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Home > Costa Rica > Destination Costa Rica > Pachuco Spanish

Pachuco Spanish

Slang Term

Literal

Pachuco

Pura vida — This translated literally is "Pure Life". Its meaning is "great" or "fantastic". Pura Vida is used in a number of different contexts but the main one is in answer to the How question. For example: "How are you?" "How is everything?" or "Did you have a good time?" — No translation
Tuanis — "cool". This is also used in response to the "How?" question and is mostly used by young people. — No translation
Chorizo — "Spicy Sausage" — "criminal" or "crook". This is used to describe people who take bribes or kickbacks, usually in politics
La faja de tiros — "The ammunition belt". — "the teeth"
El salveque — "the backpack". — "the belly"
La torre — "the tower". — "the head"
El tapis — No translation. — "the booze"
Un Iance —   "spear". — "a hot date"
La cabra — "nanny goat". — "girtfriend"
La cruz — "the cross". — "shirt"
Un bostezo — "a yawn". — "bore" or "drag out"
Un Palmito — "palm heart". — "High Roller"
La jama — from jamar, "to eat". — "the food"
Una tanda — No translation. — "binge"
Un Arrastrado/a — "Dragged". — "a person who begs love from someone who doesn't care"
El chante — No translation. — "the house" or "home"
Dar pelota a — "give the ball to" — "pay attention"
Espantarse — "be scared". — "to leave" or "clear out"
Montarse — "ride". — "take advantage of"
Ponerse Ia candela — "put on the candle". — "be able"
La gaveta — "the drawer". — "the mouth"
Los prestinos — "large flat pastries" — "the ears"
Los huevos — "the eggs" — "the testicles"
Una fria — "a cold one" — "a beer"
Una guicha — No translation — "a sucker"
El chivo — "goat kid" — "a kept man"
El caballo — "horse" — "pants"
Una teja — "a roof tile" — "a c100 bill"
Un chavalo / a — "a youth" — "a guy" or "a girl"
La leva — "anchor, trick, frock coat" — "a sweater"
Tandero — No translation — "person who binges"
Levanta a leva — "raise anchor" — "leave" or "split"
Copar — No translation — "go out"
Apuntarse — "write down" — "go along"
Ruliar — No translation — "sleep"
Ponerse las pilas — "put in batteries" — "look alive"
Enjachar — No translation — "to stare at"
Voy a meterme en Ia guata — "I'm going to put myself in the..." — "I’m going to the bathroom"
Pele el ojo — "Peel your eye" — "watch out!"
Ya Ia vio — "already you saw it" — "you got it" or "understood"
Como esta ci arroz? — "How's your rice?" — "what's going on?"
Porta a mi — No translation — "not important" or "I don't give a damn"
Tengala adentro — "Keep it inside" — "take it easy" or "play it cool"
Ne seas mio — "don't be mine" — "you're up to something"
Que es el vigio — Literal translation is "What is the ___" — "mind your own business"
Que achante or Que tigra — No translation — "what a drag"
Se va en todas — Literal translation is "He/she goes in all of them" — "he/she gets around"
Que hueso — Literal translation is "What a bone!" — "it turned out badly"
Que cache — Literal translation is "how sloppy" — "how pretty"
Es un chingue — No translation. — "what a riot" or "what a hassle"
Que banazo — "what a bad bath" — "how shameful"
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