www.CostaRicaTicas.com

El Ciego,

I think a good rule of thumb when learning Spanish is when in doubt, always use "usted".

My personal rule of thumb is to address anyone who is a friend, anyone who I intend on befriending, anyone under the age of 30 (with the exception of people in authoritative positions), or anyone I am irritated with as "tu". With some exceptions, everyone else I address as usted.

I have noticed the rapport part that you spoke of in the chicas in the DR/KL. Many of them will address me as usted until we have been speaking for 5 minutes or so and then will switch to the informal tu.

Something I like doing is listening to the chicas talk and trying to tell where they are from by their accent. I'll bet with your seeing disability and your fluency in Spanish that you are a pro at that. If you haven't noticed, listen to how the paisas from Medellín sing when they talk, kind of like Italians. That has to be about the sexiest sounding accent I have ever heard. Now if only they were good in the sack...

Sandinista, you are exactly right, and you worded what I was trying to say better than I.

I follow your rules of thumb exactly; I address people my own age or younger with the tu' form, when I'm in a social context and when the person is not either irritating me or is in a position of authority. For instance, I always address cops and store clerks with the usted form, the former because of authority, the latter because I am not befriending them. Works for me.

Yes, i noticed the Medellin singing accent, and I was like you, entranced by it. The women from Kali lack this accent.

A friend of mine, a tica non-pro began our relationship using the tu form immediately; either she sensed we were about to become friends, or she is well enough traveled to be more comfortable with the tu form. As I said, I find the tu form much easier to use anyway. This is because, essentially, soy muy simpatico y amable. Y perezowso, tambien...

This thread has wandered a bit from the original poster's intent. I found Spanish language to be absolutely essential for enjoyment of my trip to C.R., and I would suggest that if one doesn't speak castellano and cannot learn it, one should hook up with a wing-man who does. Fewer hassles and more fun will be had by all. I also found that the chicas really appreciated it when I made the effort to speak their language; as sex is about communication as much as meat and heat, and as I cannot count on gestures/eye contact/body language for cues, I found my Spanish to be the most useful thing I brought with me to C.R. even more than lube, extra condoms, performance enhancers and my toothbrush.

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

Okay, for the original poster of his thread, whose name sounds really weird when read aloud by my talking computer...

Tits = tetas (TAY-tahs)

breasts = pechos (PAY-chohs) or senos (SAY-nohs)

nipples = pezones (peh-ZOH-nehs)

semen = colloquially leche (LEH-cheh) "milk"

Balls = ??? I used "bolas" or "aguacates" (avocados, Mexican slang)

ass = culo (KOO-loh)

buns = nalgas (NAHL-gahs)

Rimming/"Asian" = besos negros (BEH-sohs NEH-grohs) "black kisses"
Also called salad tossing...

beer = cerveza, obviously, but the ticos also use "birra"

A nice thing to say:

"Me gustaria desayunar desnuda contigo"
= "I would like to have breakfast with you, naked."

Hueles rica/deliciosa = "You smell wonderful/delicious"

Quieres bailar? = You wanna dance?

Te molesto si fumo? = "Mind if I smoke?"

Okay, now I'm just rambling...but if any non-Spanish speaker would like to know a specific phrase or word, PM me; if I don't know the answer, I'll find out. Again, please check out the Paul Glassman page about costa Rican Spanish; it's useful, printable and free. And no, I'm not shilling for them; I just think it's a decent resource.

http://www.paulglassman.com/cr14.htm

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Pura Vulva! Wandering through the dark, I am El Ciego.

Sorry, don't want to kick the "tu" or "Usted" too death, but on my travels in Costa Rica, I was told by several non-working females that it was impolite to use the "tu." I have traveled a bit in Latin America and this was the first place I found the "ud" being used so much. Since the Ticas were just a bit younger then me, I thought it would be no problem using the "tu" but, I guess, because I understood enough of their language and got to know them pretty well, they felt ok correcting me.

It is actually easier, for me, if all you worry about is the "yo" and "ud - uds" forms of verbs anyway. I also made a point of staying with the 'Ud" with those I did not know.

After I got to know the Ticas better I often slipped into "tu" and they did from time to time, but more in phrases such as "te gusta" and such.

Anyway, enough of the grammer lesson. I stick with the "ud" there, and recommend anyone traveling in Costa Rica does the same.

Remember this well newbie.......

Nunca un cien

Never a $100


They all ask for it

NADA CEIN.

I will do that ( as long as I can remember to, that is). I am used to the MX, DomRep casual speak in the bars,MP's etc...but I only use that with those chicas. Note to self...Ud,ud,ud...

Pasame la conchita, por pavor.

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"Jizz Long and Prosper!"

Deme un beso negro, mi amor....

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I said hey baby, take a walk on the wild side.
Lou Reed

you a one sick individual! This should go well at the beginning of the interview!

Gray



Is Deme supposed to be give me? Or do you?

"deme" means "give me" or you can use "dame" means you give me

Thanks.

I think I've seen as many answers to the usted vs tu question as there have been times I've asked it. One thing this all highlights though is why it usually isn't a very good idea to rely on bar girls, who from usually come from the lowest rungs of the socio-economic ladder, as a model on how to speak proper Spanish in more mainstream business and social settings(unless you don't mind people knowing you learned your spanish in a brothel)

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It is cheaper to pay now and get it over with.
It is also easier to get them to leave.