soda
/ˈsoda/
The English phrase soda water is translated into Spanish as soda. Wiktionary also lists agua de Seltz.
Meaning: water with carbon dioxide (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA |
|---|---|
| soda | /ˈsoda/ |
| agua de Seltz | /aɡwa de seltθ/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /aɡwa de selts/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
The term refers to water with carbon dioxide. In many Spanish-speaking regions the word soda is actually used to mean a sweetened soft drink or soda.
Which one should you use?
The term soda can be ambiguous because it often refers to a sweetened soft drink rather than plain carbonated water. For a more precise and common way to specify plain sparkling water without syrup, use agua con gas.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the term agua gasificada is used for soda water. In Mexico, people often use the brand-specific name Topo Chico to refer to soda water.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈsoda/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might mistakenly order una soda expecting plain carbonated water. However, in many countries, this will result in being served a sweetened soft drink like cola.
Did you know?
- The term agua de Seltz is a linguistic relic of the town of Selters in Germany, where the local carbonated mineral springs became a global gold standard for sparkling water.
- The Spanish word agua shares the same ancient Proto-Indo-European root, *h₂ékʷeh₂, as the English word 'ea', an archaic term for water.
Examples in context
- En este restaurante, ¿tienen agua de sifón?In this restaurant, do you have soda water?
- Me gustaría tomar agua mineral con gas, por favor.I would like to have soda water, please.
- ¿Podría traerme un vaso de agua con gas, por favor?Could you bring me a glass of soda water, please?
- ¿Tienes gaseosa sin sabor?Do you have plain soda water?
- No quiero jugo, solo quiero soda.I don't want juice, I only want soda.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are at a restaurant.
- Daniel¿Qué quieres beber, Sofía?What do you want to drink, Sofía?
- SofíaSolo quiero una soda, por favor.I only want a soda, please.
- DanielEstá bien, pediré una soda para mí también.Fine, I will order a soda for myself too.
- SofíaGracias, Daniel.Thanks, Daniel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soda water” translations and entries soda, agua de Seltz, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries agua, de, soda, CC BY-SA 4.0.
