The last couple of articles in this series contained some useful advice for maneuvering one’s way through Costa Rica’s linguistic jungle.
Here are some more language tidbits that show the differences and similarities between Spanish and English.
- In Spanish “ph” becomes “f.”
PH = F
Elephant – elefante
Telephone – teléfono
- Also in Spanish “th” becomes “t.”
TH= T
Catholic – católico
author – autor
cathedral – catedral
- The only double letters that are doubled in Spanish are “l” and”r.”
ONLY DOUBLE L, R
All other letters like “ss, pp, mm nn, ff,” (except “l” and “r”) which are doubled in English, become single letters in Spanish.
different – diferente
annual – anual
attractive – atractivo
- You will find “cc” in Spanish but this is not a double “c.” Each “c” is pronounced separately since each belongs to a different syllable. The first “c’ has a “k” sound and the second a “s” sound.
Correction – correc-ción
Instruction – instruc-ción
Construction – construc-ción
In Spsnish “tion” always becomes “ción.”
Education – educación
Vacation – vacación
With the advice above beginners can make noticeable improvement in learning the language.
Tiquismo are words and expressions that are frequently used here but may not found in your standard Spanish dictionary: Coco literally means coconut, but can be a synonym for person’s head in Costa Rica. Pelar coco isto shave someone’s head.
