SODA (so-ða) Nope, not a soda pop, but this word is certainly linked to things so many of us love and crave for, that is, food and (most of the time non-alcoholic) drinks … If you are a national, a visitor, or a resident and have done some
MAE (mai) In Costa Rica, unlike the U.S., Canada, for instance, “Mae” is certainly not a woman’s name. Now, granted, there may be some women living in, or visiting Costa Rica, whose birthname is Mae. Yet, that would be a rare case in the usage of this
OCUPAR (o-ku-paɾ) From the Latin occupāre. So, you may be thinking this Spanish word slightly resembles the English word “occupy,” right? Like in “to occupy a territory” (as an infinitive) or “the restroom is occupied” (as an adjective). And, as a matter of fact, “occupy” is an accurate translation
We interviewed Irina Just one of our friends and member of the expat community in Costa Rica. During the interview, she told us about her desire to create a trust for her father Wilhelm Loth’s art who was a renowned artist in Germany. She is
CHIQUITO/CHIQUITA (tʃi-ki-to/tʃi-ki-ta) “Chiquito” and “chiquita” are, respectively, the male and female diminutive forms of “chico/chica”. If you look up these two words in a Spanish dictionary, you will notice that “chiquito/chiquita” are adjectives used to describe one object/person or compare two or more objects or persons
Let’s talk about life in Costa Rica. In the last few weeks, it's possible that you might heard some important news pertaining to the COVID-19 situation in this small Latin American country, however, if you have not, let me break the internet for you. On March
It is well known that we are all facing difficulties as a result of the COVID-19 crisis. These are complicated times which have forced governments around the world to make harsh decisions in an effort to contain the spread of the virus. Speaking specifically about Costa Rica, the
¿ME REGALA? (me ɾe-ga-la): According to the Diccionario de la Lengua Española (Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy), the verb regala” means “to give someone something without receiving anything in return.” The verb regalar is closely linked in meaning to the word regalo which means “present” or
Many foreign nationals visit Costa Rica to enjoy its natural beauties such as its volcanoes, mountains, rivers, beaches, and the varied wildlife. It is a peaceful country full of many opportunities. Many of Costa Rica’s visitors end up living in here and building a new
PULPERIA (pool-peh-ree-ah) Pulperías are typical grocery stores commonly found in many Latin American countries, namely: Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Venezuela. They date back to as far as the XVI century in South America and many struggle to