Someone who limps or walks with an irregular, unsteady gait, due to a twisted ankle, flat feet, or some other condition. In Mexico and Central America the word is used bluntly, sometimes just descriptive, sometimes with a mocking or affectionate edge depending on the relationship.

To work hard, to earn your living in Costa Rica. It's the Tico way of saying you're grinding, and when a Tico says they're breteando, don't bother them, they're in full productivity mode.

A stubborn person who will not budge or change their position no matter how much reasoning or evidence you throw at them. Used across Mexico and Central America as a synonym for hardheaded or pigheaded.

An exclamation used in Central America to shoo away animals, especially dogs. Saying "zuzo" to a dog is a command to get lost and stop being a nuisance.

A lot, loads, way too much. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua machín is the intensifier that turns any amount into an overwhelming quantity.

Defective, low quality, a dud that doesn't work as it should. In Costa Rica something malilla is broken, useless or just consistently disappointing.

Right away, immediately, without waiting. Used in Chile and Central America to signal that something is happening or will happen right now, no delays. The Central American and Chilean way of saying "on it" or "coming right up."

A Costa Rican corn tortilla made from fresh tender corn, similar in texture to a soft crepe or Venezuelan cachapa. A beloved national staple eaten at any time of day, typically with sour cream, fresh cheese, or butter.

A stray or mixed-breed dog with no pedigree. In Mexico and Central America the term is used in a neutral or even affectionate way to talk about mixed-breed dogs, with no negative connotation at all.

A dangerous or troublesome person, someone with a history of risky behavior that makes them best avoided. Used in Costa Rica, Panama, and Nicaragua to flag someone as bad news before you get involved with them.

The universal Costa Rican way to refer to anyone, like 'wey' in Mexico or 'loco' in Argentina. Ticos drop mae into every sentence, it's part of their identity.

To ruin something that was working fine, whether food that spoils, a plan that falls apart, or a relationship that gets damaged beyond easy repair. What gets "echado a perder" does not have a simple fix anymore. Used widely across Mexico and Central America.

Really funny, hilarious, something that genuinely makes you laugh out loud. In Costa Rica, when something is "curado" it means it is so comical you cannot help but crack up. Completely unrelated to the Chilean meaning of drunk.

Your crew, your squad, the tight group of friends you always hang out with. In Central America, parche refers specifically to the people themselves: the homies you go out with every weekend, the group that stays together from school through adulthood.

To joke around, tease, or not be serious. In Nicaragua and Costa Rica, 'te estoy chanceando' means 'I'm just messing with you', it's the phrase that softens an edgy comment and signals it was all in good fun.

A kid or child in Costa Rica. Be careful though, in Mexico 'güila' has a completely different and derogatory meaning referring to a promiscuous woman.

A neighborhood shop or general store in Costa Rica and Venezuela where you buy essentials and catch up on gossip. It's a lifelong community meeting point, more than a business, it's a social institution.

Finger-licking good, so delicious you keep licking your fingers after eating. The highest possible compliment you can give food in Mexico and Central America.

To wake up very early, before dawn or at the crack of day. In Mexico and Central America, madrugar is treated as a virtue: the one who rises early gets ahead. It also works figuratively to mean getting a head start on something or beating someone to the punch.

Something good, cool, awesome, or totally great in Costa Rica. It's THE Costa Rican expression of total approval, reflecting that pura vida attitude, relaxed and always positive about life.

A sweatshirt, hoodie, or jacket: the outer layer you grab before heading out. In Central America, "chompa" covers everything from a light pullover to a proper warm jacket. The word comes from the English "jumper," adapted phonetically into Central American Spanish.

To catch, grab, or arrest someone who was escaping or doing something wrong. In Costa Rica, Nicaragua, and Panama, getting trincado means getting caught red-handed with no way to deny it.

A difficult situation, tight spot, or problem that's hard to get out of. In Costa Rica, being 'en una calilla' means you're stuck, no money on a Friday, forgot your passport at the airport, locked out of your own house. Minor catastrophes with major inconvenience.

To treat, to pick up the tab, to pay for someone else. In Mexico and Central America when someone dispara they're being generous, dinner, drinks, the whole thing is on them.

Someone who is annoying and difficult to deal with, whose attitude wears everyone around them out. In Mexico and Central America, a pesado tends to complain too much, exaggerate, or create tension in any environment without even trying.

In Nicaragua and Costa Rica, something or someone that's cool, good, or awesome, a Central American way of saying something is top-notch.

Tripe soup made from beef or pork intestines, a staple across Central America and the undisputed go-to hangover cure. After a rough night, mondongo is what people swear by to get back on their feet. Grandmothers across Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama make it with the confidence of someone who knows it works.

A fan of Liga Deportiva Alajuelense, Costa Rica's red-and-white football club. Being a "manudo" is an identity that passes from generation to generation in many Costa Rican households. The Alajuelense-Saprissa rivalry is one of the most passionate in Central American football.

Red kidney beans cooked in broth, the cornerstone of the Central American diet. In Costa Rica and Nicaragua, frijol colorado is the essential side dish for any proper meal. Breakfast without it simply does not count.

A thousand-colón bill in Costa Rica, named for the red color that once distinguished it. "Un rojo" means 1,000 colones, "cinco rojos" means 5,000. Even after redesigns changed the actual color, the word stuck in everyday Tico speech for any informal transaction.