Living the Costa Rican Lifestyle

Post by GuillermoG

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¿Qué mae, Pura Vida? This is a phrase you’ll commonly hear whenever Costa Ricans greet each other. It’s a greeting whose few words manage to pick up the quirky characteristics of the Costa Ricans (the “tico”). They’re the kind of people who are friendly, always open to conversations and readily available to answer any questions that a tourist may have. Well spoken people with a good level of culture.

san-jose

Nonetheless, this article is dedicated to the “tico” way of speaking. In other words, the local dialects, street slang or “popular speaking” as it’s called. These are words and phrases that’ll be useful for you to know as a tourist. It’ll help you to understand and to be understood in different places and situations. Take these words and phrases for example:

“Mae” : This refers to a person without regard to gender. It’s the same as the Mexican saying “cuate,” the Venezuelan “pàrse” or “parsero” of the Colombians, or even the Australian “mate.” It’s most frequent use is in everyday conversations. “¿Mae, que´s la vara?” (“What’s up, mate?”). “La mae estudia tamaño poco.” (The girl studies a lot.)

“Un rojo” : is a bill of one thousand Costa Rican Colons (colones). It’s called this way (a red one) because of its red tint. “A un rojo el pinto y el casado.” (The “pinto” and the “casado” are two typical dishes of the country. They consist of rice and beans mixed together >>> el pinto; rice and beans without mixing >>> el casado. Both of these dishes can be accompanied by a side order of braised meat with sauce, minced meat, or steak. Or if you’d like, with pork chops, fish, plantains, tortillas, “picadillo” (a kind of coleslaw), shredded carrots and cilantro and washed down with a natural, freshly made juice.

“Una teja” : is a coin of one hundred colones. “Dos tejas y media, los pases a Escazu.” This would mean, “Two hundred and fifty colones, for the bus fare/pass to Escazu.”

“Brete” : Simply means, work. “Mae, no puedo ir de fiesta. Tengo mucho brete.” (Can’t go out to party today. I have a lot of work to do).

“Harina” “Pasta” : Two ways of saying, money. “Hay que untar mucha pasta por ese chuzo.” (That ‘latest model’ car costs a lot of money.)

“Jupa” : Word for, the head. “Mae, pongase vivo. No permita que le den por la jupa.” (Pay attention. Be careful and don’t let them get the best of you.)

“Troles” : Means, feet. “No nos queda otra que ir troleando, mae.” (We have no choice but to go walking, mate.)

“Jalar” : To go. “Tengo afan mae. Voy jalando.” (I’m in a hurry. I need to go. I’m leaving.)

It’s also worth mentioning as an aside, the way that Costa Ricans give directions…which is unusually complicated. While in South America we make references to avenues, streets, and neighborhoods to relate directions to a person. But in Costa Rica perhaps because of the small size of the country, here in Tiquizia, we use instead the four cardinal points (north, south, east, west) and the distance in meters as references.

In other words, “400 meters South, 100 North of the National Bank. In Desamparados” or “De la Pops at Curridabat, 150 metros Sur. A la par de la pulperia Don Francisco” ( 150 meters South of Pops at Curridabat. Next to Don Francisco convenient store.) “A la par” means “next to” or “on par with..” Another example is, “al costado Oeste del Parque Nacional, Lado Oeste de la Plaza Nacional, piso superior de la Zapateria.” << ready for this one? It means, “ On the western side of the National Park, at the west side of the National Plaza, on the floor above the Zapateria (a shoe store).”

For the tourist that has only recently arrived, what all this means, is a possible headache the moment they decide to leave their hotel for a stroll or a walk around, and then trying to ask their way back after a long walk or errand. All the more so when in San Jose, because it’s difficult to find the cardinal points, due to the unstable topography of the city.

My recommendation is this: Always know that Heredia is to the North, Desamparados to the South, Cartago to the East, and Alajuela to the West. This way, when someone tells you: “Your hotel is around the corner, 200 meters North of Parque España and 50 East,” you’ll know that only two and half city blocks separate you from your hotel. ¡Bueno, amigos, voy jalando. Pura Vida! (loose translation: “All right my friends, I’m out!”)

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