When you visit any country that is not your native tongue, there are words that your professors in school did not teach you.  In school we are taught the choppy, grammatically pleasing, textbook style of the language.  Most likely we are not taught by someone who speaks the language as their second language, so we are missing out on a lot of the practical dialect that people use in the foreign countries.  For instance, the difference between words among English speaking countries is completely different.  In England, people say mate whereas Americans might say dude instead and the list goes on.  Below is a list of words that you will definitely run into in Costa Rica that I guarantee where not taught in any class unless of course you were taught by a Tico. 

-Pura Vida:  (Poo-ra Vee-da) This is the unofficial motto of Costa Rica and is said all the time.  Literally it means Pure Life, but when used daily, is conveys a state of happiness, tranquility, and peace.  It can be used to greet someone, to say goodbye, or to show appreciation for a situation, object, or person. 
-Tico or Tica: (Tee-ko, Tee-ka)  This refers to a Costa Rican man or woman.
-Tuanis:  (Twan-ees) Awesome, cool, or great.
-Mae: (My) dude, buddy
-Upe: (oo-pay) Can be used as excuse me, hello, anyone home
-Mala nota: (ma-la no-ta) Not good
-Salado: (Sah-la-do) Too bad
-Macho/Macha: (Mah-cho/a) blond North American
-Pulperia: (Pool-pa-ree-a) a mini mart
-Soda: (Soh-da) a small restaurant serving local food
-Chunche: (Choon-Chay) thing, stuff, or object
-Choza: (Choh-za) house
-Soque: (So-kay) hurry up

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Filed under: Tico on August 22nd, 2007