A free guide to everyday Spanish · Nosara, Costa Rica
A little Spanish
for your stay.
Order breakfast, find your way and make a connection. You don’t need perfect Spanish. Start with a greeting, try a few words and keep this guide handy.
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Spanish first, English below, then a pronunciation hint. You can always point to the phrase.
01 / Pronunciation
Say it with confidence
The pronunciation hints are a starting point, not an exact accent. CAPITALS mark the strongest beat.
- a · ah, as in father
- e · eh, as in met
- i · ee, as in see
- o · oh, but short and steady
- u · oo, as in food
Keep vowels short and clear, including at the ends of words.
- h · silent: hola = OH-lah
- j · an English h is a useful starting point: José = hoh-SEH
- ñ · ny, as in canyon: mañana = mah-NYAH-nah
- ll / y · a y sound is a useful starting point: me llamo = meh YAH-moh
- c / z · c before e or i, and z, sound like s in Costa Rica
- b / v · sound alike in Spanish; a gentle b will get you started
02 / Hello & thank you
Hello & thank you
Hola. / Buenas.
Hello. / Hi.
OH-lah / BWEH-nahs
Buenos días.
Good morning.
BWEH-nohs DEE-ahs
Buenas tardes. / Buenas noches.
Good afternoon. / Good evening or good night.
BWEH-nahs TAHR-dehs / BWEH-nahs NOH-chehs
Por favor. / Gracias.
Please. / Thank you.
pohr fah-BOHR / GRAH-syahs
Con permiso. / Disculpe.
Excuse me (to pass). / Excuse me (to get attention).
kohn pehr-MEE-soh / dees-KOOL-peh
Me llamo… Mucho gusto.
My name is… Nice to meet you.
meh YAH-moh… MOO-choh GOOS-toh
¿Cómo está? Bien, gracias. ¿Y usted?
How are you? Fine, thank you. And you?
KOH-moh ehs-TAH / byehn GRAH-syahs / ee oos-TEHD
Hasta luego.
See you later.
AHS-tah LWEH-goh
03 / When you don’t understand
When you don’t understand
Hablo un poquito de español.
I speak a little Spanish.
AH-bloh oon poh-KEE-toh deh ehs-pah-NYOHL
No entiendo.
I don’t understand.
noh ehn-TYEHN-doh
Más despacio, por favor.
More slowly, please.
mahs dehs-PAH-syoh pohr fah-BOHR
¿Puede repetir, por favor?
Can you repeat that, please?
PWEH-deh reh-peh-TEER pohr fah-BOHR
¿Me lo puede escribir?
Can you write it down for me?
meh loh PWEH-deh ehs-kree-BEER
¿Qué significa…?
What does… mean?
keh seeg-nee-FEE-kah
¿Habla inglés?
Do you speak English?
AH-blah een-GLEHS
Quiero practicar mi español.
I want to practice my Spanish.
KYEH-roh prahk-tee-KAHR mee ehs-pah-NYOHL
04 / Cafés & restaurants
At a café or restaurant
Swap café for the food or drink you’d like.
Una mesa para dos, por favor.
A table for two, please.
OO-nah MEH-sah PAH-rah dohs pohr fah-BOHR
¿Me trae el menú, por favor?
Could you bring me the menu, please?
meh TRAH-eh ehl meh-NOO pohr fah-BOHR
¿Qué me recomienda?
What do you recommend?
keh meh reh-koh-MYEHN-dah
Para mí, un café, por favor.
For me, a coffee, please.
PAH-rah mee oon kah-FEH pohr fah-BOHR
Un vaso de agua, por favor.
A glass of water, please.
oon BAH-soh deh AH-gwah pohr fah-BOHR
Para aquí. / Para llevar.
To eat here. / To take away.
PAH-rah ah-KEE / PAH-rah yeh-BAHR
La cuenta, por favor.
The bill, please.
lah KWEHN-tah pohr fah-BOHR
¿El servicio está incluido?
Is the service charge included?
ehl sehr-BEE-syoh ehs-TAH een-KLOO-ee-doh
05 / Food needs & allergies
Food preferences & allergies
Sin carne, por favor.
Without meat, please.
seen KAHR-neh pohr fah-BOHR
¿Tiene opciones veganas?
Do you have vegan options?
TYEH-neh ohp-SYOH-nehs beh-GAH-nahs
Sin picante, por favor.
Not spicy, please.
seen pee-KAHN-teh pohr fah-BOHR
¿Esto tiene leche?
Does this contain milk?
EHS-toh TYEH-neh LEH-cheh
Tengo alergia al maní.
I’m allergic to peanuts.
TEHN-goh ah-LEHR-hyah ahl mah-NEE
Tengo una alergia grave.
I have a severe allergy.
TEHN-goh OO-nah ah-LEHR-hyah GRAH-beh
¿Puede confirmar con la cocina?
Can you check with the kitchen?
PWEH-deh kohn-feer-MAHR kohn lah koh-SEE-nah
- leche / huevo / pescado · milk / egg / fish
- mariscos / maní / trigo · shellfish / peanuts / wheat
06 / At your accommodation
At your accommodation
Tengo una reserva a nombre de…
I have a reservation under the name…
TEHN-goh OO-nah reh-SEHR-bah ah NOHM-breh deh
¿Cuál es la clave del wifi?
What’s the Wi-Fi password?
kwahl ehs lah KLAH-beh dehl WEE-fee
¿A qué hora es la salida?
What time is checkout?
ah keh OH-rah ehs lah sah-LEE-dah
¿Puedo dejar las maletas aquí?
Can I leave my bags here?
PWEH-doh deh-HAHR lahs mah-LEH-tahs ah-KEE
No funciona el aire acondicionado.
The air conditioning isn’t working.
noh foon-SYOH-nah ehl AH-ee-reh ah-kohn-dee-syoh-NAH-doh
No hay agua caliente.
There’s no hot water.
noh ahy AH-gwah kah-LYEHN-teh
Necesito una toalla, por favor.
I need a towel, please.
neh-seh-SEE-toh OO-nah toh-AH-yah pohr fah-BOHR
¿Me puede ayudar?
Can you help me?
meh PWEH-deh ah-yoo-DAHR
07 / Getting around
Getting around & heading out
¿Dónde queda…?
Where is…?
DOHN-deh KEH-dah
¿Cómo llego a la playa?
How do I get to the beach?
KOH-moh YEH-goh ah lah PLAH-yah
¿Se puede ir caminando?
Can you walk there?
seh PWEH-deh eer kah-mee-NAHN-doh
¿Cuánto cuesta ir a…?
How much does it cost to go to…?
KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah eer ah
¿A qué hora salimos?
What time do we leave?
ah keh OH-rah sah-LEE-mohs
¿Me puede enviar la ubicación?
Can you send me the location?
meh PWEH-deh ehn-BYAHR lah oo-bee-kah-SYOHN
¿Dónde está el baño?
Where’s the bathroom?
DOHN-deh ehs-TAH ehl BAH-nyoh
- a la derecha / a la izquierda · to the right / to the left
- todo recto / cerca / lejos · straight ahead / near / far
08 / Shopping & paying
Shopping & paying
¿Cuánto cuesta esto?
How much does this cost?
KWAHN-toh KWEHS-tah EHS-toh
¿El precio está en colones o dólares?
Is the price in colones or dollars?
ehl PREH-syoh ehs-TAH ehn koh-LOH-nehs oh DOH-lah-rehs
¿Puedo pagar con tarjeta?
Can I pay by card?
PWEH-doh pah-GAHR kohn tahr-HEH-tah
¿Tiene cambio?
Do you have change?
TYEH-neh KAHM-byoh
¿Cuánto es en total?
How much is it altogether?
KWAHN-toh ehs ehn toh-TAHL
¿Me da el recibo, por favor?
Can I have the receipt, please?
meh dah ehl reh-SEE-boh pohr fah-BOHR
Solo estoy viendo, gracias.
I’m just looking, thank you.
SOH-loh ehs-TOHY BYEHN-doh GRAH-syahs
No, gracias.
No, thank you.
noh GRAH-syahs
09 / Numbers
Numbers you’ll hear
Use these for people, quantities, times and room numbers.
- 0
- cero
- 1
- uno
- 2
- dos
- 3
- tres
- 4
- cuatro
- 5
- cinco
- 6
- seis
- 7
- siete
- 8
- ocho
- 9
- nueve
- 10
- diez
- 11
- once
- 12
- doce
- 13
- trece
- 14
- catorce
- 15
- quince
- 16
- dieciséis
- 17
- diecisiete
- 18
- dieciocho
- 19
- diecinueve
- 20
- veinte
30 treinta / 40 cuarenta
50 cincuenta / 60 sesenta
70 setenta / 80 ochenta
90 noventa / 100 cien
Back to sections ↑10 / Colones & prices
Hundreds, thousands & prices
₡ means Costa Rican colones. These are example amounts, not prices for particular goods or services.
- 100 = cien
- 200 = doscientos
- 300 = trescientos
- 400 = cuatrocientos
- 500 = quinientos
- 600 = seiscientos
- 700 = setecientos
- 800 = ochocientos
- 900 = novecientos
500 = quinientos (kee-NYEHN-tohs). 101 = ciento uno; 150 = ciento cincuenta.
mil
meel
mil quinientos
meel kee-NYEHN-tohs
dos mil
dohs meel
dos mil quinientos
dohs meel kee-NYEHN-tohs
cinco mil
SEEN-koh meel
siete mil quinientos
SYEH-teh meel kee-NYEHN-tohs
diez mil
dyehs meel
veinte mil
BAYN-teh meel
veinticinco mil
bayn-tee-SEEN-koh meel
cincuenta mil
seen-KWEHN-tah meel
11 / Asking for help
When you need help
In an emergency in Costa Rica, call 9-1-1.
¡Ayuda!
Help!
ah-YOO-dah
Llame al nueve uno uno, por favor.
Call 9-1-1, please.
YAH-meh ahl NWEH-beh OO-noh OO-noh pohr fah-BOHR
Necesito un médico.
I need a doctor.
neh-seh-SEE-toh oon MEH-dee-koh
Estoy en…
I’m at…
ehs-TOHY ehn
¿Dónde hay una farmacia?
Where is there a pharmacy?
DOHN-deh ahy OO-nah fahr-MAH-syah
12 / Useful during your stay
A few local essentials.
Find something to do, get to know the beach, and keep your accommodation details handy.
- Nosara Calendar
Discover local events, live music, markets, and classes. A chance to try your Spanish.
- Nosara Ocean Safety
Learn about beach flags, rip currents, and ocean safety. Ask about conditions before entering the water.
- Nosara 911 directory
Find more local medical, fire, and other help contacts. In an emergency, call 9-1-1.
Your stay · Su alojamiento
Keep the details you might need to show a driver or contact your host.
Accommodation: ___________________________________
Host contact: _____________________________________
Address / landmark: _________________________________
Save your host’s map pin on your phone before heading out.
Nosara Spanish Institute
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