Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

Adhesivo para pisos – adhesive for ceramic tile
Adoquines – paving stones
Agregado – an addition
Agregar un cuarto – to add on a room
Aire acondicionado – air conditioning
Aire condicionado central or industrial – central air conditioning
Aislamiento – electrical insulation
Alambrado – wiring
Alero – overhang
Andamio – scaffold
Antesala- small entrance room
Apagador or interruptor – light switch
Arena – sand
Armazón – a frame
Arquitecto paisajista –landscape architect
Atico – attic
Asfalto – asphalt
Azulejo – bathroom or kitchen tile
Bajante – a horizontal drain pipe for a rain gutter
Balcón – balcony
Baño – bathroom
Barandal – a banister
Barnizar – to varnish
Bisagra – a hinge
Bloque – cinder block
Bodega – a storage room
Bondex – a substance used to glue tile to the floor
Botiquín – a medicine cabinet

Tiquismos of the week:

Sayings that pre-determine a certain position in society: (animals)
Cada chancho en su chiquero: each pig to its own sty
Cada loro en su estaca: each parrot to its own perch
Cada oveja con su pareja: each sheep to its own mate
Cada gallo canta en su patio: each rooster sings in its own yard
Si hace como chancho, come como chancho y vive en una chanchera, es un chancho – if walks like a duck etc., it is a duck

Tico humor and wordplay for advanced students( this may be tough to understand):

Telepatía – Literally means telepathy. In jest it means a television for someone’s aunt. Una tele para la tia.