Getting ready for a trip to Costa Rica? One of the best ways to truly connect with locals and make your travel experience unforgettable is by learning a little Spanish before you go. As a former Spanish teacher and bilingual mom, I’ve seen firsthand how even a few key phrases can open doors—and I’ve found the perfect tool to help your family do just that. Spoiler alert! It’s with my exclusive Rosetta Stone deal.

Spanish = The Key to a More Meaningful Costa Rica Trip

There is nothing more gratifying or satisfying than being able to talk to people in their native language, even if you’re a beginner. Even though our family is bilingual, we still get nervous talking to strangers in Spanish (and, quite frankly, in English too!) The most meaningful travel moments we have as a family are when we’re talking to locals in their native language.

Case in point. But last time we were in Costa Rica, I sent my older daughter to order empanadas from a food truck. She was gone for a pretty long time, so I popped over to see what was happening, and she was just chatting along with the food truck owner and his sister while they prepared an empanada fresh from scratch. It was amazing to see how people open up to her when she’s speaking Spanish, even if it’s not perfect.

That’s why I encourage you to learn a bit of Spanish before you go to Costa Rica- it will make your experience that much richer. In this article, I will tell you why I think Rosetta Stone is the best language learning program for families, and I’ll include an extra special deal if you want to learn.

RELATED: Essential Costa Rican Spanish Phrases for Your Trip

Why Spanish Matters in Costa Rica—Even for Tourists

I’m not going to lie—when we speak Spanish in Costa Rica, we get better service, we get better prices, and we gain a deeper understanding of the people we meet through our travel. It also shows a lot of respect for Costa Rican culture when you arrive, and you’ve at least tried to learn some phrases. Costa Ricans are the nicest people in the world, and they are always so happy when visitors have made even the tiniest effort to learn some Spanish.

Also, when you understand basic Spanish, it’s really easy to figure out if you’re on the right track with ordering, driving, and prices.

For example, in Costa Rica, many of the items on menus are just listed with the title of the dish- no description. In the case that there is a description, it’s often not super detailed. So if you have some basic Spanish, you can ask for more details about the dishes you are considering. Also, ordering food is a pretty low-stakes conversation activity- both parties know the structure of the conversation and can anticipate responses. Plus, learning basic food vocabulary is fairly easy as a lot of the words are similar in Spanish and English.

SEE ALSO: 30 Foods To Try In Costa Rica

Another example is driving- I highly recommend travelers rent a car in Costa Rica. You want to make sure that you understand the traffic signs before you hit the road. You also may need to ask a local for directions if you aren’t sure if you are on track. Knowing basic words and phrases like “¿Dónde está?”, “left,” “right,” “straight ahead,” “keep going 100 meters,” can be invaluable when you’re driving and you can’t find exactly where you need to go.

RELATED: Driving in Costa Rica

Finally, finding out how much something costs can also be really helpful, especially when prices aren’t marked, like with street food or trinkets on the beach. It’s really fun to learn the numbers too- the only catch is that you need to know really high numbers in Costa Rica. 1,000 colones is just $2!

Finally, if you’re planning to move to Costa Rica, learning Spanish is absolutely an absolute must so that you can relate to the people in your new home.

SEE ALSO: Costa Rica With Kids- The Complete Guide

Why I Recommend Rosetta Stone (Yes, Over Duolingo and Others)

Okay, so we know why Spanish is so important and fun, but what makes me an expert? Well, you may not know this about me, but I taught public school Spanish for 17 years before I started this blog. I also am raising bilingual kids, so if you can imagine, I have tested and tried every single program out there, and I think that Rosetta Stone is the best.

The first reason I like Rosetta Stone is that you can choose your language learning outcome. There is a setting for travel Spanish, and then one for just speaking and listening. A lot of other programs focus on reading and writing as well, but for travel Spanish, you don’t really need all of that, so you can just opt out. Also, if you already know some Spanish, Rosetta Stone will start you at a higher level than just beginner.

Rosetta Stone uses an immersion method – the most proven strategy. The immersion method is very effective for language learning because the idea is basically that we learn all languages the same way- through being fully immersed in them, just like we were when we were babies.

The way this plays out with Rosetta Stone is that the program shows you a phrase with the picture of it underneath- NOT the translation. Then, you have to pick out which photo matches the phrase in a new context, and pronounce it. This is great because you are learning the language in the context in which you will use it, and not just memorizing a list of words. The program really prepares you for real-world situations right from the start, and what’s a more real-world situation than travel in Costa Rica?

The Rosetta Stone program is also a great deal. They have a 25-Language Lifetime Plan for $300. But since I’ve partnered with them, they are offering that same program- the Lifetime Plan, for $179 for my readers. It’s a steal- but you can only find it at this link.

Okay, I want to take a minute to talk about the elephant in the room, which is Duolingo. You are probably thinking, “Rosetta Stone’s more expensive, plus all my friends are using Duolingo. Why is Rosetta Stone better than Duolingo?”

I get it! Duolingo is really enticing. You can have competitions with friends online, you can have streaks, and there’s just something about it that seems really fun. They’ve done a great job with their marketing. and engagement on their platform. But the program doesn’t work.

I will tell you that consistently, the students in my high school Spanish classrooms who used Duolingo on a daily or even weekly basis did not develop language fluency. That’s what they gained through my class where I used the immersion method. What they came to my room with was a genuine enthusiasm for Spanish, and a ton of random vocabulary they could not make into sentences because they were missing verb conjugations, sustained pronunciation, and noun/adjective agreement.

I’ve nothing against Duolingo, and I think it is great for people to do for fun, but Rosetta Stone is what will get you to competent fluency in a shorter amount of time. And if you’re like me- time is my most precious commodity, so I want to spend it as wisely as I can.

The Exclusive Pura Vida Moms Deal: Better Than Buying Direct

So the normal price is $399. Rosetta Stone’s website will drop it down to $199 for you, but through my affiliate link and my special partnership with Rosetta Stone, you can get the entire 25-language program for just $179. FOR LIFE. Rosetta Stone can grow with you through all of your travels to Latin America and beyond.

When you visit that link, you will also see a monthly plan option. It might seem cheaper and a better idea to just buy 3 months for $45 just to prep for your trip. I’ll tell you two things about that:

You Aren’t Going to Learn Basic Spanish in Three Months

We are busy moms, and adding a new routine is a big deal. We’ve got to create buy-in, find a schedule, entice everyone to sit down and learn Spanish- it’s just not going to happen consistently in 3 months, especially if you are trying to do this over a holiday or during a sports season.

You’re going to need longer than 3 months, and if you buy the subscription, you have to keep paying for it or you’ll lose the progress you’ve made. That $45 is going to end up being a lot more money in the end (who remembers to cancel this stuff anyway?), and so you might as well buy the whole shebang right off the top.

You’ll Want It When You Are Back Home

Every kid I have ever seen go to a Spanish-speaking country with a bit of Spanish under their belts comes home on fire for language learning. They want to feel more of the high they get when they interact in a foreign language.

Your kid may want to dabble in French, Italian, even Arabic, or Mandarin. If you’ve got the full program, they can do just that. I’m constantly looking for more fun independent learning activities for my kids, especially in the summer, and the full Rosetta Stone program is a LOT cheaper than summer camp!

SEE ALSO: ¡Qué Chiva! and Other Essential Costa Rican Slang

The Bottom Line

So the thing is, you don’t need to be fluent before you go to Costa Rica. You just need to be willing to try. With a few minutes every day before your trip, you can become proficient in basic Spanish in specific situations. It will make your trip so much more memorable.

My travel consult clients are doing it. Other families are doing it, and it makes a huge difference.

So if you’re looking for a deeper, richer, more cultural experience in Costa Rica, I highly recommend that you learn some Spanish. Even using basic Spanish in Costa Rica unlocks travel moments that you could never have otherwise.

Click here to grab the Rosetta Stone lifetime deal now and start learning Spanish before you land in paradise.

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by Rosetta Stone, and I received compensation as well as access to their program for review purposes. As always, all opinions are my own—and I only recommend products I personally use and love. If you purchase through my affiliate link, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting Pura Vida Moms!