Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

Some of the abbreviations that appear in the newspaper are included below.

Equipado – Equipped ( fully equipped.)
Esquinero – On a Corner.
Espacio – Space.
Estrenar (estren) – To Use For The First Time
Este – East
Estudio – Studio
Extranjero (extranj) – Foreigner.
Finca – Farm or Estate.
Finos Acabados – Nice Furnishings
Frente (fte) – Facing (frente pista – facing the highway.)
Ganadería – Cattle Farming.
Ganga – Bargain.
Garaje (gje) – Garage (Garaje p/2car – garage for 2 cars)
Grande – Large.
Gratis – Free (Internet gratis – free Internet.)
Guarda – Guard.
Gym – Gym
Habitaciones – Rooms.
Hectare (hect.) – Hectare.
Información – Information.
Inmobiliarios – Property, Real Estate.
Internet – Internet.
Inversión – Investment.
Jardín – Garden.
Lámapara – Lamp.
Lavandería – Laundry Room. Cuarto de pilas
Lavadora – Washing Machine.
Lavaplatos – Dishwasher.
Lindo/a – Pretty.
Línea Blanca (lín, lín/blanca) – Kitchen Appliances.
Lotes – Lots.
Lujo – Luxurious
Luz – Electricity.

Tiquismos of the week:

Alborotar el panel : to open Pandora´s box
Al chancho con lo que lo crian: if raised as a pig, always be a pig
Alegrón de burro: a happy reaction to great news that aren´t true
Al que le cae el guante que se lo plantea: speaking to all so you get the message

Tico humor and wordplay ( this may be tough to understand):
Camarón – literally means shrimp. In this case it is a big camera to take pictures. (Aparato enorme para sacar fotos)