or small business. It's more polite than shouting 'hello?'
In a sentence: "He walked up to the pulpería and called out, '¡Upe!'"
al CHEE-lay?
A slang phrase meaning 'Really?', 'For real?', or 'Seriously?'. Used to express disbelief or to ask for confirmation.
In a sentence: "Q: 'I saw a jaguar on the trail.'
A: '¿Al chile?'"
BEE-rrah
Slang for 'beer.' Borrowed from the Italian word.
In a sentence: "It's hot today, I need a cold birra."
BOHM-bah
Literally 'bomb.' In Costa Rica, this refers to a gas station.
In a sentence: "We need to stop at the next bomba to fill up the tank."
BREH-teh
Slang for 'work' or 'a job.'
In a sentence: "I have to go to brete early tomorrow morning."
BWEH-nah NO-tah
Literally 'good note.' A phrase used to describe a person who is cool, kind, or has good vibes. It can also mean 'cool' or 'right on.'
In a sentence: "The surf instructor was really buena nota."
kah-SEE-kay
Costa Rica's most popular brand of guaro, a clear liquor made from sugarcane. It's the go-to spirit for many local mixed drinks and shots.
In a sentence: "Can you make me a chili-guaro with Cacique?"
kah-SAH-doh
Literally 'married man.' It's the quintessential Costa Rican lunch plate, consisting of rice, black beans, a salad, fried plantains, and a choice of protein (fish, chicken, beef, or pork).
In a sentence: "I'm hungry, I'm going to order a casado with chicken."
CHEH-peh
colloquial and affectionate nickname for the capital city, San José.
In a sentence: "We're heading to Chepe for the weekend to visit the museums."
CHOON-cheh
A catch-all word for 'thing,' 'stuff,' or 'what-cha-ma-call-it.' Used when you can't 1remember the name of an object.
In a sentence: "Can you pass me that chunche from the table?"
co-LOH-nays
The Costa Rican Colón (₡), named after Christopher Columbus, is the official currency of Costa Rica, recognized for its vibrant banknotes that celebrate the nation's rich wildlife.
In a sentence: "Excuse me, how many colones is the casado con pollo?"
em-pah-NAH-dah
A savory pastry, typically fried, filled with ingredients like cheese, beans, potatoes, or shredded meat. A popular and quick snack or breakfast item found in sodas and bakeries.
In a sentence: "I'll grab a cheese empanada and a coffee for breakfast."
GAH-yo
Literally 'rooster.' In Costa Rican food culture, a 'gallo' is a small snack, similar to a soft taco. It's typically a corn tortilla topped with a small portion of a filling like shredded meat, potatoes, or picadillo.
In a sentence: "I'm not very hungry, I'll just have a gallo de papa (potato gallo)."
GAH-yo PEEN-toh
The national breakfast dish of Costa Rica. It's a mix of rice and black beans, often cooked with onions, sweet peppers, and cilantro. Usually served with eggs and sour cream.
In a sentence: "I could eat gallo pinto for breakfast every day."
GWAH-roh
The generic term for alcohol, but most often refers to Cacique, the national sugar-cane liquor of Costa Rica.
In a sentence: "Let's do some shots of guaro!"
MAH-cho / MAH-chah
Slang for a light-skinned or blonde person (macho for male, macha for female). It is not derogatory.
In a sentence: "My friend with the blonde hair is often called 'macha' by the locals."
my
The Costa Rican equivalent of 'dude' or 'bro.' Used informally and very frequently between friends, mostly by men.
In a sentence: "Mae, let's go grab a beer."
pool-peh-REE-ah
small neighborhood convenience store or corner shop that sells basic groceries, snacks, and drinks.
In a sentence: "I need to go to the pulpería to buy some eggs."
POO-rah VEE-dah
Literally 'Pure Life.' The national motto of Costa Rica. It's a greeting, a farewell, and a way of life meaning everything's great, life is good, and you're thankful for what you have.
In a sentence: "Q: How are you? A: Pura Vida!"
sah-LAH-doh
Literally 'salty.' Used to describe someone who has bad luck or is in a tough situation. It means 'too bad' or 'you're out of luck.'
In a sentence: "You missed the last bus? ¡Qué salado!"
SOH-dah
A small, family-run, traditional Costa Rican restaurant. Sodas serve local dishes like 'casado' at very affordable prices. This is the best place for an authentic meal.
In a sentence: "We had lunch at a soda on the way to the beach."
TEE-ko / TEE-kah
A colloquial term for a native Costa Rican man (Tico) or woman (Tica). It comes from the local tendency to add '-ico' to the end of words to form a diminutive.
In a sentence: "The local Ticos are very friendly to tourists."
TWAH-nees
slang word meaning 'cool,' 'awesome,' or 'great.' Believed to be derived from spelling the English words 'too nice' in Spanish.
In a sentence: "That surf spot is tuanis!"
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