In Costa Rica it is difficult to “keep your bearings” since street signs are few and far between and most houses don’t have numbered addresses. Memorize the Spanish survival phrases below and you should be able to find your way around, located addresses and hopefully not get lost.

¿A qué distancia queda…?  – How far is…?
¿Dónde está…? – Where is…?
Tome la primera calle… – Take the first street
a la derecha – to the right
a la izquierda – to the left
directo/derecho – straight ahead
diagonal – diagonal to
a la par de – next to
¿Hay un…por aquí? – is there a …around here?
Doble a la derecha – turn right
Doble a la izquierda – turn left
una cuadra – a block
cien metros – a block in Costa Rica
cien varas – also a block in Costa Rica
entrada – driveway
la esquina – corner
cerca de – near
lejos de – far
frente a – across the street
en el cruce  – at the intersection
estoy perdido – I’m lost
Me puede dar las señas – Can you give me the directions?
¿Puede enseñarme el camino? – Can you show me the how to get to…?
norte – north
sur – south
este – east
oeste – west
a un costado de – to one side of

Tiquismos of the week:

1) Estar más perdido que el hijo de la Llorona – to be really lost
(2) Vara is an old measurement which is the equivalent of a meter (2.8 feet). As I stated above “cien varas” and “cien metros” are also used for a city block. I have even heard “una teja” (slang for 100 colones)  used as slang for a city block.