Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

Hourly expressions

Jan 17

A la hora en punto – on the dot (time). Son las seis en punto. It’s six on the dot.
A primera hora – the first thing in the morning
A útima hora – at the last minute
¿A qué hora? – At what time?
Dar la hora – to strike the hour (clock)
Hora de comer – mealtime
Hora de verdad – the moment of truth
Hora estelar – prime time (TV)
Hora pico – rush hour
Horas extraordinarias or horas extras – overtime
Hora-hombre – man-hour
Horario – schedule
Horario – hour hand on a clock
Horas libres – free time
Huso horario – time zone
Llegar a buena hora – to arrive in time
Media Hora – one-half hour
No ver la hora de irse – can’t wait to go
Noticias de útima hora – last minute news
Poner el reloj en la hora – set the clock
Por hora – per hour. El tren viaja a 100 millas por hora. The train travels at 100 miles per hour.
¿Qué hora es? – What time is it?
Ser hora de + verb – to be time to. Es hora de ir al cine. It’s time to go to the movies.
Trabajar por horas – to be paid by the hour
Ya es hora de hacer algo – it’s time to do something

Expressions in Spanish

Vivir horas extras – to live on borrowed time or estar con permiso del panteonero.
Tener los días contados – to have one’s days numbered

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Sun of a Beach

Jan 4

Language and Culture

Adorador de sol – a sun worshiper
Al sol – in the sun. Estoy al sol or estoy bajo el sol. I am in the sun
Arrimarse al sol que más calienta – to know which side one’s bread is buttered
Bajo el sol – under the sun
Baño de sol – a sun bath
Brilla el sol – the sun is shinning
De sol a sol – from sunrise to sunset. José trabaja de sol a sol. Joe works from sunrise to sunset
El lado brillante de las cosas – the bright side of things
Gafas or lentes de sol – sunglasses
Girasol – sunflower
Hace or hay sol – it’s sunny
Insolación – sunstroke Insolarse is the verb to get a sunstroke
Luz solar – sunlight
Sol- the sun or a term of endearment said to one’s lover
No dejar a ni sol ni a sombra – to not leave someone alone or to keep a constant eye on them. No dejar en paz is also used.
Ponerse el sol – to set (the sun)
Puesta del sol – sunset or sundown
Quemadura de sol – sunburn
Rayo de sol – a sunbeam
Reloj de sol – sun-dial
Salida de sol – sunrise
Sol de media noche – midnight sun
Sol naciente – the rising sun
Tomar un baño de sol or asolearse – is to take a sunbath

Expressions

Broncearse los glúteos – to tan one’s buns (butt)
Comprar el sol – used in Costa Rica when someone is wearing sunglasses when it is not sunny
Ni el sol me calienta – inconsolable or despondent

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Manly Expressions

Dec 27

Language and Culture

De hombre a hombre – man to man. Hablamos de hombre a hombre. We had a man-to-man talk.
El hombre medio – the average man or man on the street
Hombre – a man
¡Hombre! – Good heavens, man!
¡Hombre al agua! – Man overboard!
Hombre de armas tomar – a man to be reckoned with
Hombre de confianza – a right-hand man. Mano derecha or brazo derecho are also used.
Hombre de dinero – a man with money
Hombre de edad – an elderly man
Hombre de estado – a statesman
Hombre de letras – a man of letters
Hombre de mundo – a man of the world
Hombre de negocios – a business man
Hombre de su palabra – a man of his word
Hombre de pelo en su pecho – a real he-man
Hombre hecho y derecho – a grown man
Hombre-rana – frog man
Hombría – manliness

Expressions

¡Hágase hombre! – Man up!
El hombre propone, pero Dios dispone – man proposes but god disposes. Another version: El hombre propone, viene la mujer y todo descompone. Man proposes, along comes a woman and messes everything up.
Hombre prevenido vale por dos – a prepared man is worth two men
Hombre prevenido nunca fue vencido – a prepared man is never defeated

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Don’t lose any sleep over it

Dec 12

Language and Culture

Estar inquieto/a por – to be anxious or worried about
Estar preocupado/a por – to be worried about
Inquietante or preocupante (adj) – worrying or disturbing
No lamentes lo irremediable – don’t worry about something that has no solution
No llores sobre la leche derramada – Don’t cry over spilt milk
No te ahogues en un vaso de agua – Don’t drown in a glass of water or make mountain out of a molehill. “De un granito de arena no hagas una montaña” is the literal translation of the latter. In Spanish you can also say “No hagas una tormenta en un vaso de agua” or simply “No exageres”.
No te aflijas or no te alteres – Don’t get upset
No me desvela – I won’t lose any sleep over it. Desvelar means to stay awake. El café me desvela means that the coffee keeps me awake. The noun desvelo can mean anxiety or worries
Ofenderse – to get upset or offended
Preocupón – a person who worries a lot
¡Tranquilo/a! – take it easy!

Tiquismos

¡Al chile! – Are you kidding me? No shit? Really? Cuando María le dijo a Carmen que iba a visitar Italia la próxima semana, Carmen dijo “¿Al chile?”. When María told Carmen that she was going to Italy next week, Carmen said, “Are you kidding me?”
¡No te agüeves, mae! – Don’t get upset, man!
Parársele la peluca – Figuratively it means to get upset. Literally to have your wig (hair) stand on end. A José se le paró la peluca. Joe got upset.
Tranquilo como Camilo or Calmado como el pescado – Take it easy.

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Boxes

Nov 29

Language and Culture

Apartado – P.O. Box
Caja or buzón de sugerencias – suggestion box
Caja – box or coffin. Ataúd also means coffin.
Caja chica – petty cash box
Caja de cambios – gear box
Caja fuerte – safe
Caja de ahorros – saving bank
Caja de fusibles – fuse box
Caja de música – music box
Caja de Pandora – Pandora’s Box
Caja de registro – manhole
Caja de resonancia – soundbox, sounding board (figurative)
Caja del cuerpo – torso. La caja torásica is also used
Caja negra – a plane’s black box
Cajón – chest, drawer or large box
Empacador/a – box person in a supermarket
Encajonar – to pack something in a box or to confine someone
Hacer caja – to add up a day’s sales. The verb contabilizar is also used.
Palco – a box in a theater or stadium
Pugilista or boxeador – boxer or prizer fighter
Taquilla – box office

Spanish Expressions

Cabeza de cajón – a dumb person Cabeza hueca (hollow head) is also used
Echar a alguien con cajas destempladas – to send someone packing
Estar como cajón de sastre – to be in bad shape
Meter alguien en caja – to put someone in their place

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