Is there a better or safer country to study Spanish in the Americas than Costa Rica? We struggle to think of one.
Costa Rica is a country in Central America. In the north it borders Nicaragua and in the south Panama. To the west, there is the Pacific Ocean and to the east, the Caribbean Sea.
As a student in Costa Rica, you will have the chance to immerse yourself in a unique and vibrant culture that provides an ideal environment for fostering cultural understanding and working with the local community.
Languages Spoken in Costa Rica
Spanish is the main language in Costa Rica. All major newspapers and official business are conducted in Spanish. English is used widely in areas populated by international tourists, and information for tourists is often bilingual or exclusively in English. A number of businesses operated by European proprietors can accommodate guests in Spanish, English and their native languages.
Some Costa Rican expressions:
- Ma’e, used akin to the English word dude, although literally meaning something more like idiot. Generally spoken among friends. It’s pronounced ‘my’.
- Pura vida, literally translated as pure life, is an expression endemic to Costa Rica. It can be used in several contexts, as an expression of enthusiasm, agreement, or salutation. It’s pronounced ‘poora veeda’.
- Pulpería, a general store.
- Tuanis, means OK or cool. Taken from English phrase too nice.
A prevalent version of slang in Costa Rica, and other regions of Latin America, is called pachuco or pachuquismo, and is used by across social classes and understood as a friendly way of speaking.
The tu form is not commonly used in Costa Rica (or in Central America generally), yet they understand it and have no problem using it with gringos or others who may have learned it. Some people use the alternate informal vos but others consider it impolite and simply always use the usted form even with close friends. Vosotros is practically nonexistent.
Limónese Creole
As well as Costa Rican Spanish, there is also an English-based creole language spoken in Limón Province (Puerto Limón) on the Caribbean Sea coast of Costa Rica. It is called Limónese Creole (also called Limón Creole English or Mekatelyu) Limón Coastal Creole is similar to varieties such as Colón Creole, Mískito Coastal Creole, Belizean Kriol language, and San Andrés and Providencia Creole. The name Mekatelyu is a transliteration of the phrase make I tell you, or in standard English let me tell you.
Popular Places to Study in Costa Rica
Most language schools are located in the larger cities and tourism destinations like:
- San Jose
- Flamingo Beach
- Heredia
- Jaco Beach
- Manuel Antonio
- Monteverde
- Nicoya
- Nosara
- Puerto Viejo de Talamanca
- Samara
- Tamarindo
- Turrialba
Courses
Most schools offer several different Spanish language courses including:
Immersion Programs
Spanish language and culture immersion programs. Term programs are designed for semester or longer students.
Flexible Language Programs
Offer more flexibility to students regarding course start dates and duration.
Private Language Courses
Completely flexible, private lesson courses for students that need to focus on a specific aspect of the Spanish language.
Corporate Programs
Customizable programs for international corporations and organizations operating in Costa Rica.
Online Spanish Programs
Online courses that enable students to learn Spanish from Native speakers from home.
Cultural Activities
In your free time you’ll get lots of free time to explore Costa Rica and integrating / learn more about the people and traditions. Here are some of the highlights.
Make Costa Rican Chocolate
What’s better than chocolate? How about creating your own Costa Rican blend of chocolates? As you explore the delicious origins of this world-famous bean, you’ll enjoy a backdrop of lush landscapes dotted with mango and cashew trees.
Football
Play with a local team at a nearby field, taking in the most popular sport of Latin America and getting to spend time with the youth of the Santa Cruz community at the same time!
Marimba Class
Learn from the experts, as a reknown local teacher and his prized pupil teach you the history and evolution of marimba music in Costa Rica, as well as the structure of the instrument and demonstrate some songs. You’ll also get to play it yourself, and participate in a duet or two!
Folklorical Dancing
Take a cultural dance lesson from a local Costa Rican dance choreographer renown for her lifelong dedication to the preservation of Guanacasteca culture! Don the traditional skirts, flower pins, handkerchiefs and cowboy hats as you swish and swirl on stage at the town center’s culture stage.
Cook Costa Rican Cuisine
At weekly cooking classes, prepare mouth-watering Costa Rican recipes alongside our amazing CCS cooks. With your new Spanish vocab and a tasty plate of homemade gallo pinto — traditional Costa Rican rice and black beans — you’ll have plenty to bond over.
Milk a Costa Rican Cow
Cattle ranching is the lifeblood of the Guanacaste province, and you’re likely to be stopped several times during your stay to allow ranchers to pass with their stock. Get hands on with “sabanero” culture when you visit a traditional ranch and milk your own cow. Creating yogurts, cheeses, and other milk products, these ranches offer so much more than scenes of grazing animals.
Take a Spin at a Potter’s Wheel
As you wander the markets of Costa Rica, you’ll be sure to see the unique Chorotega pottery of the Guanacaste province, passed down for centuries using ancient traditions and made by hand using clay pounded down by mortar and pestle. Meet with a local artisan and learn their secrets of this craft, and try your hand at your own masterpiece.
Explore the Folklore of Santa Cruz
An official city of folklore, and known for music and dance, Santa Cruz is brimming with culture and festivals. Explore this charming town and discover the customs and traditions of the people of the Guanacaste province.
Howl with the Monkeys
You’ll probably hear the Costa Rican howler monkey before you spot it’s long tail wrapped around a rain forest branch. Learn about the efforts to protect this species against threats of deforestation as you learn about what the forests of Costa Rica offer to a variety of species.
Sea Turtle Conservation
Help save the turtles on the beautiful Playa Matapalo. You’ll be doing vital work patrolling the beach to stop egg poachers, monitoring nests and collecting data. Best of all, you might get to see the baby turtles hatch and release them into the ocean – go little turtles, go!
Feedback & Reviews
“My experience was beyond my expectations. Beginning with the attention and response of the administration, through each day of class and finally with the excellent cultural program. My professor explained the structure of the language in a way which was easy to understand and we discussed on interesting social or political topic every day. I highly recommend it!” – Howard Smith