Costa Rican Slang: A Guide to Talking Like a Tico

Costa Ricans — called Ticos (men) and Ticas (women) — have developed a distinctly local flavor of Spanish over the decades. If you've studied Spanish elsewhere and arrive in Costa Rica expecting to feel fluent, some of this vocabulary will throw you off.

Here's a guide to the most common Costa Rican slang you'll encounter.

The Big Three

**Pura Vida** — Literally "pure life," this phrase is the soul of Costa Rica. You'll hear it used as a greeting, farewell, expression of gratitude, and general affirmation that life is good. If someone does you a favor and you say "gracias," a typical response is "pura vida." Use it freely — locals appreciate it.

**Mae** — Pronounced like "mah-ay," this is the equivalent of "dude," "man," or "bro." It's used between friends constantly. "¿Qué hacés, mae?" (What are you up to, dude?) is a completely normal greeting between peers. Use it with people your age or younger; it might feel too casual with elders.

**Tuanis** — Cool, great, awesome. "Ese lugar es muy tuanis" means "That place is really cool." It's enthusiastic, positive, and very Tico.

Common Everyday Expressions

**Diay** — A filler word that roughly translates to "well" or "so." It's often used to start sentences or express mild surprise. "Diay, ¿qué pasó?" (Well, what happened?)

**Cacique** — Boss or leader, used casually. Sometimes used sarcastically.

**Chunche** — A thing or stuff. When you don't know the name of something, "ese chunche" (that thing) covers it. Incredibly versatile.

**Brete** — Work, job. "Tengo brete" means "I have work" or "I'm busy with work."

**Maje** — Similar to "mae" but slightly more informal and sometimes used to express surprise or emphasis.

Food and Eating

**Soda** — Not the drink. A soda is a small, family-run local restaurant. Some of the best food in Costa Rica is at sodas. If someone recommends "a great soda nearby," they mean a local eatery.

**Casado** — The classic Costa Rican lunch plate: rice, beans, a protein, salad, and plantains. Asking for "un casado" at a soda is one of the most local things you can do.

Transportation

**Buseta** — A small bus. Different from a big intercity bus; busetas operate shorter local routes.

How to Use This

Learning slang without context is only half the battle — you also need to know when and how to use it naturally. That's why practicing in scenario-based conversations matters. The AI conversation practice in Spanish Training is built to use authentic Costa Rican expressions so you hear them in context before you land.