Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

Ordinal numbers are first, second, third, etc.

primero - first
segundo - second
tercero - third
cuarto - fourth
quinto - fifth
sexto - sixth
séptimo - seventh
octavo - eighth
noveno - ninth
décimo - tenth

Beyond tenth cardinal numbers (one, two, three etc.) should be used instead of ordinal numbers to simplify matters: once - eleventh, doce - twelfth etc.

However, there is a more complicated method of expressing the ordinal number system, but we don’t advise you to use it. For example, eleventh is undécimo, twelfth is dudécimo. For numbers 13-19 put décimo in front of the ordinal numbers 3-9: decimotercero (13th) or decimocuarto (14th) etc.

Some of the the ordinal numbers are:
vigésimo - twentieth
trigísimo - thirtieth
cuadragésimo - fortieth
quincuagésimo - fiftieth
sexagésimo - sixtieth
septuagésimo - seventieth
octogésimo - eightieth
nonagésimo - ninetieth
centésimo - hundredth

Tiquismo (Costa Rican expression) of the week:  Estar  sobre la jugada  means to be on top of things.

As you already know, for the average person full-time as well as part-time domestic help is prohibitively expensive in the United States - this is not the case in Costa Rica. The cost of a full-time maid or gardner usually runs a couple of hundred dollars monthly. The former can do everything from washing clothes to taking care of small children and may even be used to do your bargaining in stores since foreigners often end up paying more for some items. However, if you speak little Spanish you may have problems talking to your help.

By memorizing the vocabulary below you should be able communicate your needs to your maid or gardner.

por favor - Please
barra - sweep
lave - wash
limpie - wash
encere - wax
sáquele brillo a….. - polish
quítele el polvo a…. - dust
pásele la aspiradora a…. - vacuum
cambie las sábanas - change the sheets
tienda la cama - make the bed
guarde - put away
arregle; acomode; ordene - tidy….
riegue - water
planche - iron
doble - fold
prepare - prepare
traígame…. - bring me
saque la basura - take out the trash
friegue - scrub
corte las ramas - cut branches
cuide a los niños - take care of the children
compre…. - buy….
Tiquismo of the week: Rodar in Costa Rica means to string someone along.