Costa Rican words - Part 1 of 2

So some of these aren't necessarily specific to Costa Rica, but are used frequently.

Anyway, I wanted to do a post on words that you will probably hear if/when you visit Costa Rica.

These are the words that I have heard a good bit:
pura vida - literally translated to mean "pure life," this popular phrase symbolizes a way of living, a lifestyle of simplicity and happiness

mae - used to mean "dude" between friends, or just to refer to a person

tico/tica - Costa Rican man/woman

tuanis - said to mean "too nice," this phrase means cool

que dicha - means "thank goodness" or something like "good for you"

mucho gusto - "with much pleasure," this usually takes the place of the common "de nada" or "you're welcome"

chante - home, place

chunche - thing

pulperia - small corner store; seem to be everywhere

soda - small family-run restaurant with typical food that is delicious and inexpensive


Others that are included in words you may hear a lot:
-100 (cien) metros - "one block"
-aguevado - bored or boring (synonym of bostezo)
-apuntarse - to sign up (for something, like a tour)
-bostezo - bored or boring (a synonym of aguevado)
-brete - work or job
-como amanecio? (coh-moh ah-mahn-es-ee-oh): how are you this morning?
-dolor de jupa - a headache
-estar de chicha - to be angry
-estar de goma - to have a hangover
-fijate/fijese - Another phrase with no exact translation, this is best thought of as an interjection, approximately meaning "would you believe it?"
-guila - Despite its meaning in Mexico, a guila in Costa Rica is merely a "girl."
-la jama - food
-jamar - to eat
-la choza - home
-que mala nota! - what a bad person!
-macha - a blond female, usually a foreigner
-no entender ni papa - to not understand a word
-no joda!/no jodás! - don't bother me! / leave me alone!
-ojo! - watch out!
-que m'iche? - what's up? / what do you have to tell me?
-salado - unlucky
-soque! - hurry up!
-una teja - Una teja is 100 of anything, usually money (100 colones). If someone is giving you directions, however, una teja refers to "100 meters," or one block.
-tome chichi! - Though this phrase has no direct translation, it's essentially a teasing form of "take that!"
-va jalando! - get out of here! / go away!
-la vara - the thing
-vieras que/viera que - Another Costa Rican idiom with no direct translation, "vieras que/viera que" means "sure", in the sense of "I sure was surprised by his apology!" ("Vieras que sorprendida me dejo su disculpa!")



Sources:
http://www.costarica.com/about-costa-rica/useful-information/costa-rican-slang-and-idioms/