Costa Rican Word/Common Spanish Alternative/Translation
abanico/ ventilador/ fan (box or ceiling)
enojado/ enfadado (Spain)/ angry
birra/ cerveza/ beer
boñiga/ estiércol/ manure
bomba/ gasolinera/ gas station
cabecera/ almohada/ pillow
calzones (not the food)/ ropa interior/ underwear (bottoms)
carro/ coche, auto/ car
faja/ cinturón/ belt (clothing)
largo/ lejos/ far, far away
macho/ rubio/ blond
zancudo/ mosquito/ mosquito
olores/ especias/ spices
pajilla/ pajita/ drinking straw
queque/ torta, pastel/ cake
rabo/ cola/ tail of an animal
tiquete/ boleto/ ticket
Water in Costa Rica
Agua, one of Costa Rica’s most valuable assets, comes in many forms. Water falls from the sky, mixes with clay, springs from the ground, and falls from cliffs. Here is some of the most useful Costa Rican terminology related to water:
Rain
llovizna – drizzle or sprinkle
pel de gato – very light rain
aguacero – torrential downpour
baldazo – literally a big bucket (a storm that’s raining buckets)
Mud
barro – mud
tierra – soil, earth
arcilla – clay
Natural spring
naciente (f) – natural spring (a word that appears to be almost exclusive to Costa Rica)
manantial (m) – natural spring
Waterfall
catarata – waterfall (cascada is rarely used)
Well
pozo – well
poza – deep swimming hole in a river
bomba – water pump for a well (among many other things, if you care to click on the link)
Others
aguado – watery, dilute
echar agua – conceding position to an opponent to give the impression of weakness, sandbagging
aguadulce – popular drink made of hot water and brown sugar
aguachinarse – to lose one’s crops due to excessive rain, to contract a fungal infection from excessive wetness
agua potable – potable water
acueducto – aqueduct, potable water project
agua del tubo – tap water (agua de la llave is more common in South America)
From – http://costaricaspanish.blogspot.com/
