Do They Speak English in Costa Rica?

You bet your Aunt Sally’s apple pie they do!

Okay, that’s not fair: Spanish is the national language, and not everyone speaks English. However, because of the influence of tourism, many people you’re likely to encounter will speak it, at least to a passable degree. This is especially true for any hotel concierge or folks working in the tourism industry—you don’t have to worry about this in the least.

That said, if you stop at a little road-side fruit stand, or to buy a freshly-caught fish from the man standing there with all the tilapia, you might have more of a communication barrier—but it’s still a complete non-issue. Costa Ricans are incredibly warm and welcoming, and probably know enough words to get by. ;)

And if you decide you want to try your Spanish out? They’ll be the first to beam with patience and encourage you right along. The Costa Rican sense of hospitality is one of the best parts of the country overall—you have nothing to be nervous about.

Even better? You’ll see signs in English in plenty of places, too—signage, menus, etc.—so you don’t have to worry about ordering a cow-tongue sandwich by mistake.

Then again, if you want the cow-tongue sandwich, the word for that is “lengua de vaca.” JUST IN CASE.