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salsa

SAHL-sahˈsalsa

sauce, dressing

Also: dip, gravy
NounfA1
SpainMexico
A small ceramic bowl filled with bright red salsa (sauce) condiment, featuring visible chunks of tomatoes and chilies, next to a few yellow tortilla chips.

📝 In Action

La salsa de tomate es esencial para la pasta.

A1

Tomato sauce is essential for pasta.

¿Quieres un poco de salsa picante para tus tacos?

A1

Do you want some hot sauce for your tacos?

Prefiero la ensalada con vinagreta en lugar de una salsa cremosa.

A2

I prefer the salad with vinaigrette instead of a creamy dressing.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • aderezo (dressing)
  • condimento (condiment)

Common Collocations

  • salsa picante – hot sauce
  • salsa de soya – soy sauce
  • salsa de queso – cheese sauce

salsa

Also: Latin dance
NounfA2
Puerto Rico / Cuba / Colombia
A dynamic illustration of a couple mid-step, passionately dancing the salsa, characterized by flowing movement and high energy.

📝 In Action

Me encanta bailar salsa los fines de semana.

A2

I love dancing salsa on the weekends.

El ritmo de la salsa es muy contagioso.

B1

The rhythm of salsa music is very contagious.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • cumbia (cumbia (dance))
  • merengue (merengue (dance))

Common Collocations

  • clases de salsa – salsa classes
  • música salsa – salsa music

spice, flair

Also: zest
NounfB2informal
A drawing of a single, large, vibrant red chili pepper resting on a surface, emitting visible waves of heat and energy, symbolizing vigor and excitement.

📝 In Action

El nuevo entrenador le puso mucha salsa al equipo.

B2

The new coach added a lot of spice/flair to the team.

A esta reunión le falta un poco de salsa.

C1

This meeting is missing a bit of excitement.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • darle salsa a algo – to give something flair/spice
  • con mucha salsa – with a lot of flair

Translate to Spanish

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: salsa

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence uses 'salsa' in its figurative meaning of 'excitement' or 'flair'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word 'salsa' comes directly from the Latin word *salsa*, which was the feminine form of *salsus*, meaning 'salted.' It originally referred to anything preserved or seasoned with salt, which is why it became the word for 'sauce' in Spanish.

First recorded: Medieval Latin period

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: salsaFrench: sauce

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Frequently Asked Questions

Are 'salsa' (sauce) and 'salsa' (music) related?

Yes, they are! The music genre got its name because it was seen as a 'spicy' or 'flavorful' mix of different Caribbean rhythms, similar to how a culinary sauce is a flavorful mix of ingredients. It means 'spice' or 'flair' figuratively.

Is 'salsa' always spicy?

No. While many popular Mexican salsas are spicy (picantes), the word 'salsa' itself just means 'sauce.' A tomato sauce ('salsa de tomate') is usually not spicy.