We will be in C.R. next month. Neither my companion nor I speak Spanish. Will we have a problem using only English? Do you have any suggestions for us? We wouldn't want to offend anyone there.

Go out and buy the Lonely Planet Costa Rica phrase book. Very small book, it will get you through most situations. That said, most people in the touristed areas do speak some English. Do try and learn the basics, please, thanks, etc.

The Lonely Planet Costa Rica phrase book was great! We used it too. We speak some Spanish, but the book was very helpful too.

Hmmm.

Not sure what's up with the glowing recommendations of the LP Costa Rica Phrasebook, but I sure do *NOT* recommend it to anyone.

Spanish spoken in CR is essentially no different than that of any other latin country. The book makes no sense. It also devotes too much attention to sillyness like phrases that might be useful if you want to buy dope.

Any other spanish phrasebook, or even a basic dictionary, will serve you much better.

Have fun!
Mark

I agree that the LP phrasebook is silly and contains much that we as foreigners, in our right minds, should never use. The majority of expressions peculiar to Costa Rica just sound too odd coming out of a foreigner's mouth. Beyond the ever present "Pura vida!" here, I just stick with standard Spanish. Oh, also adopt the "Con mucho gusto!" (With much pleasure). That's the Costa Rican way to say "You're welcome." It love it. It sounds so much more gracious than the standard Spanish "De nada" (It's nothing).

Everyone will understand standard Spanish, so any phrasebook will serve you well, as TioGringo says, and will be useful for a future trip to another Spanish-speaking country.

Jeff, I, too, love the phrase "con mucho gusto"--yes, more gracious is a good description!

As for Lonely Planet, I would agree with you that much of it isn't useful. However, that little book gave me a start in learning Spanish--it had some conjugations that were helpful to me. I studied those, had a little success (the Ticos are such an encouraging and patient people!), and was inspired to go on to study on my own (and in language school). I quit referring to that little phrase book a long time ago, but it was useful to me in many ways (no, I did not use some of the eye-brow raising phrases!)

And you're right--any other basic phrasebook would work as well, or better. But I'm still fond of my little turquoise LP book for the memories I have of those first 2 or 3 trips to CR!