“Pura Vida.” If there is one expression to know before coming to Costa Rica, it is this one. Costa Ricans use it in a lot of different situations. For a warm hello, “Hola, pura vida”, to toast “Salúd, Pura Vida “, for a friendly goodbye “Ciao, Pura Vida”, also to say “Everything is fine”, “Everything is OK” and “No worries” … So if you hear it all day long, that’s normal. Even when something bothers them, it’s a Pura Vida problem! If I had to translate it, I’d say, “Nothing but life!”
This expression would come from a 1956 Mexican film, Pura Vida, from which Costa Ricans would have taken up the phrase.
They have completely appropriated these two words and now more than just an expression, they represent the state of mind of the country, their culture. A sense of belonging and cultural pride. So even if you want to use “Pura Vida” to feel more like a “local”, you have to do it the right way!