Word of the Day: Maña

Maña is a noun meaning 'habit' or 'custom' that often has a negative connotation, perhaps more like 'vice' (vicio).

Consider the following example:

Mi hijo tiene la maña de ir a la cantina cuando debería estar estudiando.

Translation:

My son has the bad habit of going to the local bar when he should be studying.

Some people will say that maña is to be used with animals, whereas humans have costumbres. While this may be more "proper" in a certain sense, you will hear ticos speak of people who have mañas (or who are mañoso, which can mean anything from mischevious to stubborn) all the time.

This is a tough one to grasp. Please leave any questions or comments that arise.

Pura Vida