What Does "Pura Vida" Mean?
So you arrive in Costa Rica and it's a blast. You take in the culture, the people and the language. You notice throughout your time there that you hear the phrase "pura vida." You hear it a lot. The phrase means "pure life" or "just life." It is pronounced poo-rah vee-dah.
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Origin
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The phrase pura vida originated in Mexico and has been around since about 1956. The phrase made it way from Mexico to Costa Rica in the 1950s through popular movies. While a small population used it then, by 1970, the phrase pura vida was used nationwide.
"Pura Vida" the Movie
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The phrase pura vida is thought to have derived from Mexican actor Antonio Espino (also known as Clavillazo). Pura vida started being used after his film "Pura Vida," directed by Gilberto Martinez Solares, premiered in 1956. Espino's comic character, who could not do anything right, used the expression throughout the film.
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Different Uses
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Pura vida is used in a variety of ways to mean different things. It's used as an informal Spanish expression. The phrase can be used to mean hello, farewell and to express satisfaction. When used as a greeting or farewell, it's used in the same context as "ciao" is used in Italian. Some phrases used to express the feeling of pura vida are "cool," "I am doing perfect" and "life is good." The phrase pura vida also can express how someone feels about a person. Generally, it means the person is a good person.
Way of Life
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Pura vida is the unofficial motto of Costa Rica. Pura vida also is a lifestyle or way of life. It expresses how Costa Ricans live--happy and proud of their country and of what they have. Costa Ricans also use it to express perseverance, a sense of strong community and celebrating good fortune and living life slowly. The phrase also is used with the political system in Costa Rica, where Costa Ricans feel the peace, freedom and stability of the government. When foreigners hear the phrase pura vida in Costa Rica, they see it as a leisurely lifestyle and disregard for time, and friendliness.
Popularity
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The phrase spread and is heard throughout Costa Rica. But it caught fire and is now heard globally. Now, too, when traveling in the U.S. and throughout Europe, vacationers can hear the phrase pura vida wherever they go. The phrase is even found in Costa Rican Spanish dictionaries.
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