Learn Spanish a little at a time. Howler has many lessons online for you to read, learn and practice. These are Useful nouns for you to put into practice.
alcagüete — a person who tolerates more than he or she should, like a pushover; or someone who keeps secrets for other people
atajo — shortcut
cabro/cabra — “male goat/female goat,” meaning boyfriend or girlfriend
cacharpa — an old vehicle in terrible condition
chorizo — “sausage,” meaning a bribe
chusma — rabble, riffraff or criminal element. “En ese barrio hay pura chusma” — “That neighborhood is full of shady people.”
guachimán — “watchman,” security guard, also known as a “guarda” or a “guardia”
jama — food (the verb jamar means to eat)
jamón — literally “ham,” used to mean “easy.” “Estuvo jamón el exámen” — “The test was easy.”
leche/lechero — “milk,” “milkman,” someone with a lot of luck
mordida — “a bite,” meaning a bribe
nerdo — nerd
paño — towel. (Often toalla in other countries, though toalla is more commonly used in Costa Rica to mean a kitchen dish towel, a feminine sanitary napkin or a moist towelette used to clean babies.)
peso — the basic unit of currency in several countries, and also used colloquially of the colón in Costa Rica
sabelotodo — a know-it-all
suampo — swamp
vaina, vara — thing, object, issue, nonsense, excuse, problem
zaguate — a mixed-breed dog, a mutt
zancudo — mosquito
