Rata, Sapo, Gato: the Animal Words Costa Ricans Use for People

In Costa Rica, people are often described with animals. Someone who talks too much is a lora, a snitch is a sapo, and if a Tico calls you gato, he isn't saying you are clever: he means you have light-coloured eyes.

I'm José Cardoza, a Spanish teacher in Santa Teresa. These are thirteen animal words and six sayings you will hear here, what they mean, and which ones are an insult.

To describe someone

1. Gato, gata

A person with light-coloured eyes: green, yellow or blue. It is a description, not an insult — and it has nothing to do with being clever.

Example: Ese mae es gato: tiene los ojos verdes. — That guy has green eyes.

2. Toro

A very strong person.

Example: Ese mae es un toro: carga dos tablas de surf a la vez. — That guy is a bull: he carries two surfboards at once.

3. Pollo

Naive, innocent: someone who believes everything.

Example: Es muy pollo, se cree todo lo que le dicen. — He's so naive, he believes everything people tell him.

Teasing between friends

4. Lora

Literally “parrot”: someone who talks far too much.

Example: Mi vecina es una lora: habla todo el santo día. — My neighbour talks all day long.

5. Mula

Literally “mule”: very stubborn.

Example: No sea mula, póngase bloqueador. — Don't be stubborn, put on sunscreen.

6. Gallina

Literally “hen”: a coward.

Example: ¿No se va a tirar al agua? ¡Gallina! — You're not going in the water? Chicken!

7. Chancho

Literally “pig”: dirty or messy.

Example: Lave esos platos, no sea chancho. — Wash those dishes, don't be a pig.

8. Garrapata

Literally “tick”: someone who sticks to you and won't let go.

Example: Mi hermanito es una garrapata: me sigue a todas partes. — My little brother is a tick: he follows me everywhere.

9. Mosca muerta

Literally “dead fly”: someone who looks shy and innocent… and isn't.

Example: Parece una mosca muerta, pero es la más vacilona del grupo. — She looks so quiet, but she's the most fun one in the group.

Serious: careful who you say them to

10. Rata

Literally “rat”: a criminal, a thief.

Example: Le robaron la tabla en la playa. ¡Qué rata el que se la llevó! — Someone stole his board on the beach. What a rat!

11. Sapo

Literally “toad”: a snitch, a gossip, someone who sticks their nose into other people's business.

Example: No le cuente nada a él, que es un sapo. — Don't tell him anything, he's a snitch.

12. Perro

Literally “dog”: an unfaithful man.

Example: No salga con él, es un perro. — Don't go out with him, he cheats.

13. Alagartado

From lagarto, “crocodile”: someone who wants everything for himself.

Example: No sea alagartado, comparta las papas. — Don't be greedy, share the fries.

Six sayings with animals

Tiene más concha que una tortuga

“He has more shell than a turtle”: he is completely shameless.

Example: Se coló en la fila y todavía se queja. ¡Tiene más concha que una tortuga! — He cut in line and he's still complaining. Shameless!

Tiene más colmillo que un elefante

“He has more fang than an elephant”: he is very sharp and hard to fool.

Example: Ese vendedor tiene más colmillo que un elefante. — That salesman is very sharp.

Tiene más vidas que un gato

“He has more lives than a cat”: he survives everything.

Example: Se cayó de la moto otra vez y ni un raspón. Tiene más vidas que un gato. — He fell off his motorbike again without a scratch.

Está como un toro guaco

“He's like a toro guaco”: furious.

Example: No le hable ahorita, está como un toro guaco. — Don't talk to him right now, he's furious.

A cada chancho le llega su sábado

“Every pig gets its Saturday”: sooner or later, everyone pays for what they did.

Example: Al final lo agarraron robando. A cada chancho le llega su sábado. — In the end they caught him stealing. What goes around comes around.

Al mejor mono se le cae el zapote

“Even the best monkey drops the zapote” (a fruit): nobody is perfect.

Example: ¿El profe se equivocó? Al mejor mono se le cae el zapote. — The teacher made a mistake? Nobody's perfect.

One last tip

Most of these words are used with a smile between friends. The ones in the last group are not a joke: if you call someone a rata or a sapo, they will take it seriously. And there are other animal words used as insults against women or gay people; I don't include them here, but if you hear one, now you know it isn't friendly.

In my classes we practise the Spanish that people really speak here, in Santa Teresa or online.

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