Curious about Costa Rica language? Do you know which languages are spoken in Costa Rica? You may be surprised by the answer! Costa Rica’s official and predominantly-spoken language is Spanish. What you may not know is that there are indigenous languages still spoken today, as well as English dialects that were brought to Costa Rica by immigrants.
Maléku, Cabécar, Bribri, Guaymí, and Buglere are living local indigenous languages spoken by the descendants of the pre-Colombian people to this day. On the Caribbean Coast, you may hear an English-based creole language called Mekatelyu or Patua spoken by the Afro-Caribbean population. In Monteverde, you may hear an older dialect of English that surged after the Quakers settled there in the 1950s.
Although Costa Rica’s official language is Spanish, it is very different from Spanish you will hear in Spain, Mexico and South America for example. Costa Rican Spanish forms part of Central American Spanish, and has its own set of vocabulary words that may sound foreign even to a native Spanish speaker. This local dialect, known as “pachuco”, is also known as Costa Rican Spanish slang.
We have created a list of typical Tico words and phrases with their English counterparts in order to get you prepared for Costa Rica. Remember, the more Spanish you learn, and especially the local words, the more friends you will make. Let’s start with a Costa Rica Language Tico Spanish lesson:
We have also included a list of essential Spanish words and phrases that will be of a great assistance while you are in Costa Rica
We hope you find this tips about Costa Rica Language useful.
More questions about Costa Rica? Here is a list of common frequently-asked questions that can help you:
What does Costa Rica Pura Vida mean?
What is the currency in Costa Rica?
What Time Is It In Costa Rica?
Where is Costa Rica?
What is the capital of Costa Rica?
How many volcanoes are there in Costa Rica?
What is the Costa Rica climate like?
Where are Costa Rica’s airports?
What to do in Costa Rica?
What are the best beaches in Costa Rica?