meliss35

I thought I had a spanish english dictionary in my house. I don't have one. Is it recommended to have one for Costa Rica? I am going to San Jose, Tortuguero, Arenal, Monteverde, Playa Hermosa and Manuel Antonio.

Suzie2

I am sure you will find plenty of people in those areas who speak english.
How are you traveling? If you are driving, it would be a good idea to have one should you have a problem.

suze

I bring one along because I'm always trying to pick up more Spanish each trip, not so much that I use it for getting around.

cactushugger

I have used a Berlitz "Latin American Spanish" phrase book in both Mexico and Costa Rica. Armed with that, and a friendly smile, you'll have no problems. Try to learn some key phrases before you go.
A suggestion from experience...take two. You'll be lost if you lose your only copy. They're small and reasonably priced.

suze

I think that a phrase book is more practical than an actual dictionary.

meliss35

I bought the Berlitz Spanish English phrase book today. Do you think I should return it and get the Berlitz Latin American Spanish phrase book?

Jean_Valjean

Here are some useful phrases:

Web us come ham on
(huevos con jamón / Eggs and ham)

Web us come toss see no
(huevos con tocino / Eggs and bacon)

Web us tea be us
(huevos tibios / soft boiled eggs)

Web us come shore is so
(huevos con chorizo / Eggs and sausage)

Web be toes come free hall lit toes
(huevitos con frijolitos / Eggs and beans)

Does stack kit toes door add it toes the Paul Joe
(dos taquitos doraditos de pollo / two chicken tacos)

Does stack kit toes the car neat as
(dos taquitos de carnitas / two beef tacos)

Come chill leap toes hall up pen Joe's
(con chilitos jalapeños / with jalapenos)

Come chill lack kill less
(con chilaquiles)

E free hall lit toes
(y frijolitos)

Train us on six the shell as
(tráenos un six de chelas) chelas = beers

Kiss sea ram most does tea kill as
(quisiéramos dos tequilas / two tequilas)

See Gary toe?
(cigarrito? / cigarette?)

Much as grass see as
(muchas gracias / thanks!)

cmcfong

Larousse Spanish dictionary is a good one. I have two cheat sheets which I use to help me. They cost about $4. each and can be ordered on line at www.quickstudycharts.com One focuses on grammar, the other on vocabulary. I always think it is courteous to take the responsibility to use the language of the place visited rather than assuming people will speak English. Good luck and travel safely.

SharonNRayMc

Melissa35 - I would exchange the one you purchased for the "Latin American" version.

cmcfong - thank you for posting the link to those study-guide/cheat sheets! I tink I will order some to help me "brush up" before a trip.

I tend to pack a small dictionary and a small phrase book. On our recent trip to northern Peru, I never pulled them out... pity... I lost a good opportunity to stretch my working vocabulary.

Sharon

cmcfong

Sharon, the cheat sheets are laminated and slip very neatly in a back pack. I highly recommend them.

SharonNRayMc

cmcfong, I will be ordering a set... What a fabulous tool: both for pre-trip study-up sessions and quick easy reference while traveling.

Sharon

Suzie2

Those cheat sheets sound great. I have the Larouse dictionary (way too big to carry) and the small Latin American phrase book. After years of trying to rely on those little books I just went ahead and took classes. The books helped a little and I could use them to ask questions but they didn't help much with the answers I got. My husband made me ask where the bano was-easy enough. Had no idea where they were telling me to go. Universal pointing language finally clued me in. Learning basic things like left, right, straight and some responses you might get for other things would be helpful.

Think of basic things you might want to ask for and make your own cheat sheet. Costa Rica is a great place to try out your spanish. They speak fairly clearly and many of them are trying to learn english and understand that you will make mistakes because they are making them too.

Jean, those are some interesting pronunciatons. I know things are pronounced differently in different countries. Which one are those for? Eggs in CR for instance would be more like who way bos.

sandyc

I was thinking the same thing about those pronunciations -- they're interesting!

Sandy

TC

Over the years of traveling in Mexico, I've made my own "cheat sheets". Phrases that I am likely to need (those particular to our traveling situation or preferences), I write into the on-line translator and make the conversion. This way I don't have to hunt through a book for a phrase that is almost, but not quite, what I need to say. Keep the phrasing simple and these translators work pretty well.

http://babelfish.altavista.digital.com/babelfish/tr?

Suzie2

I use babelfish all the time! It is a great site. Easy to use. I have used it for more than one language. Wish I could take it with me.