2009 November | Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

Thanksgiving Vocabulary

Nov 27

bigbird agradecido (por) — thankful (for)
el arándano rojo — cranberry
El camote – yam
la cazuela — casserole
la cena — dinner
comer — to eat
la calabaza — squash (the same Spanish terms also are used for other related plants)
el Día de Acción de Gracias — Thanksgiving
la familia — family
el fútbol americano — American football (not soccer)
gluglú gluglú — gobble gobble (turkey sound)
Gluglutear – to gobble
las gracias — thanks
el indio, la india, el/la indígena americano/a — American Indian, native American
el maíz — corn
la mazorca de maíz — corn on the cob
noviembre — November
el otoño — autumn, fall
el pavo — turkey
el panecillo — dinner roll
los parientes — relatives
el pastel (o la tarta) de calabaza — pumpkin pie
el peregrino — pilgrim
el puré de papas — mashed potatoes
el relleno — stuffing, turkey dressing
la salsa de carne — gravy
las sobras, los restos — leftovers
trinchar – to carve a turkey
trinchante – carving knife
las verduras — vegetables

Related Tico expresion s of the week

Camote – yam or crazy in pachuco
Las pavas tirándole a las escopetas: the disciples teaching the master
Jamar o monchar in Costa Rica is to eat
Chompipe – Turkey in Costa Rica
Pavón – a wild turkey

More Expressions of the week:

Pavo – Correct Spanish word for turkey
Guajolote – Turkey in Mexico also a person with a double chin in Mexico
Sólo los guajolotes mueren la víspera – What will happen will happen

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Glossary of Real Estate and Construction Terms in Spanish Part 5

Nov 17

Tips For Learning Spanish

2008-09-23 Radiestécisa or marcar pozos – water witching (locating underground water)
Rancho – a gazebo type structure used for BBQ’s and other outdoor recreation activities
Reflector – flood light
Repello – concrete plaster
Repellar – to plaster
Rodapie – a footboard or baseboard
Sala – living room
Sellador – primer
Sistema de riego or aspersión – sprinklers
Sótano – basement
Tabla – a board
Tanque captación – backup water tank
Tanque de agua caliente – hot water tank
Tanque séptico – septic tank
Tapia – low exterior wall
Techar – to roof
Techo – roof
Teja – a roof tile
Tejado – a roof with tile
Temporizador – automatic timing device to shut off electrical equipment

Tiquismos of the week:

Cría fama y échate a dormir: don´t sleep on your laurels Also No duermas sobre tus laureles
Cuando el río suena, piedras trae: life gives us warnings
Cuando llueve todos nos mojamos: misfortune doesn´t discriminate Also Las desgracias no vienen solas

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

Talento – literally means “talent” but in this context it means “It is slow…Está lento.”

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Glossary of Real Estate and Construction Terms in Spanish Part 4

Nov 16

Tips For Learning Spanish

rten154l Madera – wood
Mampostería – cement work
Manija – door handle
Marco – door or window frame
Medio baño – half-bath
Muebles de cocina – kitchen cabinets
Muro de contención or retención – retaining wall
Obra gris – grey work = the cement work for a structure
Pared – interior or exterior wall
Pasta – putty or plaster for interior or exterior finishing of walls or ceilings
Patio – patio
Patio de luz – an interior patio or light well
Perforar un pozo – to drill a well
Permiso de construcción – construction permit
Perling – Perling is slang for Perfil=C shaped metal studs for framing construction, including;
Vigas=beams ,Cerchas=trusses , Columnas=columns and Viguetas de entrepiso=floor joists.
Persianas – Venetian blinds
Piedra – stone
Pintura – paint
Pintura base – primer
Piscina – swimming pool
Plafón – a light fixture
Planos – plans
Plantel or sitio para construir – a construction site
Portón – a gate
Puerta – door
Puerta corrediza – sliding door
Puertas de baño – doors for a shower stall

Tiquismos of the week:

Como entierro de pobre: As fast as a poor man´s burial
Como soplar y hacer botellas: a task that is easy to accomplish
Como trapito de dominguear: Spiffy, any project to be proud of

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

Sorprendida – literally means surprised but in this context it is “a nun that is on fire.”

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Glossary of Real Estate and Construction Terms in Spanish Part 3

Nov 9

Tips For Learning Spanish

2008-10-15 Ebanista – a person who builds doors or cabinets
Empotrable – built in
Enchape – a stone facade
Esacaleras – stairs
Escalera de caracol – spiral staircase
Espejo – mirror
Fachada – façade
Fontanería – pluming
Formaleta – a wooden frame used for filling spaces with concrete
Fragua – grout
Fraguar – to grout
Fregadero – kitchen sink
Frente – front of a house or property
Fuente – fountain
Grado de inclinación- slope
Grifería – faucets
Gypsum or tablaroca– sheet rock
Hierro forjado – wrought iron
Iluminación – lighting
Jacuzzi – Jacuzzi
Jardinera – flower bed
Ladrillo – brick
Lastre or grava – gravel
Lavamanos – bathroom sink
Línea blanca – kitchen appliances like a refrigerator
Loza sanitaria – bathroom fixtures like the tub and toilette
Llave de paso – Any type shut off valve for plumbing. Metal or PVC for water, gas, air pressure

Tiquismos of the week:

Caer como San Juan al 24: something happening on a very opportune time (San Juan´s festivities in Costa Rica are on June 24th)
Cambiar la mama por un burro: to make a bad deal
Colgarle el guecho: a gullible person
Como cuando usted era pobre: I´m fine, just like when you used to be poor!

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

Cacareo is the sound a rooster makes or bragging. In this case it is excrement of a prisoner.

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Glossary of Construction Terms in Spanish Part 2

Nov 3

Vocabulary Tips

aton1822l Caja de breaker – breaker box
Canoa – rain gutter
Cava – wine cellar
Celosia – louvered window
Cemento – cement
Cerámica – ceramic floor tile
Cerchas – trusses used to frame structures
Cerradura – a lock Llavín in Costa Rica
Césped – lawn
Cielo artesonado – coffered ceiling
Cieloraso – the interior ceiling of a house
Chimenea – chimney
Chorrear concreto – to pour concrete
Cimientos – foundation
Cloaca or alcantarilla – sewer
Columna – column
Comedor – dining room
Cuarto de empleada – maid’s quarters
Cuarto de pilas – laundry room
Desagüe – drain
Desayunador – breakfast counter
Distibución – the layout of the house
Dormitorio – bedroom
Ducha – shower

Tiquismos of the week:

Con paciencia y saliva un elefante se comió una hormiga: with enough patience everything is achieved
Cada quien tiene su modo de matar pulgas: everybody has their own way to do things
Cada quien sabe donde le aprieta el zapato: everyone knows where the shoe rubs
Caer como un plátano: to get to bed exhausted

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

Polinesia literally means Polynesia a scattered group of islands in the Pacific. In this case it is a female cop who is a stubborn or a pain in the neck.

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