Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

Agúizotes (ah-gee-so-tays) are a tradition in Costa Rica and many Latin American countries. They can be defined as a superstitious beliefs. Some people use them to play the national lottery (la lotería) while others use to make their dreams come true for the new year. In the case of the lottery some play the numbers [...]

Adornos – decorations
Avenidazo – Nightly Christmas celebration held on San Jose’s Avenida Central prior to Christmas
El árbol de Navidad – Christmas tree
La corona – reef
Colacho – Costa Rican version of Santa
¿Cuál es tu propósito para el Año Nuevo? – What’s your New Year’s Resolution?
Deseando a todos una Feliz Navidad y un próspero Año Nuevo – [...]

A person who lends his name – Testaferro
Absolve – Absolver
Accusation – Denuncia
Accused person – Acusado
Accuser – Denunciante
Alibi – Coartada
Alimony – Pensión alimenticia
Appeal – Apelación
Appearance in court – Comparecencia
Acquit – Sobreseer, encontrar inocente
Arrest warrant. – Orden de captura, orden de aprensión, orden de arresto
Attach assets – Embargar/enganchar
Bar – Colegio de Abogados (Costa Rican equivalent)
Bail – Fianza
Beyond [...]

Terraza – a deck
Texturizar – to texturize
Tierra – earth or dirt
Tina or bañera – a bathtub
Toma de corriente – wall plug tomacorriente in Costa Rica
Tragaluz – a skylight
Travesaño – crossbeam
Tubería – pipes
Tubo – pipe
Tubo de drenaje – drain pipe
Umbral – threshold of a door
Varilla – rebar
Vestidor or walk in closet
Verjas – bars for windows
Vidrio – [...]