♪MusicTheory Academy

Musical Terms Dictionary

🎯Test Your Knowledge with Flashcards

Sigue mejorando con FlashForge — plataforma de tarjetas para crear ejercicios personalizados de teoría musical.

Grave

GRAH-veh

Very slow and solemn

Read More →

Largo

LAR-go

Broadly, very slow

Read More →

Larghetto

lar-GET-toh

Somewhat broadly, not as slow as Largo

Read More →

Adagio

ah-DAH-jee-oh

Slowly, leisurely

Read More →

Adagietto

ah-dah-jee-ET-toh

Slightly faster than Adagio

Read More →

Andante

an-DAHN-teh

Walking pace, moderately slow

Read More →

Andantino

an-dan-TEE-noh

Slightly faster than Andante

Read More →

Moderato

moh-deh-RAH-toh

Moderate tempo

Read More →

Allegretto

al-leh-GRET-toh

Moderately fast, lighter than Allegro

Read More →

Allegro

ah-LEH-groh

Fast, lively, cheerful

Read More →

Vivace

vee-VAH-cheh

Lively, vivacious

Read More →

Presto

PRES-toh

Very fast

Read More →

Prestissimo

pres-TEES-see-moh

As fast as possible

Read More →

Accelerando

ah-chel-leh-RAHN-doh

Gradually getting faster

Read More →

Ritardando

ree-tar-DAHN-doh

Gradually getting slower

Read More →

Rallentando

ral-len-TAHN-doh

Gradually slowing down

Read More →

Rubato

roo-BAH-toh

Flexible tempo, robbed time

Read More →

A tempo

ah TEM-poh

Return to original tempo

Read More →

Tempo primo

TEM-poh PREE-moh

Return to the first tempo

Read More →

Fermata

fer-MAH-tah

Hold or pause

Read More →

Pianissimo (pp)

pee-ah-NEES-see-moh

Very soft

Read More →

Piano (p)

pee-AH-noh

Soft

Read More →

Mezzo piano (mp)

MET-zoh pee-AH-noh

Moderately soft

Read More →

Mezzo forte (mf)

MET-zoh FOR-teh

Moderately loud

Read More →

Forte (f)

FOR-teh

Loud

Read More →

Fortissimo (ff)

for-TEES-see-moh

Very loud

Read More →

Crescendo

kreh-SHEN-doh

Gradually getting louder

Read More →

Decrescendo

deh-kreh-SHEN-doh

Gradually getting softer

Read More →

Diminuendo

dee-mee-noo-EN-doh

Gradually getting softer (same as decrescendo)

Read More →

Sforzando (sfz)

sfor-TSAHN-doh

Sudden strong accent

Read More →

Fortepiano (fp)

FOR-teh-pee-AH-noh

Loud then immediately soft

Read More →

Staccato

stah-KAH-toh

Detached, separated

Read More →

Legato

leh-GAH-toh

Smooth, connected

Read More →

Tenuto

teh-NOO-toh

Held, sustained

Read More →

Marcato

mar-KAH-toh

Marked, emphasized

Read More →

Portato

por-TAH-toh

Carried, slightly detached

Read More →

Pizzicato

peet-see-KAH-toh

Plucked (for strings)

Read More →

Arco

AR-koh

With the bow (return to bowing)

Read More →

Glissando

glee-SAHN-doh

Sliding from one pitch to another

Read More →

Tremolo

TREH-moh-loh

Rapid repetition of a note

Read More →

Dolce

DOHL-cheh

Sweetly, softly

Read More →

Cantabile

kan-TAH-bee-leh

In a singing style

Read More →

Espressivo

es-pres-SEE-voh

Expressively

Read More →

Maestoso

mah-es-TOH-soh

Majestically

Read More →

Giocoso

joh-KOH-soh

Playfully, humorously

Read More →

Appassionato

ah-pas-see-oh-NAH-toh

With passion

Read More →

Agitato

ah-jee-TAH-toh

Agitated, restless

Read More →

Tranquillo

trahn-KWEE-loh

Calmly, peacefully

Read More →

Brillante

bree-LAHN-teh

Brilliantly, sparkling

Read More →

Con brio

kohn BREE-oh

With vigor and spirit

Read More →

Con fuoco

kohn foo-OH-koh

With fire

Read More →

Con moto

kohn MOH-toh

With motion

Read More →

Grazioso

grah-tsee-OH-soh

Gracefully

Read More →

Leggiero

leh-JEH-roh

Lightly, nimbly

Read More →

Pesante

peh-ZAHN-teh

Heavily, ponderous

Read More →

Risoluto

ree-soh-LOO-toh

Resolutely, boldly

Read More →

Scherzando

sker-TSAHN-doh

Playfully, jokingly

Read More →

Sostenuto

sos-teh-NOO-toh

Sustained

Read More →

Amoroso

ah-moh-ROH-soh

Lovingly, tenderly

Read More →

Furioso

foo-ree-OH-soh

Furiously

Read More →

Da capo (D.C.)

dah KAH-poh

From the beginning

Read More →

Dal segno (D.S.)

dahl SEHN-yoh

From the sign

Read More →

Fine

FEE-neh

The end

Read More →

Coda

KOH-dah

Tail, ending section

Read More →

Segue

SEH-gway

Continue without pause

Read More →

Attacca

ah-TAH-kah

Attack immediately, no pause

Read More →

Cadenza

kah-DEN-tsah

Elaborate solo passage

Read More →

Ossia

oh-SEE-ah

Or, alternative passage

Read More →

Volta

VOHL-tah

Time (as in first time, second time)

Read More →

Simile

SEE-mee-leh

Similarly, in the same manner

Read More →

Fortississimo (fff)

for-tee-SEES-see-moh

Extremely loud

Read More →

Pianississimo (ppp)

pee-ah-nee-SEES-see-moh

Extremely soft

Read More →

Subito

SOO-bee-toh

Suddenly, immediately

Read More →

Sempre

SEM-preh

Always, continuously

Read More →

Molto

MOHL-toh

Very, much

Read More →

Poco

POH-koh

Little, slightly

Read More →

Più

pew

More

Read More →

Meno

MEH-noh

Less

Read More →

Assai

ah-SAH-ee

Very, quite

Read More →

Ma non troppo

mah nohn TROHP-poh

But not too much

Read More →

Allargando

al-lar-GAHN-doh

Broadening, slowing and getting louder

Read More →

Animato

ah-nee-MAH-toh

Animated, lively

Read More →

Calando

kah-LAHN-doh

Decreasing in tempo and volume

Read More →

Comodo

KOH-moh-doh

Comfortable, at a convenient pace

Read More →

Grave assai

GRAH-veh ah-SAH-ee

Very slow and solemn

Read More →

Lento

LEN-toh

Slowly

Read More →

Morendo

moh-REN-doh

Dying away

Read More →

Mosso

MOHS-soh

Movement, motion

Read More →

Smorzando

smor-TSAHN-doh

Dying away, extinguishing

Read More →

Stringendo

strin-JEN-doh

Pressing forward, accelerating

Read More →

Affettuoso

ah-fet-too-OH-soh

With affection, tenderly

Read More →

Amabile

ah-MAH-bee-leh

Amiable, pleasant

Read More →

Con anima

kohn AH-nee-mah

With soul, with feeling

Read More →

Con dolore

kohn doh-LOH-reh

With sadness

Read More →

Con grazia

kohn GRAH-tsee-ah

With grace

Read More →

Con spirito

kohn SPEE-ree-toh

With spirit

Read More →

Delicato

deh-lee-KAH-toh

Delicately

Read More →

Dolente

doh-LEN-teh

Sorrowful, mournful

Read More →

Energico

eh-NER-jee-koh

Energetically

Read More →

Feroce

feh-ROH-cheh

Ferocious, fierce

Read More →

Giocondo

joh-KOHN-doh

Joyous, merry

Read More →

Grandioso

grahn-dee-OH-soh

Grandly, majestically

Read More →

Lacrimoso

lah-kree-MOH-soh

Tearful, sad

Read More →

Lugubre

loo-GOO-breh

Mournful, dismal

Read More →

Marziale

mar-tsee-AH-leh

In a march style

Read More →

Nobilmente

noh-beel-MEN-teh

Nobly

Read More →

Pastorale

pas-toh-RAH-leh

In a pastoral style

Read More →

Pomposo

pohm-POH-soh

Pompously, ceremoniously

Read More →

Religioso

reh-lee-jee-OH-soh

Religiously, devoutly

Read More →

Semplice

SEM-plee-cheh

Simply, plainly

Read More →

Soave

soh-AH-veh

Sweetly, gently

Read More →

Sonore

soh-NOH-reh

Sonorous, with full tone

Read More →

Teneramente

teh-neh-rah-MEN-teh

Tenderly

Read More →

Trionfante

tree-ohn-FAHN-teh

Triumphantly

Read More →

Vigoroso

vee-goh-ROH-soh

Vigorously

Read More →

Col legno

kohl LEHN-yoh

With the wood (of the bow)

Read More →

Con sordino

kohn sor-DEE-noh

With mute

Read More →

Divisi

dee-VEE-zee

Divided (section splits into parts)

Read More →

Portamento

por-tah-MEN-toh

Smooth glide between pitches

Read More →

Senza sordino

SEN-tsah sor-DEE-noh

Without mute

Read More →

Sforzato

sfor-TSAH-toh

Forced, strongly accented

Read More →

Sul ponticello

sool pon-tee-CHEL-loh

On the bridge (strings)

Read More →

Sul tasto

sool TAHS-toh

On the fingerboard (strings)

Read More →

Trillo

TREE-loh

Trill

Read More →

Uniti

oo-NEE-tee

United (after divisi)

Read More →

Al fine

ahl FEE-neh

To the end (at the Fine marking)

Read More →

Bis

bees

Twice, repeat

Read More →

Encore

ahn-KOR

Again (French)

Read More →

Intermezzo

in-ter-MET-soh

Interlude, middle piece

Read More →

Pausa

POW-sah

Rest, pause

Read More →

Primo

PREE-moh

First

Read More →

Reprise

reh-PREEZ

Repeat, return of theme

Read More →

Ritornello

ree-tor-NEL-loh

Little return, recurring passage

Read More →

Secondo

seh-KOHN-doh

Second

Read More →

Senza replica

SEN-tsah REH-plee-kah

Without repeat

Read More →

Al niente

ahl nee-EN-teh

To nothing, fade to silence

Read More →

Calando

kah-LAHN-doh

Lowering (volume and tempo)

Read More →

Manc ando

mahn-KAHN-doh

Lacking, fading

Read More →

Perdendosi

per-DEN-doh-see

Losing oneself, dying away

Read More →

Rinforzando (rfz)

reen-for-TSAHN-doh

Reinforcing, sudden emphasis

Read More →

Ad libitum (ad lib)

ahd LIB-ih-toom

At liberty, freely

Read More →

A piacere

ah pee-ah-CHEH-reh

At pleasure, freely

Read More →

Alla breve

AH-lah BREH-veh

Cut time (2/2)

Read More →

Andante maestoso

an-DAHN-teh mah-es-TOH-soh

Walking pace, majestically

Read More →

Ben marcato

ben mar-KAH-toh

Well marked, clearly accented

Read More →

Col canto

kohl KAHN-toh

With the singer/melody

Read More →

L'istesso tempo

lee-STES-soh TEM-poh

The same tempo

Read More →

Non tanto

nohn TAHN-toh

Not so much

Read More →

Quasi

KWAH-zee

As if, almost

Read More →

Recitativo

reh-chee-tah-TEE-voh

In the manner of a recitative

Read More →

Ritenuto

ree-teh-NOO-toh

Held back, immediately slower

Read More →

Tempo giusto

TEM-poh JOO-stoh

In strict time

Read More →

Vivo

VEE-voh

Lively, vivacious

Read More →

Volante

voh-LAHN-teh

Flying, light and fast

Read More →

Zart

tsart

Tender, delicate (German)

Read More →