Costa Rican Spanish: 10 Spanish Phrases And Other Slang You Need To Know

• Costa Rican Spanish, known for its warmth and humor, is rich with unique costarriqueñismos like pura vida (“pure life”), a versatile phrase meaning hello, goodbye, or “all’s good.”

• Everyday slang such as mae (“buddy”), brete (“work”), tuanis (“cool”), and ¡qué chiva! (“how cool!”) reflect Costa Rica’s friendly, informal communication style.

• Locals, also called Ticos, often use distinctive expressions and directions, like 500 metros al norte (“500 meters north”), since many streets lack formal names or numbers.

• Cultural phrases like está largo (“it’s a long way”) and más tico que el gallo pinto (“more Costa Rican than gallo pinto”) highlight both the country’s varied geography and deep love for its rice-and-beans signature dish.

• To connect authentically with locals, visitors are encouraged to adopt the pura vida spirit—speaking with friendliness, curiosity, and appreciation for the simplicity and natural beauty that define Costa Rican life.

"If you stand still, plants might grow on your head," they say in Costa Rica, one of the most vibrant countries I've visited. Let me introduce you to some Costa Rican phrases [and words] that will make you want to go there.

When you first land in Costa Rica, you might think your years of high school Spanish would be enough to get by. But as soon as a friendly local greets you with a big smile and a cheerful ¡Pura vida, mae! you'll realize you're in for a crash course in Costa Rican slang. Sure, I could ask for directions or order a coffee, but to really talk like a Costa Rican, I needed to dive into the world of Costa Rican Spanish—where every conversation is sprinkled with colorful slang words and uniquely Tico expressions.

From that first pura vida — a phrase that literally translates to “pure life” but actually means everything from “hello” and “goodbye” to “all good!” — there's plenty more to learn. Costa Ricans, or Ticos as they proudly call themselves, have a knack for turning everyday Spanish phrases into something uniquely theirs. Want to compliment something cool? Just say ¡Qué chiva! If you’re looking for the local word for “work,” you’ll hear brete tossed around. And don’t be surprised if your new friends call you mae, as it’s the Costa Rican way to say “dude” or “buddy,” whether you’re a native speaker or just learning Spanish from the beginning.

Whether you’re planning to visit Costa Rica, want to impress your Tico friends, or simply love collecting new Spanish phrases, learning these costarriqueñismos (Costa Rican Spanish words) and expressions is a must. I've also included a number of terms related to topics central to Costa Rican culture, like the food and wildlife. So, if you want to talk like a Costa Rican, keep reading: these are the slang words you need to know to truly experience that famous pura vida lifestyle!

Costa Rican Slang And Other Phrases That Define The Country

1. 500 metros al norte

Translation: 500 meters to the north

I traveled to Costa Rica for the first time in 2008, without a cell phone or GPS. As soon as I arrived at San José's bus terminal, I looked for a payphone to call Diego, an Argentine friend of my cousin who lived in the capital and had said I could stay at his place.

When I asked for his address, he paused for a few seconds and said, "Streets don't have names or numbers in Costa Rica."

He gave me directions that were something like this: "You need to walk 500 meters north, until you see a grilled chicken restaurant, then turn east and walk 300 meters. You'll reach a residential area; mine is the house with the salmon-colored wall and a post on the sidewalk."

2. Los Ticos (and Tico)

Translation: The Ticos

During our initial conversations, Diego kept repeating a word I hadn't heard before visiting Costa Rica: Ticos. I dared to ask him who these famous Ticos were that he kept talking about, and he explained that it was an affectionate nickname for Costa Ricans.

The term Ticos came about in the 19th century during the National Campaign, when allied soldiers noticed that Costa Rican soldiers used the diminutive "ico/ica" and referred to their compatriots as "los hermaniticos" (the little brothers).

3. Parques nacionales

Translation: National parks

It's a cliché to talk about Costa Rica and use the word "nature." However, almost a quarter of the country is made up of reserves, so it's almost impossible to visit and not see at least one national park. After spending a few days in San José, I met up with my friend Belén, and we set off to explore the Pacific coast. Costa Rica is home to 5% of the planet's biodiversity, and in Manuel Antonio National Park, I saw raccoons, sloths, squirrel monkeys, and capuchin monkeys in their natural habitat for the first time.

4. Mono aullador (o el falso jabalí)

Translation: Howler monkey (or the fake wild boar)

A traveler we met along the way recommended Belén and I go to see the Montezuma waterfalls on the Nicoya Peninsula. To get there, we followed a trail that cut through part of a jungle.

As we were walking, we heard a frightening roar behind us.

It came from the bushes and sounded like an angry wild boar to us.

When the roar came again, just a few meters from our heels, my friend ran for it and disappeared into the vegetation. I'll always hold it against her that she left me alone with the wild boar. We found out later it was a howler monkey, a species that makes a lot of noise but doesn't usually descend from the trees.

5. Lava

Translation: Lava

I don't think I'll ever forget this: I spent my 23rd birthday watching a stream of lava flow down the slope of a volcano in the darkness, branching out into the night like orange veins.

Belén and I had gone to spend a few days in La Fortuna, the town 8 kilometers from the Arenal Volcano. As a birthday gift, we decided to enjoy the hot springs and visit the volcano at night.

Apparently, Arenal's last eruption was on July 29, my birthday, but in 1968.

6. Está largo

Translation: It's a long way

When I think about that first trip to Costa Rica, I remember the hours Belén and I spent on the road, transferring from one bus to another, crossing from town to town by ferry.

Although Costa Rica's surface area isn't as vast as other Latin American countries, its topography is so varied that on the same route you can see tropical jungle, beaches, mountains, rivers, and rocky trails. That's why, even though everything seems close on the map, journeys often take longer than planned. In Costa Rica, a place might not be far, but a phrase used to describe a distant place is “está largo” (it's a long way).

7. Atardeceres en la playa

Translation: Sunsets on the beach

I returned to Costa Rica almost ten years after that first trip to visit my best friend from Argentina, who had decided to settle in a village on the Nicoya Peninsula, on the Pacific coast.

My husband and I stayed a month at the inn where my friend worked. Every afternoon, we repeated the same ritual - between 5 and 6, we would stop whatever we were doing and sit to watch the sun set over the sea. Sometimes from the hotel terrace, sometimes from the nearest beach. Our days in Costa Rica were filled with pink and orange sunsets.

8. Cangrejos

Translation: Crabs

We saw them appear for the first time after the rain.

It was as if they had suddenly emerged from nowhere, en masse.

It had rained for several hours straight, and the village road was filled with crabs.

They got into our room - we heard their little legs moving at full speed across the tiled floor - they got into our backpacks and they touched our toes. Every time one left the room, another would come in, as if they were taking turns. If I had recorded a soundtrack of our days in Costa Rica, the sound of crab legs scurrying across the floor would have been one of the main tracks.

That, and the sound of howler monkeys at dawn, along with the symphonic orchestra of insects at night.

9. El gallo pinto

Translation: Literally "spotted rooster"

When something is very Costa Rican, they say it’s más tico que el gallo pinto ("more Tico than gallo pinto").

Gallo pinto is a dish that can be enjoyed at any time of the day, although it's often served for breakfast. Its basic ingredients are rice and beans, but each region has its own variations. In the Caribbean, it's cooked with coconut milk; in the central valley, it's seasoned with chili and onion; in Guanacaste, it's made with red beans. Gallo pinto is part of the traditional cuisine of the Americas and is considered one of Costa Rica's and Nicaragua's most typical dishes.

10. Pura vida

Translation: Pure life

A Costa Rican phrase that I heard many times during my travels and that will always remind me of the country and its people is pura vida.

Pura vida is used to greet, to ask how someone is doing, to answer that everything is fine, and to say goodbye. The phrase is so closely linked to the culture and language that it's one of the most distinctive signs of the people, and demonstrates the unique way Costa Ricans view the world. It's tied to the country's great biodiversity and symbolizes happiness, optimism, abundance, and the art of appreciating the simple and the natural.

More Common Costa Rican Slang Terms

• mae — a Costa Rican word used with friends to show familiarity, like "buddy"

• brete — a local term that can translate to "work" or "activity"

• tuanis — a Costa Rican slang word of affirmation, like "cool" or "nice"

• ¡Qué chiva! — a more exclamatory way of saying something is cool

• diay — a Costa Rican filler word, meaning something like "um"

• goma — a hangover

• se jaló una torta — literally means "[someone] pulled a cake," but means someone made a mistake

• paja — a word used to mean "what nonsense"

Tips For Picking Up Some Costa Rican Spanish On Your Visit To Costa Rica

If you’re visiting Costa Rica — or any other Spanish-speaking country, just substitute "Costa Rican" with the appropriate place — and want to truly connect with locals, there’s no better way than picking up a few Costa Rican sayings and slang phrases. You’ll quickly find that these words and phrases, from pura vida (which literally translates to “pure life”) to se jaló una torta, are more than just fun expressions. They’re a window into the uniquely Costa Rican spirit.

Don’t worry if you’re not a native Spanish speaker! Costa Ricans don’t expect you to be perfect. In fact, they’ll appreciate your effort to speak Spanish and toss in a famous Costa Rican phrase or two. Try using ¡qué chiva! when you see something cool, or ask what paja means the next time you hear it in conversation. The more Costa Rican Spanish you pick up, the more you’ll find yourself understanding the little jokes and cultural quirks that make every day in Costa Rica so memorable.

So, whether you’re memorizing Costa Rican Spanish phrases before your trip or just want to sound a little more Tico in your next chat, don’t be afraid to dive in. Listen closely to the common slang that Costa Ricans use, ask about the literal translation of a phrase, and most importantly, embrace the pura vida attitude. After all, learning a new slang word or two is the best souvenir you can take home. One that will always remind you of the fun, warmth, and laughter you found in Costa Rica.