Exploring "God Usage" in Costa Rican Language
You'll read this article (God willing)
Costa Ricans have traditionally been Catholic and Catholicism is still the official state religion. Many Protestant sects exist in Costa Rica as well, not to mention a great number of evangelical churches. The strong religious nature of Costa Ricans is not only seen in their proclamation of Christian faith (or their distaste for atheists), but also in their frequent reference to God in their language. Below is a list of common Costa Rican expressions that employ the word 'God':
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Gracias a Dios
Costa Ricans, when asked how they're doing, will often respond "bien, gracias a Dios". These same people will respond with "gracias a Dios" to any question asking how something is going, just so long as the response is positive. (In the high-context, indirect culture of Costa Rica, responses usually are positive.)
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Si Dios quiere
This phrase, translating directly as 'if God wants', is probably closer to the English phrase 'god willing'. When asked if he's going to follow through on a particular task, a Costa Rican may say "si Dios quiere". This doesn't necessarily mean that he'll do it or not, but rather that he has the intention to. Whether it is actually in God's hands or not, though, is not in question. In Costa Rica, everything happens by the grace of God.
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Dios primero
This expression, meaning 'God first', is used in a similar fashion as si Dios quiere. Someone simply stating what they plan on doing will slip in a 'Dios primero' somewhere in the mix to proclaim a certain sense of humility before God.
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Si Dios permite
Si Dios permite is widely interchangeable with si Dios quiere. It means 'God permitting' and is often an addendum to a done deal that needs God's divine stamp of approval.