How to pronounce salsa
Say it like SAWL-suh. Salsa has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAWL).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce salsa. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SAWL
- suh
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Salsa pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SAWLSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "aw" in law.
- suhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of salsa
American and British speakers say salsa in essentially the same way: /ˈsɔlsə/ in the US and /ˈsælsə/ in the UK.
British respelling: SAL-suh.
What does salsa mean?
- spicy sauce of tomatoes and onions and chili peppers to accompany Mexican foods
Where does salsa come from?
Borrowed from Spanish salsa (“sauce”), from Latin salsus (“salted”), whence also the doublet sauce (via Old French).
Questions about saying salsa
How do you pronounce salsa?
Say SAWL-suh. The American pronunciation is /ˈsɔlsə/. In British English it is /ˈsælsə/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in salsa?
Salsa has two syllables, and the main stress falls on the first one (SAWL). Broken into parts: SAWL · suh.
Do Americans and Brits say salsa the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /ˈsɔlsə/ and the British form is /ˈsælsə/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.