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COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

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Maeology

Where does ‘brete’ come from?

Labor Day in the United States is as good an excuse as any to revisit the fascinating origins of "brete."

Why learning another language keeps us young

I giggle and gasp as I discover these misunderstandings, or when I hear phrases that are normal to Spanish speakers but sound funny to me. Life would be less interesting without them.

A room of our own: Costa Rican choteo and Virginia Woolf

Choteo, verbal play to take someone down a peg, has a central role in Costa Rican culture and language. It also presents a challenge to those trying to break new ground.

Costa Rica is for lovers: the affectionate language of daily life

In this Valentine's Day-inspired return of the "Maeology" column, Katherine Stanley Obando explores Costa Rican terms for love.

Help The Tico Times celebrate Valentine’s Day by sharing your story

The Tico Times is on the lookout for Costa Rican love stories; share yours and be entered in a raffle for our latest book.

La nave: the joys and mysteries of San José buses

Costa Ricans, looking down the street to see their bus approaching, might say, “Allí viene la nave” – “there comes my boat.” The first time I heard my husband say this, years ago, I was charmed, and I have thought of the city’s buses that way ever since.
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