Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| salsa de soja | /ˌsalsa de ˈsoxa/ | feminine |
| salsa de soya | /salsa de soʝa/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| siyao | /siˈʝao/ | masculine, alternative form |
| siyau | /siˈʝau/ | masculine, alternative form |
| sillao | /siˈʝao/ | masculine |
| sillau | /siˈʝau/ | masculine, alternative form |
The term refers to the condiment and ingredient made from fermented soybeans. To specify the type, use salsa de soja ligera for light soy sauce and salsa de soja oscura for dark soy sauce. You can also refer to the container using botella de salsa de soja for a soy sauce bottle or sobre de salsa de soja for a soy sauce packet.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase salsa de soja literally translates to sauce of soy.
Which one should you use?
The spelling soja is the standard form in Spain and many parts of the Spanish-speaking world, while soya is more common in Latin America. In Peru, the term sillao is used, which can also be spelled as siyao, siyau or sillau.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some parts of Mexico, you might hear salsa de soya instead of salsa de soja. In Peru, sillao (and its variants siyao, siyau and sillau) is the specific term for soy sauce.
How does it change in a sentence?
salsa de soja and salsa de soya are feminine nouns. The Peruvian variants sillao, siyao, siyau and sillau are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˌsalsa de ˈsoxa/
Did you know?
- The Peruvian word sillao is a phonetic adaptation of the Cantonese word for soy sauce, siu yau.
- The word soja shares a surprising connection with the Japanese language, having been borrowed through the Dutch word for the soybean.
Examples in context
- Mezcla el arroz con los huevos y la salsa de soja.Mix the rice with the eggs and the soy sauce.This sentence shows how to use salsa de soja when mixing ingredients.Tatoeba #581734 by Leono, translation #3216919 by _undertoad
- La compañía produce salsa de soya y otros productos alimenticios.The company produces soy sauce and other food products.This sentence demonstrates the use of salsa de soya in a commercial context.Tatoeba #1267837 by arashi_29, translation #280340 by CM
- Añade un poco de salsa de soja a la sopa.Add a little soy sauce to the soup.
Example conversation
Alejandro and Elena are cooking dinner in their kitchen.
- Alejandro¿Tienes la salsa de soja en la despensa?Do you have the soy sauce in the pantry?
- ElenaSí, la tengo aquí mismo, Alejandro.Yes, I have it right here, Alejandro.
- AlejandroPerfecto, pásamela para terminar el plato.Perfect, pass it to me to finish the dish.
- ElenaAquí tienes, la salsa de soja es esencial para este sabor.Here you go, the soy sauce is essential for this flavor.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “soy sauce” translations and entries salsa de soja, salsa de soya, siyao, siyau, sillao, sillau, 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 de, salsa, soja, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
