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The use of slang in Tico Spanish is just as common as it is in any other language. Que chapa is one of those often used words in Tico slang. It would be helpful for you to understand why someone might call you a chapa. Or maybe when someone is a collector of chapas? What […]
by Ivo Henfling
The translation of huevo in English is egg, but manda huevo is something totally different. When you move to Costa Rica, you will want to communicate with your local neighbors. In their own language of course, not in yours. They speak Spanish. Spanish is a real easy language to learn, if you make an effort. […]
by Ivo Henfling
If you really want to go native when living in Costa Rica, you should learn the typical Tico slang or Tiquismo that is used by the locals. In other blogs, I have told you about Chunches, Upe and some others. Today’s turn is for “estar parado de uñas”. What is parado de uñas in Costa Rica? […]
by Ivo Henfling
Yeah, I know, I shouldn’t use bad language and I apologize for the French. But with a title like “why treating Ticos like shit”, I knew I would get your attention. And indeed treating Ticos like shit is not right. Why not? Well, everything you do when you live in Costa Rica, should be like any good […]
by Ivo HenflingEveryone in Costa Rica knows what upe is. Or uuuuupeeeeeee, when you yell it. If you don’t say upe loud enough, nobody will hear you and they won’t come to the door. Do you want to know what Upe in Costa Rica is? Alf Giebler, in his book “A lo Tico”, says that is means […]
by Ivo Henfling
The plan to move to Costa Rica is a winner for many. Most who start looking and homes for sale or for rent in Costa Rica will not get any further than dreaming of such a big step. Moving to another country is a much bigger step than most think it is, especially when it’s […]
by Ivo Henfling
If you were born and raised in a developed country, you are so used to go to the store and just buy a replacement for whatever is broken or defective. Ticos (someone born and raised in Costa Rica), no matter if they have money or not, are not used to just go to the store […]
by Ivo Henfling
Many of us now live with our phone in hand, all day long. Even a lot of us who live in Costa Rica. Some fanatics even do so at night. When you are retired, your phone stops being important to you, or it’s supposed to. Your desktop, or your laptop give you all the necessary connections to your family […]
by Ivo Henfling
Although I sometimes wish we could get rid of the local currency, the Colon, I must admit that they designed beautiful bills. Money is not something you usually look at for its beauty but for the value. In colones, it is easy to be a millionaire, the reason we use the US dollar for transactions […]
by Ivo Henfling
Let’s do something different today, let’s talk about reasons for NOT moving to Costa Rica. Thanks again to Marian, our real estate agent in Atenas, and her almost-famous tenant. This is the tenant who has done us a favor by writing a 7-page letter to his landlord. In this letter, he explained why he should […]
by Ivo Henfling