Customer Reviews

Official Guide to Costa Rican Spanish

5 star:		(18)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Christopher Howard has assembled the quickest and easiest way to learn the nuances of speaking Costa Rican Spanish like the native "Tico" speakers. His common sense approach to learning all the little things makes it a pleasure to practice speaking, and listening, as the locals do whenever I visit beautiful Costa Rica. I have more confidence in my communication ability now that I have this excellent book to guide me.

I spend most of my time in Costa Rica and part time in Nicaragua. When I came to came to this part of the world I virtually spoke no Spanish. I needed a quick injection of the language to get by. I did not have time to go to school. A friend recommended this book highly so I purchased. It has been so helpful. I can now get out of a lot of jams by using it. I even met the woman of my life by using some of the phrases in the book. The slang is also great.

I have little ability when it comes to learning a foreign language nor do I have time to take language courses. This book gave me the basics to survive in Costa Rica. Now I can at least communicate. It has extricated me from a lot of jams. This book is like an idiots guide to Spanish. Buy it!

The ideal take-along Spanish guide is very portable (i.e. fits in a standard purse), easy to use, and contains phrases lending to everyday issues. That's why destination-bound visits to Costa Rica will welcome GUIDE TO COSTA RICAN SPANISH: it's all of the above and more. The new edition comes from a Costa Rican citizen, not a U.S. teacher, though he does hold a foreign language background as a teacher - thus it includes a healthy dose of local slang and color new to even those with some rudiments of Spanish. From proverbs and sayings to a basic English/Spanish reference set, GUIDE TO COSTA RICAN SPANISH is a take-along 'must'.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

I spoke Spanish before coming to Costa Rica, but found the people in San Jose spoke with more slang and pachuco. Chris Howard's book helped me to communicate better and with more credibility. When I moved to the coast, the dialect was even more different. People considered me snobby when I spoke like I did originally. His information was even applicable in the countryside. I give this book as a gift to new clients and friends visiting Costa Rica.

I was fluent in Spanish before moving to Costa Rica, but without constant conversations with ticos, it was impossible to become fluent in Costa Rican slang & phrases. So I bought the Guide to Costa Rican Spanish and in my excitement, studied the entire book and internalized as many phrases as I could. When I arrived, I was surprised at how many CR-only phrases I actually understood! Who knew that "a chile" is the same as "en serio" or that "brete" is as commonly used as "trabajo"?? I did, thanks to this great phrase book.

Looking through the local stores, there are several books that claim to be Costa Rican Spanish guides. They're not. They are quick reviews & reminders of Central American/South American (instead of Spanish from Spain) dialects and will help you no more than the average guidebook. This phrase book is different.

A caveat: some of the phrases are outdated an no longer used (according to my friends), so I would recommend this more as a passive language learning tool -- wait until you hear one of these phrases instead of using them first. I got quite a few laughs when I used certain of these words, and while it was all in good fun, it can be a little embarrassing!

I wish I would have paid better attention to the reviews, hopefully you will. This book is at most useful in one or two spots. It has no explanations of grammar or usage, and mostly just lists words and phrases with little organization. There is no way to find a phrase on the spot, you just have to browse the whole book to find what you need. It also provides information that is useless. It actually has a list of words not to say to people. The author includes multiple ads throughout the book promoting his other books, which I seriously doubt are any good if this one is any indication. Its obvious to me that this book was made to advertise the authors other worthless writings. I paid ten dollars, but its not worth more than three or four at most. I won't even be taking it with me when I go.

-Sean

I moved to Costa Rica and use Christopher Howard's Guide to Costa Rica Spanish almost everyday. It is a work of linguistic art.
The reader who gave it a one star must be DELUSIONAL and see the world differently from others who have reviewed this useful language guidebook. First, the one-star reviewer complains about the book's dictionary. Since it is a pocket PHRASE book it is impossible to include a lengthy dictionary with every word in a traditional Spanish dictionary. This guide is for those who need everyday phrases and the reviewer shouldn't confuse it with a standard dictionary. .Second, the blank pages the reviewer complains about are used by the author so that new chapters start on a right-hand page as all books do in the publishing industry. Third, the reviewer admits to having had ONLY a couple of Spanish courses and is NOT qualified to evaluate a book by an author of of Mr. Howard's stature. Fourth, it seems like the reviewer is vindictive and has an agenda because of the use of such disparaging vocabulary as "Worthless" and "Pathetically." None of the other reviews state similar complaints, therefore the only one star review is too subjective. Fifth, the author is Costa Rican and should knows about correct pronunciation and the correct use of VOS. Sixth, reviewers shouldn't get confused. This guide is NOT just for travelers but for ALL for foreigners who settle in in Costa Rica. That's why it has so many local expressions and slang. Finally, the reviewer didn't find the book useful but ALL of the other people who posted reviews did. In short, I recommend this great book HIGHLY. I can see why it has been a BEST SELLER on Amazon for a couple of years.

I am a tica (Costa Rican). I am 100% bilingual because I lived in the States for 14 years. I have a lot of American friends in Costa Rica who are struggling with learning the Spanish language. Since I speak both languages I am always giving them tips and answering their questions. I discovered Christopher Howard's great book while browsing at 7th Street Bookstore in downtown San José, Costa Rica. It really impressed me because of the amount of local slang and useful phrases it contains. Some of the material is hilarious! I think this booklet is a great tool for English speakers living in Costa Rica and recommend it to anyone who wants to live here.

This little book is an excellent way to start learning Spanish for Costa Rica. I have had it for several weeks and try to absorb a little every day. The author has done an excellent job of content and presentation for the beginner. The only complaint I have is the small font which is difficult for a senior, but it is a pocket size book. I highly recommend this book.