The Pura Vida Lifestyle
Pura Vida! (pronounced; poo-rah-vee-dah) means literally: Pure Life. Over time this phrase has come to mean something more and is used often by "Ticos" (nickname for Costa Ricans). Here are a few examples (in English) of how this phrase is used:
Good morning. How are you? Reply: Pura Vida (fine, good, great, content)
Hows the job coming along? Reply: Pura Vida (good, fine, no problem)
Can you please do this for me? Reply: Pura Vida (sure, OK)
The phrase "Pura Vida" has also come to signify the way of life of the typical Costa Rican. A Pura Vida lifestyle is worry-free. Ticos are less concerned about a life of luxury than they are about a life of few concerns. They prefer to have a relaxed outlook on life and enjoy it as much as they can.
Here are a few common words and phrases used in Costa Rica. Beside each word or phrase is an example of how it should be pronounced.
| Basic Spanish Vocabulary | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spanish | English | Pronunciation Guide |
| Buenos dias | good morning | bwen-noss-dee-us |
| Buenas tardes | good afternoon | bwen-us-tard-es |
| Buenas noches | good evening | bwen-us-no-chess |
| Como le va? | Hows it going? | co-mo-lay-vah |
| Bien gracias | Good, thank you | bee-en grah-see-ahs |
| Gracias | Thank you | grah-see-ahs |
| Donde está... | Where is | don-day-es-tah |
| ...el baño | The bathroom | ell-ban-yo |
| ...el aeropuerto | The airport | ell-ay-row-pwair-toe |
| ...el restaurante | The restaurant | ell-res-tow-ron-tay |
| How much does it cost? | Cuanto cuesta? | kwan-toe-quest-ah |
| Please | Por favor | pour-fav-oar |
| Speak more slowly | Habla mas despacio | ah-blah-mas-des-pah-see-oh |
| Can you help me? | Puede ayudarme? | pweh-de-ah-you-dar-meh |
| Please use the meter | Por favor, utilize la maría | pour-fav-oar-oo-tea-lisa-la maria |
| Check please! | La cuenta por favor | lah-kwenta-pour-fav-oar |
| Chicken | Pollo | Poi-yo |
| Beef | Carne de res | car-neh-de-ress |
| Fish | Pescado | pess-cod-oh |
| Salad | Ensalada | en-sal-ah-dah |
| Vegetables | Vegetales | ve-he-tall-ess |
| French fries | Papas fritas | pa-pas-free-tahs |
| To drink? | Para tomar? | par-ah-toe-mar |
| Dessert | Postre | po-stray |
| Where can I park? | Donde puedo parquear? | don-day-pweh-doe-park-eh-are |
One nice thing about Spanish is it's consistency. It doesn't have as many of the strange pronunciations we find in English (such as "enough" and "though" - how does a foreigner know when the "gh" is silent?). In Spanish the pronunciation of each letter or combination of letters is almost always the same. When you memorize how the letters of the alphabet are pronounced you will quickly be able to read and pronounce written Spanish. This will help you build your vocabulary. Obviously, visiting a Spanish speaking country (especially one like Costa Rica where they speak beautiful Spanish) you will be able to immerse yourself in Spanish and pick up a lot of words and phrases during your visit. Ticos are very friendly and love to help people learn the language. The only problem you will have is Ticos all want to learn English and many will prefer to practice their English with you rather than speak Spanish.
The following table gives a few examples of how letters should be pronounced:
| Spanish Letter Pronunciation Guide | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spanish letter(s) | best English equivalent |
example English words with the sound |
| a | ah | alone |
| e | eh | edward |
| i | ee | machine |
| o | oh | occasion |
| u | ew | flute |
| ai, ay | eye | fly |
| ch | ch | chin |
| cu | koo | recoup |
| ge, gi | heh, he | hefty, heap |
| gui | gee | geek |
| h | - - | always silent |
| j | h | heavy |
| LL | ya | tortilla (tort-tee-ya) or yahoo |
| ñ | ny or ni | canyon or onion |
| que | keh | kelly |
| qui | kee | keel |
Recommendations and Helpful Links
Spanish Costa Rica - learn Spanish on the beach at Wayra Language Institute in Tamarindo
