The Big Ass List of Costa Rican Slang

I love Costa Rican slang. Costa Ricans have an unusual amount of slang words and some sayings are known as “tiquismos”. In other words, you will only hear most of these phrases in Costa Rica.

Knowing the gist of most of these words makes me feel like a real part of Costa Rican society. As a gringa, using these words has gotten me surprised looks, laughs and more than one head shake.

After over 30 years of traveling to Costa Rica, I’m still learning slang words, so I’ll keep this list updated as much as possible.

Keep in mind, knowing slang words doesn’t mean you should necessarily use them! So, for your convenience, words in RED mean danger danger! Go placidly, amigos, and use your better judgement.

Without further ado, here in alphabetical order and for your entertainment is a list of my favorite slang words/tiquismos and a brief meaning or example.

Costa Rican Slang Words and Tiquismos

A pata — by foot, walking (pata means paw)

Adiós — not only does this mean goodbye, but in Costa Rica, many strangers or people that are merely acquaintances will say this if they pass one another on the street. It’s a verbalized tip of the hat. Many times it’s shortened to simply “Diós”….if someone says this to you, respond with the same.

Agüevado — adjective meaning bummed out, like a limp biscuit. “He was totally agüevado as he won’t receive his pay for another week.” Not necessarily vulgar, but you might not want to use it on a first date.

Agüevazón — a thing that is a HUGE BUMMER. Having a root canal is an agüevazon. Monday mornings are an agüevazón, too.

Añejo — literally means aged. You may have seen it on a tequila bottle. When using it to describe a person, it means unbathed.

Baboso — a clown, an idiot, silly

Baldazo — loosely means, a bucketful. Used to describe a heavy downpour. “did you see that rainstorm! Wow, what a baldazo!”

Bandido — literally means bandit, can be used to describe someone or something who is sly or clever (even a pet).

Basilada — adjective for basilón. Qué basilada!  How funny!

Basilón — this is slang for something like an event that happens that’s very funny. Like a super fun or funny time.  Example: The teachers came to school dressed in costumes today, it was a basilón!

Bicho — pronounced “beecho”, means a creepy critter whether a person, animal or insect

Birra — slang for beer

Bomba — gas station

Bostezo — literally means a yawn, but when used to describe something, it means it was really boring. A yawner.

Brete — a job, work.

Buena gente — good people. Even though it sounds plural, can be used to describe one person. You can trust him, he’s buena gente.

Buena nota — a good note, means good people or a good situation.

Buenas — a shortened form of buenas tardes or buenas noches

Cabanga — slang for homesickness. (Tengo cabanga……I’m homesick) Not to be confused with cowabunga, dude.

Cabrón — a guy who’s kind of a jerk, (Hey! Why did you do that, cabrón!?)

Cachibachi –a doo-dad, or a thingamajig

Carajillo/a — a young boy or girl; a young buck, or a little lass.

Cáscara — nerve, balls (qué cáscara! What nerve!)

Chancletaso — a wholloping over the head with a shoe or flip flop (a chancleta is a sandal or flip flop) and yes this happens, so watch out with your slang.

Chapa — someone who can’t get anything right.

Chepe — slang for San José.

Chicha — anger,  (qué chicha!– that makes me so angry!)

Chiva — something that’s awesome or cool (qué chiva! How cool).

Chorizero — a scam artist

Choza — slang for house, means a hut (it’s late, I’m going back to the choza).

Chunche — slang for a doo-dad, a thing, a whatchamacallit.

Churuca — slang for San Rafael, Cartago

Ciao — ciao, see you later.

Ciaito — ciao, see you a little later. See what we did there?

Cochinada — a disgusting thing, or something bad for you, or a piece of crap. “I shouldn’t eat so many cochinadas.”

Cochino/a — gross, disgusting and dirty.

Cólera — literally means cholera, but also means anger and frustration (qué cólera! –how frustrating!)

Color — embarrassment (qué color! how embarrassing!)

Compas — short for compañeras (friends, schoolmates)

Culo — a butt, rear-end, behind. Not really polite to use, you’d be better off saying “trasero” o “las nalgas”.

Culo pelado — buck naked, or butt naked if you prefer!

Despiche — an epic fail; a complete mess; shouldn’t be used in good company.

Diáy! — Hey! Hi! How are you?

El Puerto — the port, slang for Puntarenas, Costa Rica.

Fulano (a) — a guy. Feminine, a chick. Ella se fue con tal fulano. She went off with some guy.

Gafas — glasses.

Gajo — a beat up car; a rustbucket.

Güevon, Hüevon — a jerk, someone  who is ballsy.

Güila — kid, or brat, pronounced “gwee-lah”.

Harina — flour, meaning money, like dough.

Huevos — means eggs, but slang for balls.

Jále!   — come on! Let’s go! Derived from the verb Jalar(se).

Joder — to bother someone or to screw something up.

Jodás! — Not so nice way to say don’t bug me! Go away!

Jodido(a) — screwed up. Messed up.

Jupa — slang for your head — me duele la jupa (my head hurts).

Qué madre! — a horrible situation, a real bummer; “dude, I just crashed my car, qué madre!”

Malcriado — means spoiled and not brought up well. A smartass. What you will be called if you use the words in red.

Mae — dude (direct), man. That dude (pronoun).

Moco — booger.

Mocoso — a brat; literally translated as full of boogers.

Mota — slang for marijuana.

Necio/necia — a pest, a pain in the butt (no sea necio—don’t be a pest!)

Ojo! — see! Look! Watch out!

Pacho — something funny, a laugh riot (qué pacho — how funny!)

Paja — literally means straw, in slang, bullshit or crap. He’s taking paja.

Payaso — a clown, an idiot.

Pedo — a fart.

Pepiado/pepiada — in love, lovesick, in puppy love.

Pelo de gato — literally cat’s hair. Used to describe a very fine rain or mist.

Perra –– a bitch.

Picha –– vulgar way of saying penis, a dick.

Pichaso — a big slap or punch, or meaning “a lot”, derivative of the above.

Pinta — slang for druggie, that guy hiding in the corner smoking mota.

Pinto — short for gallo pinto (Costa Rican rice and beans)

Plástico/a — this literally means plastic. It is used to describe some people as posers. She’s so plastic…(fake, a poser, pretending to be cool or rich, better than the rest). This isn’t used as widely as it used to be.

Poner las pilas — to put in your batteries, to get moving!

Porfa — please! short for por favor.

Porquería — a piece of crap. Don’t buy that, it’s an utter porquería

Pura Vida — the motto of Costa Rica literally translating to pure life; awesome, cool, hi, bye and more!

Puta — prostitute. Also used in many exclamations. Not so nice, but you will hear it a lot! Exclaimed, it means anything from dammit, to son of a bitch, to holy crap! And on and on.

Pucha — when you really want to say puta and you can’t—substitute pucha and you’ll spare yourself some embarrassment. Puchis will also work.

Raro — un raro is a weirdo. A shady character.

Rico/rica — delicious, yummy.

Roca — not all that nice slang for a woman, like a broad; an “old lady”.

Rollo — something funny, “qué rollo!” how funny!

Salado/a — means salty, but slang for bad luck. Can also mean “too bad”, “bummer!” if you say directly to someone. Example: “Oh the bus left you behind? Oh, salado vos!”

Sapo — literally a toad or frog, in slang meaning a jackass, a jerk

Sea tonto! — Literally translated as “don’t be stupid” but used in the sense of “unbelievable!” or something so incredible, it stupefies you.  Example: did you see that tornado?  Sea tonto!

Sóque! — hurry up!

Taca taca taca — yadda yadda yadda.

Tallado/tallada — tight in regards to money. Broke

Tápis — slang for drunk. Andar tapis…wandering around drunk, being drunk.

Tata — slang for father, dad.

Tatas — slang for parents.

Teja — slang for 100 colones.

Tico/tica — a Costa Rican tico is male, tica female.

Tipo — a guy or a dude (noun)

Torta — a huge problem, sometimes a pregnancy

Tuanis — awesome, cool

Un rojo — a 1,000 colon bill (the red one)

Una águila — literally an eagle, slang for Costa Rica’s national beer Imperial (has an eagle on the logo)

Vara — the thing, the situation, the dealio. (qué es la vara? What’s the deal? What’s the problem/situation?)

Yegua — a horse but sometimes a slang for a large, stupid woman, super impolite.

Yodo — slang for coffee (actually means iodine, yuck!)

Zaguate — a stray dog, a mutt.