Spanish word

tico

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈtiko/

Meaning

  • masculine nounCosta Rican

Example

Soy tico.

I am Costa Rican.

Illustration for tico (Costa Rican)

More examples

Conocí a un tico en la feria.

I met a Costa Rican at the fair.

Core concept

Colloquial label for Costa Rican people and local things.

Common phrases

  • el tico

    the Costa Rican

  • un tico

    a Costa Rican

Similar words

costarricense: Formal demonym for a Costa Rican person, used in official documents and polite contexts.
costarriqueño: Regional demonym form used to name people from Costa Rica in certain varieties of Spanish.

Definition in Spanish

Gentilicio coloquial de quienes son de Costa Rica; también usado en referencias informales a lo propio del país.

Word origin

The word comes from the suffix -tico used in Costa Rica to form affectionate adjectives and nicknames, and it is now generalized to refer to natives and national things.

Usage tips

  • Frequently used as an informal adjective after the noun (for example, comida tica) and avoided in formal contexts where costarricense is preferred.

Opposites

Word lists with this word