salsa roja
/salsa ɾoxa/from spelling rules
Red salsa in Spanish is salsa roja.
The phrase refers to a spicy sauce made primarily from red chili peppers and tomatoes.
What does it mean word for word?
salsa means sauce and roja means red.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Mexico, you may encounter specific regional variations such as salsa roja mexicana, salsa roja yucateca or salsa roja estilo Veracruz. In Spain, a spicier and somewhat thicker red sauce often served with tapas is called salsa brava.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because salsa is a feminine noun, the adjective must agree in gender, which is why roja is used instead of the masculine rojo. To make the phrase plural, both the noun and the adjective must take the plural suffix -s, resulting in salsas rojas.
How do you pronounce it?
/salsa ɾoxa/
Did you know?
- While salsa roja is a general term, ordering salsa brava in Spain implies a sauce that is 'angry'. The word brava means fierce or angry, describing the aggressive heat of the peppers.
- The term 'roja' is so iconic in Spanish culture that the Spanish national football team is famously nicknamed La Roja.
- In Mexico, the identity of a salsa roja is defined more by the specific chili variety used, such as guajillo, than by its color or heat level alone.
Examples in context
- ¿Me pasas la salsa roja, por favor?Can you pass me the red salsa, please?
- Me gusta la salsa roja de este restaurante.I like the red salsa from this restaurant.
- ¿Quieres un poco de salsa roja para tus tacos?Do you want some red salsa for your tacos?
- La salsa roja es muy picante hoy.The red salsa is very spicy today.
Example conversation
Elena and Mateo are eating dinner together.
- ElenaMateo, ¿puedes pasarme la salsa roja?Mateo, can you pass me the red salsa?
- MateoSí, aquí tienes.Yes, here you go.
- ElenaGracias, me encanta la salsa roja.Thank you, I love red salsa.
- MateoA mí también me gusta mucho.I like it a lot too.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries roja, salsa, CC BY-SA 4.0.
