Some common phrases...You would listen to!!
In Costa Rica, as in many other countries, we have our own words or phrases. They identify us when we are talking. One of the more famous among them is “Pura Vida” (“Pure Life”) that means that I am doing so fine or that everything is very well in my life. It is very common when the people meet for the first time or are greeting each other.
For example, we call the gas stations “Bombas” (it would be literally translated from Spanish into English as “Bombs”). Another one is to call somebody “Bombeta” that means that this person is in everything or participating in everything, it is heard everywhere, it is a sarcastic and funny term.
It is very common to hear “voy a alistarme” (“I am going to get ready”) that means that I am getting ready to go out of home, or getting ready to go to a specific place.
Another very heard term is “estoy de cabanga” (“I am feeling blue”) that means that I am sad or suffering nostalgia. And of course, the word “chinear” (“pamper”) cannot be missing. This means to treat kindly somebody or a group of people. This word is very used in our country for the tourists or visitors from other countries in different places. If we say “Vamos a chinearte” (“We are going to pamper you”) it means that we are going to assist you in the best possible manner!
In addition, at nightfall, or better said, when daylight is over, the most common way to greet is saying “Buenas noches, ¿cómo está?” (“Good evening, how are you?”).
Photo by: Blog Life and Travel /Cahuita-Limón