Costa Rican Spanish slang
Costa Ricans often call themselves ticos and ticas. Everyday speech is warm and informal with friends. Save the boldest slang for people you know; neutral Spanish still works everywhere.
Words and short phrases
- pura vida → all good, hi, thanks, take care (multipurpose; tone matters more than a literal translation)
- mae → dude, mate, buddy (very common among peers; short for maje)
- tico / tica → Costa Rican man / woman (nickname from loving diminutives like momentico)
- tuanis → cool, great, nice
- diay → well, so, hey (filler when you think or change topic; spelling varies)
- qué chiva → how cool, that's awesome
Example lines
Mae, eso estuvo tuanis. ¡Pura vida!
Dude, that was great. Nice one / all good!
Diay, qué chiva que vinieron.
Well, it's so cool you came.
Audio and practice
Tico Spanish is melodic and relaxed. Listen for how mae and pura vida show up in real chats, then imitate the pace, not just the words. Letters is a good place to lock in spelling once your ear knows the sound.
Letters helps you rehearse spelling and recall in short sessions.