salado
/saˈlado/
The Spanish word for salty is salado. Wiktionary also lists salobre.
Meaning: tasting of salt (adj)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| salado | /saˈlado/ |
| salobre | /saˈlobɾe/ |
salado is used to describe food that tastes of salt.
Which one should you use?
While salado is the standard term for food that is salty, salobre is used specifically to describe water or air that has a salty or brackish quality.
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective salado changes its ending to salada to agree with feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/saˈlado/
Did you know?
- In some Latin American countries, calling someone salado does not mean they taste of salt, but that they are unlucky or have bad luck.
- The Spanish word salado shares a common root with the English word 'salary'. Both terms are linked to the historical practice of paying soldiers with salt or using salt as a form of value.
- In certain Spanish-speaking contexts, calling someone salado might not mean they taste of salt, but could instead imply they are 'witty' or 'sharp'.
Examples in context
- El jamón está salado.The ham is salty.This sentence shows how to describe the saltiness of ham using salado.Tatoeba #6669483 by arh, translation #7795983 by sharris123
- Esto está muy salado.This is very salty.This sentence shows how to say something is very salty using salado.Tatoeba #7153324 by arh, translation #7822766 by eggershead
- Esto está un poco salado.This is a little salty.This sentence shows how to say something is a little salty using salado.Tatoeba #4123995 by hayastan, translation #4124407 by cy3
- El agua del mar es salada.The ocean water is salty.
- Me gusta comer frutos secos saladitos.I enjoy eating salty nuts.
- ¡Este caldo de pollo está muy salado!This chicken broth is very salty!
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Daniel and María are eating at a restaurant.
- Daniel¿Te gusta la sopa, María?Do you like the soup, María?
- MaríaNo, el caldo está muy salado.No, the broth is very salty.
- DanielEs verdad, para mí también está salado.It is true, for me it is salty too.
- MaríaDeberíamos pedir algo más suave.We should order something milder.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “salty” translations and entries salado, salobre, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries salado, salobre, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
