Cabeza de chorlito – scatterbrained
Echar los perros – to arrest someone
Estar papudo – to have a lot of money
Faja de tiros – your set of teeth
Guada – short for the town of Guadalupe
Con la peluca parada – upset or angry
Hacerse el ruso – to play dumb
Oijotos – anyone who works for the O.I.J. which is a criminal investigative police unit
Pepinos – literally means cucumbers but is used to refer to a score or goal in soccer.
Recetador – a type of drug dealer. Literally means a “prescriber.”
Ruletear – refers to taxi drivers when they are cruising the streets looking for customers
Sapear – to tell or squeal on someone.
Soltar el perro – is to pay someone the money you owe them. Amarrar el pedro is not to pay them.
Soplar velas – to have a birthday. Literally means to blow out the candles.
Tener espuela – to have a lot of experience. Espuela is a “spur.”
Tener la hablada de sádico – to be a good talker.

Tiquismo (Costa Rican expressions) of the week –
Más tico que la olla de carne – means that a person or thing is one-hundred percent Costa Rica. La olla de carne is a typical Costa Rica dish. We also say “Más tico que el gallo pinto.” Another one is “Más tico que pedir fiado.” This refers to the common practice of asking to buy something on credit.
Sacar el arsenal – to pull out all of the stops or use all of one’s weapons. Used in soccer when a team will use all of its tactics to win.