Costa Rican Slang: 58 Everyday Expressions Locals Actually Use

Spanish textbooks won’t prepare you for a taxi driver greeting you with “¡Pura vida, mae!” or a friend urging you to “¡Soque!” while you linger over coffee. Costa Rican Spanish, shaped by history, humor, and pura buena onda, is full of colorful sayings that instantly break the ice. This article walks you through the most common expressions, shows you how to slip them into conversation, and flags a few that can raise eyebrows if used in the wrong setting.

Quick Tips for Speaking Like a Tico

• Start with the classics. “Pura vida” and “mae” pop up everywhere—from shopkeepers to newscasters—so learn these first.
• Match the setting. Words you’d trade with a surfing buddy (“¡déle!”) might sound abrupt in a bank or doctor’s office.
• Listen before jumping in. Pay attention to tone and facial expressions; some slang can be playful among friends but offensive with strangers.

58 Must-Know Costa Rican Expressions

#	Expression	Meaning / Use
1	Pura vida	Literally “pure life.” Used as hello, goodbye, thank-you, you’re welcome, and “things are good.”
2	Mae	“Dude,” “mate,” or “buddy.” Can be neutral or affectionate.
3	Tico / Tica	A Costa Rican man / woman. Also an informal adjective for things from Costa Rica (“comida tica”).
4	¡Déle!	“Go for it!” or, in a quarrel, “Throw the punch!”
5	Dolor de huevos	“Pain in the balls” — our “pain in the neck.”
6	Espeso	“Thick.” Slang: something difficult or messy.
7	Fachento	Sloppily dressed or a “snob,” depending on context.
8	Fondillo	Rear end.
9	Frito	Out of luck; literally “fried.”
10	Furris	Low-quality, shabby.
11	Gato	“Cat,” but also a person with green or blue eyes.
12	Goma	Hangover.
13	Guachimán	Street car guard (from English watchman).
14	Güila	Child; among friends, “dude” or, when said by guys, a young woman.
15	Hablar paja	Talk nonsense. Pura paja = “total BS.”
16	Harina	Money (“flour,” like “bread” in English).
17	Hijo de papi / papá	Spoiled rich kid.
18	Jalar	Literally “pull.” Slang: to date / hook up; ¡Jale! = “Get out of here!”
19	Jalarse la torta	Get pregnant while unmarried / make a big mistake.
20	Jugársela	Handle a tough situation or take a risk.
21	Jupa / Jupón	Head / “big head,” i.e., stubborn person.
22	Limpio	Broke (no money).
23	Luna	“Moon.” De luna = grumpy; estar en la luna = spaced out.
24	Llevarla suave	Take it easy; suave alone works the same way.
25	Macho / Machito	Light-skinned, fair-haired person (not “macho man”).
26	Mandarina	“Tangerine.” Slang for a defective car (“lemon”).
27	Mejenga	Casual neighborhood soccer game.
28	Mocoso	Brat; literally “snotty kid.”
29	Monchar / La moncha	To eat / hunger; la monchis = munchies.
30	Mosca muerta	Two-faced person (“dead fly”).
31	Mota	Marijuana.
32	Nota (buena / mala)	“Good vibe” or “bad vibe.”
33	Ojo / Pele el ojo / Ojo al Cristo	Watch out!
34	Pachanga	Party.
35	Estar detrás del palo	Be clueless (“behind the stick”).
36	Paracaidista	Party crasher (“parachutist”).
37	Pata	“Paw,” root for many phrases: mala pata = bad luck; pata caliente = homebody’s opposite; meter la pata = mess up.
38	Pendejo	Fool or coward (use with care—can offend).
39	Picaflor	Womanizer (“hummingbird”).
40	Pinta	Suspicious-looking person.
41	Platero	Someone obsessed with making money.
42	Polo / Polada	Hick / hickish act.
43	Ponerse las pilas	“Put in the batteries” — step up your game.
44	Roco	Old person.
45	Rojo / Rojito	₡1,000 bill (it’s red).
46	Rubia	Beer (“blonde”).
47	Salado	Unlucky (“salty”).
48	Soplado	Very fast.
49	¡Soque!	Hurry up!
50	Tanate	Large amount or big trouble.
51	Tanda	Liquor binge; also a movie showing.
52	Tiquicia	Affectionate nickname for Costa Rica.
53	Torta	Problem or blunder; standard meaning: round cake or omelet.
54	Tuanis	Great, cool.
55	Tucán	₡5,000 bill (toucan image).
56	Viejo verde	“Dirty old man.”
57	Zarpe	Last drink of the night.
58	Coco	Bald head; also “bogeyman.”

Putting It All Together

Next time you chat with a barista or hop on a local bus, sprinkle in a “Pura vida, mae” or compliment someone’s buena nota. You’ll sound far less like a textbook and far more like a friend.