20/04/2025
Some information to help prepare you for your trip to Costa Rica and Casa Pura Vida.
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How to Speak Pura Vida: A Beginner’s Guide to Tico Slang 😎🌴
So you just landed in Costa Rica, ready to soak up sunshine, sip on fresh-squeezed guava juice, and maybe even spot a sloth doing yoga in a tree. But wait—what are the locals saying? Why is everyone calling you a mae, and who exactly is this mysterious tico?
Fear not, gr**go amigos! Here’s your Beginner’s Guide to Tico Slang—because in Costa Rica, the language is as relaxed as the people. Let’s get you sounding like a local faster than you can say “otra cerveza, por favor.” 🍻
1. Pura Vida
Literal translation: “Pure Life”
Real meaning: Everything and nothing at the same time.
Used to say: hello, goodbye, I’m good, life’s good, chill out, hakuna matata, and sometimes even “oops, I dropped my plantain.”
✅ Example:
“How are you?”
“Pura vida!”
“Your car broke down?”
“Pura vida, mae.”
2. Mae (pronounced my)
Literal translation: Dude, bro, pal, friend, human.
You’ll hear this every 3 seconds. Everyone is a mae. Even your grandma.
✅ Example:
“Mae, that monkey stole my mango.”
“Pura vida, mae. Let him keep it.”
3. Tuanis
Meaning: Cool, awesome, rad.
Fun fact: Some say it came from “too nice.” Whether that’s true or just a linguistic myth is irrelevant—it’s tuanis, and that’s all that matters.
✅ Example:
“That waterfall hike was tuanis!”
“So tuanis I tripped on joy.”
4. ¡Qué chiva!
Meaning: That’s so cool! (Also could refer to something flashy, or a tricked-out bike/car)
✅ Example:
“Did you see that guy surfing with his dog?”
“¡Qué chiva, mae!”
5. Diay (pronounced dee-eye)
Meaning: Um... well... so... duh?
This is the Swiss Army knife of Costa Rican expressions. Confused? Say diay. Surprised? Diay. Need to stall for time? Diay.
✅ Example:
“Why are you late?”
“Diay... it was raining... and I saw a toucan... and my flip-flop broke...”
6. Gallo Pinto
Literal translation: Spotted Rooster.
Actual thing: A sacred breakfast of rice and beans that will change your life.
✅ Example:
“If I don’t get gallo pinto by 8 a.m., I become a gallo grumpy.”
7. Brete
Meaning: Work or job
But don’t worry—Ticos use it lightly, like they’re just considering work while sipping coffee on the porch. ☕
✅ Example:
“I got a brete at the surf shop.”
“Nice! Do you actually work?”
“Sometimes. Mostly I say ‘pura vida’ to tourists.”
8. Jupa
Meaning: Head
Use this if someone bonks their head on a tree branch while looking for sloths.
✅ Example:
“Ouch! I hit my jupa!”
“Well, that’s what you get for sloth-stalking.”
9. Tico Time
Meaning: Ten minutes late... or maybe two hours. Who knows? Time is a suggestion.
✅ Example:
“When’s the party?”
“7 p.m.”
“What time should I actually show up?”
“8:45. With a six-pack.”
10. Upe
Meaning: The polite knock.
If you visit someone’s home and there’s no doorbell, just stand at the gate and yell, “Upe!” It’s basically the Costa Rican version of “Knock knock, I’m delightful.”
✅ Example:
“Upeeeeee!”
“Pura vida, come in!”
Final Tip: Smile. A Lot.
Even if you butcher every word, as long as you smile and toss out a “Pura Vida, mae!” now and then, you’ll be welcomed with open arms and possibly offered fresh pineapple. 🍍
So go forth, practice your slang, and remember:
You’re not just learning words—you’re learning a way of life.
