Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

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Shortened words in spanish

May 26th, 2008 | Category: Tips For Learning Spanish

In Spanish some  words are shortened in everyday conversations just like we do in English. For example we often use bike instead of bicycle or frig instead of refrigerator.

Here is the list of the most common shortened words.

El cole – from colegio (high school)
El compa – from compadre (pal)
El cumpli – from cumpleaños (birthday)
El profe – from profesor (teacher)
El celu – from celular (cell phone)
El abue y la abue – from abuelo (grandfather) abuela(grandmother)
El fut – from fútbol (soccer)
La peni – from penitenciaria (penitentiary)
La compu – from computadora (computer)
La bici – from bicicleta (bike)
La moto – from motocicleta (motorcycle)
El presi – from presidente (president)
El hospi – from hospital (hospital)
La tele – from televisión (television)
La U – from universidad (university)
La uni – from universidad (university)
La refri – from refrigerador (refrigerator)
El doc – from doctor (doctor)
La prosti – from prostituta (prostitute)
La muni – from municipalidad (municipality/city hall)
El wicho – from sanwich (sandwich)
El Pana – from Panameño (Panamanian)
El Nica – from Nicaragüense (Nicaraguan)
Guate – from Guatemala (Guatemala)
Por fa – from por favor (please)

Tiquismo or Costa Rican expression of the week: El wachi – from wachimán (watchman) Costa Rican Slang

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