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Costa Rican Spanish

SpanishCosta Rican

PHRASEBOOK & DICTIONARY

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english–costa rican spanish

A board a bordo a bor·dobortion aborto a·bor·tobout sobre so·brebove sobre so·brebroad en el extranjero

afternoon tarde tar·deaftershave loción para despues del afeitado

lo·syon pa·ra des·pwes del a·fay·ta·doagain otra vez o·tra vesage edad e·dad(three days) ago hace (tres días)

a·se (tres dee·as)

panish nouns in this dictionary have their gender indicated with (masculine) nd (feminine). If adjectives and nouns have just one form for both genders, it’s

marked as . Where adjectives and nouns have separate masculine and feminine orms, the endings are divided by a slash (eg bello/a ). In other cases we spell out he masculine and feminine forms in full for clarity of pronunciation (eg embajador/mbajadora ). See the phrasebuilder for more on gender. Words are also marked s (noun), (adjective), (adverb), (verb), (plural), (singular), (informal) nd (polite) where necessary. Verbs are given in the infinitive – for details on how o change verbs for use in a sentence, see the phrasebuilder, page 28.

bor·dorrbororor t·torrr

aftershave loción para despues dello·syon paapa·ra des··ra d·ra pwes del a

vez oo·tra vesest

tunas a·say·too·nas olives

— negras ne·gras black olives— rellenas re·ye·nas stu ed olives— verdes ver·des green olives

bo a·do·bo garlic, oregano, paprika, eppercorn, salt, olive, lime juice & vinegar aste for seasoning meata a·gwa water

— del tubo del too·bo tap water— de manantial de ma·nan·tyal

i t

— con camarones kon ka·ma·ro·nes rice with shrimps

— con leche kon le·che milky sweet rice pudding with a hint of cinnamon

— con pollo kon po·yo rice & chicken — guacho gwa·cho rice with onion,

garlic, pork & cilantro (coriander) — y frijoles ee free·kho·les

rice with black beans arvejas ar·ve·khas

peas (also known as petipoas) — secas se·kas split peasasado a·sa·do mixed grill

s miniguide to Costa Rican cuisine lists ingredients in Spanish alphabetical order e the box spanish alphabet, page 13). It’s designed to help you navigate menus

get the most out of your gastronomic experience in Costa Rica. ¡Buen provecho!

menu decoder léxico culinario

t, olive, lime juice & vinegar g meat

wawataterer

— y frijoles ee free·kho·les rice with blacrice with blacrice with b k beans k be

arvejasarvejas ar·arar·vevv khas·khas peas (also knopeas (also knopeas (also kn wn as wn as pepettiip

— secas se·kas spasado

local talk

Hey! ¡Hey! Great! ¡Tuanis! Just a minute. Dame un toqueJust joking. Estoy vacilando. Maybe. Tal vez. No problem. No te preocupés. No way! ¡Qué va! Sure. Claro.

4TH EDITIONPublished October 2013 UK £4.99First Published July 2000 USA $8.99

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Get More From Your Tripwith easy-to-fi nd phrases for every travel situation

Basics Practical Social Food Safe Travel

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Costa RicanSpanish

PHRASEBOOK & DICTIONARY

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AcknowledgmentsAssociate Publisher Mina PatriaManaging Editor Angela TinsonEditor Branislava VladisavljevicSeries Designer Mark AdamsManaging Layout Designer Chris GirdlerLayout Designer Frank DeimLanguage Writer Thomas KohnstammCover Image Researcher Naomi Parker

Thanks Ruth Cosgrove, Carol Jackson, Wayne Murphy

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 983

8th Edition – March 2012ISBN 978 1 74220 811 4Text © Lonely Planet 2012Cover Image xxx – xxxPrinted in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Contact lonelyplanet.com/contact

Published by Lonely Planet Publications Pty LtdABN 36 005 607 983

4th Edition – October 2013ISBN 978 1 74321 438 1Text © Lonely Planet 2013Cover Image Waterfall at Rara Avis, Costa RicaMichael & Pactricia Fogden / Getty ImagesPrinted in China 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Paper in this book is certifi ed against the Forest Stewardship Council™ standards. FSC™ promotes environmentally responsible, socially benefi cial and economically viable management of the world’s forests.

Although the authors and Lonely Planet try to make the in for ma tion as accurate as possible, we accept no responsibility for any loss, in ju ry or inconvenience sus tained by anyone us ing this book.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be re pro duced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, ex cept brief extracts for the purpose of review, without the written per mis sion of the publisher. Lonely Planet and the Lonely Planet logo are trade marks of Lone ly Planet and are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Offi ce and in other countries. Lonely Planet does not allow its name or logo to be appropriated by commercial establishments, such as retailers, restaurants or hotels. Please let us know of any misuses: www.lonelyplanet.com/ip


3

make the most of this phrasebook ...

Anyone can speak another language! It’s all about confidence. Don’t worry if you can’t remember your school language lessons or if you’ve never learnt a language before. Even if you learn the very basics (on the inside covers of this book), your travel experience will be the better for it. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain when the locals hear you making an effort.

finding things in this book For easy navigation, this book is in sections. The Basics chapters are the ones you’ll thumb through time and again. The Practical section covers basic travel situations like catching transport and finding a bed. The Social section gives you conversational phrases, pick-up lines, the ability to express opinions – so you can get to know people. Food has a section all of its own: gour-mets and vegetarians are covered and local dishes feature. Safe Travel equips you with health and police phrases, just in case. Remember the colours of each section and you’ll find every-thing easily; or use the comprehensive Index. Otherwise, check the two-way traveller’s Dictionary for the word you need.

being understoodThroughout this book you’ll see coloured phrases on each page. They’re phonetic guides to help you pronounce the language. You don’t even need to look at the language itself, but you’ll get used to the way we’ve represented particular sounds. The pronunciation chapter in Basics will explain more, but you can feel confident that if you read the coloured phrase slowly, you’ll be understood.

MA

KE

TH

E M

OS

T O

F T

HIS

PH

RA

SE

BO

OK


4

MA

KE

TH

E M

OS

T O

F T

HIS

PH

RA

SE

BO

OK

communication tipsBody language, ways of doing things, sense of humour – all have a role to play in every culture. ‘Local talk’ boxes show you common ways of saying things, or everyday language to drop into conversation. ‘Listen for …’ boxes supply the phrases you may hear. They start with the language (so local people can point out what they want to say to you) and then lead in to the pronunciation guide and the English translation.


5

introduction ..................................................8map ..................................................... 8 introduction ..................................... 9

practical ......................................................41transport ............................... 41

getting around ........................41tickets ..........................................42luggage ......................................44plane ...........................................45bus ...............................................45boat .............................................47taxi ...............................................48car & motorbike .......................50bicycle .........................................54

border c rossing ..................... 55border crossing .......................55at customs .................................56

directions .............................. 57accommodation .................... 59

finding accommodation ......59

booking ahead & checking in .............................60requests & queries ..................62complaints ................................63checking out.............................65camping .....................................66renting ........................................67staying with locals ..................67

shopping ............................... 69looking for .................................69making a purchase .................................69bargaining .................................71books & reading ......................72clothes ........................................73

pronunciation ...................... 11vowel sounds ...........................11consonant sounds ..................12word stress ................................13reading & writing ....................13

a–z p hrasebuilder ................. 15contents .....................................15adjectives & adverbs .............17articles ........................................18be..................................................19demonstratives .......................21gender ........................................22have .............................................22negatives ...................................23personal pronouns .................23plurals .........................................25possessives ...............................25prepositions..............................26questions ...................................27

requests .....................................28there is/are ................................28verbs ............................................28word order ................................29glossary ......................................30

language difficulties ............ 31numbers & amounts ............. 33

cardinal numbers....................33ordinal numbers .....................34fractions .....................................34useful amounts ........................34

time & dates .......................... 35telling the time ........................35the calendar ..............................36present .......................................37past ..............................................37future ..........................................38during the day .........................38

money .................................... 39

basics ...........................................................11

CO

NT

EN

TS


6

CO

NT

EN

TS

hairdressing ..............................73music ...........................................74photography ............................74repairs .........................................76

communications ................... 77the internet ...............................77mobile/cell phone ..................78phone..........................................79post office ..................................81

banking ................................. 83

sightseeing ............................ 85getting in ...................................86tours ............................................87

business ................................. 89senior & disabled travellers ............................. 91children ................................. 93

travelling with children ........93talking with children .............95talking about children ..........96

social ...........................................................97meeting people..................... 97

basics...........................................97greetings & goodbyes ..........97addressing people .................99making conversation ......... 100nationalities ........................... 103age ............................................ 103occupations & studies ........ 104family ....................................... 105farewells .................................. 106

interests ...............................107common interests ............... 107music ........................................ 108cinema & theatre ................. 109

feelings & opinions .............113feelings .................................... 113opinions .................................. 114politics & social issues ........ 115the environment .................. 118

going out .............................119where to go ........................... 119invitations............................... 121responding to invitations .....122arranging to meet ............... 122drugs ........................................ 124

romance...............................125asking someone out ........... 125

pick-up lines .......................... 126rejections ................................ 126getting closer ........................ 127sex ............................................. 128love ........................................... 129problems ................................ 130leaving ..................................... 130

beliefs & cultural differences ........................131

religion .................................... 131cultural differences ............. 132

art .......................................133sport ....................................135

sporting interests ................ 135going to a game ................... 136playing sport ......................... 137diving ....................................... 139extreme sports...................... 141football/soccer ..................... 141surfing ...................................... 142water sports ........................... 144

outdoors ..............................145hiking ....................................... 145beach ....................................... 147weather ................................... 148ecotourism ............................. 149wildlife & habitat .................. 150


7

CO

NT

EN

TS

food ...........................................................153eating out ............................153

basics........................................ 153finding a place to eat ......... 154at the restaurant .................. 155at the table ............................. 157talking food ........................... 158methods of preparation .... 160nonalcoholic drinks ............ 160alcoholic drinks .................... 162in the bar ................................ 163

drinking up ............................ 164self-catering ........................165

buying food ........................... 165cooking utensils ................... 167

vegetarian & special meals ....................169

ordering food ........................ 169special diets & allergies ..... 170

menu dec oder .....................171

safe travel..................................................179essentials .............................179

emergencies .......................... 179police ....................................... 180

health...................................183doctor ...................................... 183symptoms & conditions .... 186

women’s health .................... 189allergies ................................... 190alternative treatments ....... 191parts of the body ................. 192pharmacist ............................. 193dentist ...................................... 194

dictionaries ...............................................195english–costa rican spanish dictionary ............................ 195

costa rican spanish–english dictionary ............................ 225

index .........................................................247

finder .........................................................253


8

costa rican spanish

INT

RO

DU

CT

ION

Isla

del

Coco

Isla

del

Caño

San

José

Liber

ia

Tam

arin

do

Puer

to Li

món

Puer

to V

iejo

de Ta

lam

anca

Carta

go

Ciud

adCo

rtés

Here

dia

Punt

aren

as

Mon

tezu

ma

Alaj

uela

Golfo

de

Papa

gayo

Golfo

de

Nico

ya

Bahí

aD

rake

Golfo

Dul

ce

Lago

de

Nic

arag

ua

Lagu

nade

Are

nal

CA

RIB

BE

AN

SE

A

PA

CIF

ICO

CE

AN

PAC

IFIC

OC

EAN

Nica

ragu

a

Pana

ma

CO

ST

A

RI

CA

To Is

la d

el C

oco

(300

km, S

ee In

set)

60 k

m30

mi

0 0

4 km

0

Isla

del

Coc

o(U

ninh

abite

d)

official language

For more details, see the introduction.


intro

du

ction

9

Costa Rican Spanish lounges under the beach umbrella of Latin American Spanish – the term given to the many varieties of Spanish that have evolved in the Americas after the Span-ish conquests in the 16th century. The language that originally emerged as one of the branches of vulgar Latin successfully took root and spread in the New World and now has official status in 20 countries of Latin America.

Not only did the Spanish language successfully transplant itself, it also hybridised with the indigenous languages and be-came a colourful array of different varieties of Spanish. Among them, Costa Rican stands out as a unique linguistic entity with its own intriguing quirks of both grammar and vocabulary.

The main grammatical peculiarity is voseo vo·se·o – the use of vos (meaning ‘you’) as the second-person singular pronoun, which is considered an archaism in Spain. This is a feature that Costa Rican shares with varieties of Spanish found in other Latin American countries, particularly Argentina, Uruguay, Paraguay,

Guatemala, Honduras, Nica-ragua and El Salvador. In vocabulary, the abundance of diminutives formed by adding -tico ·tee·ko and -tica ·tee·ka to the ends of mascu-line and feminine words res-pectively – a cutesy way of saying ‘small’ or expressing affection – has earned Costa Ricans the nickname Ticos.

Perhaps what gives Costa Rican Spanish its most distinctive flavour is the rich store of slang expres-sions commonly known as tiquismos tee·kees·mos.

at a glance …

language name: Costa Rican Spanish

name in language: español (costarricense) es·pa·nyol (kos·ta·ree·sen·se), castellano kas·te·ya·no

language family: Romanceapproximate number of speakers: over 3 millionclose relatives:

Castilian Spanish, Latin American Spanish, Italian, French, Portuguese

INTRODUCTIONintroducción


10

intr

od

uct

ion

This phrasebook contains many of these unique turns of phrase to get you talking like a Tico or a Tica and blending in with the crowd. Take it with you and you’ll learn exactly why the expression pura vida poo·ra vee·da embodies the friendly, unhurried approach to life in Costa Rica. You’ll also learn a lot about other key elements of Costa Rican culture expressed in the language.

Though it’s a distinct variety of Spanish, Costa Rican does share many similarities with its Latin American siblings which set it apart from the mother language, Castilian Spanish. Costa Rican was influenced by the southern Spanish dialect of An-dalucia, from where the first Spanish conquistadors sailed to the New World. The most noticeable trait that sets Costa Rican pronunciation apart from Castilian Spanish is common for the entire continent – seseo se·se·o, or the absence of the lisping consonants c and z, as in cerveza ser·ve·sa (beer).

By learning some Costa Rican Spanish, you’re opening the door to a world of over 350 million speakers – and be reas-sured, while it’s a distinct variety with its own beautiful indivi-dualities, Costa Rican Spanish will be understood by speakers all over Latin America – and even in Spain.

This book gives you the practical phrases you need to get by, as well as the fun, social phrases that lead to a better un-derstanding of Costa Rica and its people. It will also ensure that you can pronounce them like a true Tico or Tica. To help you get the most out of your travels in beautiful Costa Rica with its many natural wonders, this phrasebook also provides you with an ecotourism section listing the names of flora, fauna and natural features in both Spanish and English.

The contacts you make through speaking Costa Rican Span-ish will make your travel experience unique. Local knowledge, new relationships and a sense of satisfaction are on the tip of your tongue – so don’t just stand there, say something!

abbreviations used in this booka adjective n nounadv adverb pl pluralf feminine pol politeinf informal sg singularm masculine v verb


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