Costa Rican Spanish: common words, what they mean, and why they matter for your business

Costa Rican Spanish has its own vocabulary that surprises almost every visitor: "pura vida", "mae", "tuanis", "diay", "brete". These tico words are part of the country's identity. You'll hear them every day on the street and at work, and Costa Ricans also type them into Google.

This guide covers the most common Costa Rican words with their meanings and examples. At the end, if you run a business here, you'll find how local vocabulary affects your website and search visibility.

Why Costa Ricans are called "ticos"

The nickname comes from a diminutive. Where other Spanish speakers say "momentito" or "chiquitito", Costa Ricans tend to say "momentico" or "chiquitico". That "-tico" ending ended up naming the people and the way they speak.

Another well-known trait is "ustedeo": many Costa Ricans use the formal usted even with family and friends, and in some areas vos is used among people who are close. Tú is less common in everyday speech than in other countries.

The best-known tico words

Pura vida

The country's signature expression. It's used as a greeting, a goodbye, a thank-you, an answer to "how are you?" or a way to say everything's fine.

• "¿Cómo está?" "¡Pura vida!" (How are you? Great!)
• "Gracias por la ayuda." "Pura vida." (Thanks for the help. No problem.)

Mae

Roughly "dude", "mate" or "buddy", in informal speech. Used between friends and also to refer to someone: "ese mae" (that guy).

• "Mae, ¿vamos a la mejenga?" (Dude, are we going to the pickup game?)

Tuanis

Means "great" or "cool". It's often linked to the English "too nice", although its origin isn't fully documented.

• "¡Qué tuanis el concierto!" (The concert was great!)

Diay

A very flexible interjection, similar to "well", "so" or "what now?", depending on the tone.

• "Diay, ¿y ahora qué hacemos?" (Well, what do we do now?)

Upe

What you call out when you arrive at someone's house, instead of knocking.

• "¡Upe! ¿Hay alguien?" (Hello! Anyone home?)

Everyday tico words

Word	Meaning	Example
Brete	Work, job	"Mañana tengo mucho brete." (I've got a lot of work tomorrow.)
Chunche	Thing, whatchamacallit	"Páseme ese chunche." (Pass me that thing.)
Chante / choza	Home, house	"Nos vemos en la choza." (See you at home.)
Harina	Money	"No tengo harina para el paseo." (I don't have money for the trip.)
Rojo	A 1,000-colón bill	"Me prestó un rojo." (He lent me a thousand colones.)
Teja	100 colones; "a la teja" means excellent	"Todo salió a la teja." (Everything went perfectly.)
Birra	Beer	"Vamos por una birra." (Let's grab a beer.)
Güila / carajillo	Kid	"Los güilas están en la escuela." (The kids are at school.)
Mejenga	Pickup soccer game	"Hay mejenga el sábado." (There's a game on Saturday.)
Presa	Traffic jam	"Había una presa terrible." (There was terrible traffic.)
Soda	Small, inexpensive local restaurant	"Almorzamos un casado en la soda." (We had a casado at the soda.)
Pulpería	Corner store	"Compré pan en la pulpería." (I bought bread at the corner store.)
Goma	Hangover	"Amanecí con goma." (I woke up hungover.)
Jupa	Head	"Me pegué en la jupa." (I hit my head.)

Expressions and idioms

Expression	Meaning
¡Qué chiva!	How cool!
Estar de chicha	To be angry
¡Qué sal!	What bad luck!
Hablar paja	To talk nonsense or lie
Jalarse una torta	To make a big mistake
Estar achantado	To feel down or lazy
Chinear	To pamper, spoil
Ser una pipa	To be very smart
Jalar	To leave; also to date someone
Al chile	Seriously, for real (informal)

Food words you'll see on menus

• Gallo pinto: rice and beans, the classic breakfast.
• Casado: lunch plate with rice, beans, salad, plantain and a protein.
• Fresco: natural fruit drink ("un fresco de cas").
• Chifrijo: a bar snack of pork rinds, beans, rice and pico de gallo.
• Boca: a small bite served with a drink.

What this means for your business's website

People search Google with the words they use when they speak. So local vocabulary is also search vocabulary:

• If your customers are local, use the local word. Costa Ricans search for "sodas", "pulperías", "tenis" (not "zapatillas"), "carro" (not "coche"), "refri", "bus".
• Combine it with the area: "soda en Heredia centro", "mejenga en Escazú".
• Research instead of guessing. Google's suggestions, related searches and Search Console show how your customers actually search. See keyword research step by step.
• Match your brand's tone. "Pura vida" can make a hotel or café feel friendly; it may not suit a law firm.
• Think about English searchers too. Many tourists search for "pura vida meaning" or "what does mae mean". If you serve visitors, content that explains local culture can bring them to you.

Frequently asked questions

What does "pura vida" mean?

It's Costa Rica's most typical expression. It's used to say hello, goodbye, thanks, or that everything's fine, and it sums up a relaxed, positive outlook on life.

What does "mae" mean in Costa Rica?

It's an informal way to address a friend or refer to someone, similar to "dude" or "mate".

Why do Costa Ricans use "usted" so much?

It's a feature of Costa Rican Spanish: usted is used even among family and friends. In some areas vos is also common.

What is a "rojo"?

A 1,000-colón bill, named for its color.

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