By Yuliya Geikhman Last updated: September 5, 2024

235 Spanish Music Words

If you’re into music and learning Spanish, you’ll definitely want to learn different Spanish music words so you can discuss your hobby.

Here we’ll learn key music words, starting with the basics and moving on up to every word you’ll need to know—including musical terms, instruments, genres and even melodic verbs and adjectives. Plus, we’ll even highlight some renowned Spanish-language musicians who have made a significant impact on the music industry.

Contents

• Musical Terms and Elements in Spanish
• • Basic Music Vocabulary
  • More Music Vocabulary
  • Musical Notation Vocabulary
• Musical Instruments in Spanish
• • String Instruments
  • Woodwind Instruments
  • Brass Instruments
  • Percussion Instruments
  • Other Instruments
• Genres and Musical Styles in Spanish
• Spanish Musical Verbs
• Spanish Musical Adjectives
• Famous Spanish-language Musicians
• And One More Thing…

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Musical Terms and Elements in Spanish

Basic Music Vocabulary

We’re about to dive into some pretty complex terms. Before we do, here are 11 common music words you may hear in everyday Spanish conversations.

• Sonido (Sound)
• Ritmo (Rhythm)
• Armonía (Harmony)
• Escala (Scale)
• Melodía (Melody)
• Nota (Note)
• Canción (Song)
• Música (Music)
• Letra (Lyrics)
• Compás (Beat)
• Instrumento (Instrument)

The words below are organized into themes to make them easier to study. You can make learning them even easier by finding them in use by native Spanish speakers, like on the videos over at FluentU.

FluentU takes authentic videos—like music videos, movie trailers, news and inspiring talks—and turns them into personalized language learning lessons.

You can try FluentU for free for 2 weeks. Check out the website or download the iOS app or Android app.

P.S. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month)

 

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More Music Vocabulary

* Italian loanwords

Musical Notation Vocabulary

Musical Instruments in Spanish

String Instruments

Woodwind Instruments

Brass Instruments

Percussion Instruments

Other Instruments

Genres and Musical Styles in Spanish

You’ll find that most of these are cognates, so they’re fairly easy to learn!

Spanish Musical Verbs

Spanish Musical Adjectives

Famous Spanish-language Musicians

There are many fantastic Spanish-language musicians who have made their mark on the world of music. I’ve compiled a list of some of the biggest names you may come across, but this isn’t by any means a complete list. Use these names as a starting point in your journey into Spanish-language musicians!

• Shakira (“Hips Don’t Lie,” “Whenever, Wherever”).  A Colombian singer-songwriter known for her unique voice and blend of pop and Latin rhythms.
• Luis Miguel (“La Incondicional,” “Culpable o No”). A Mexican singer often referred to as “El Sol de México.” His romantic ballads and powerful voice have made him a Latin music icon.
• Juanes (“Me Enamora,” “A Dios le Pido”).  A Colombian rock musician and singer-songwriter who incorporates a mix of rock, pop and Latin influences in his music.
• Ricky Martin (“Livin’ la Vida Loca,” “She Bangs”). A Puerto Rican singer and actor who gained international fame with his catchy pop hits. 
• Enrique Iglesias (“Bailamos,” “Hero”). A Spanish singer known for his romantic ballads and energetic pop songs. 
• Carlos Vives (“La Gota Fría,” “Bailar Contigo”). A Colombian singer and composer who helped popularize vallenato and cumbia music, and whose songs feature a fusion of traditional and modern sounds.
• Celia Cruz (“La Vida es un Carnaval,” “Quimbara”). A Cuban singer known as the “Queen of Salsa.” Her vibrant and powerful voice made her a legend in the salsa music world. 
• Daddy Yankee (“Gasolina,” “Despacito”). A Puerto Rican rapper, singer and songwriter who played a significant role in popularizing reggaeton globally.
• Gloria Estefan (“Conga,” “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You”). A Cuban-American singer, songwriter and actress. With her band Miami Sound Machine, she achieved numerous hits.
• Maná (“Rayando el Sol,” “Labios Compartidos”). A Mexican rock band known for their socially conscious lyrics and fusion of rock, pop and Latin sounds. 
• Marc Anthony (“Vivir Mi Vida,”  “I Need to Know”). A Puerto Rican-American singer and actor who is one of the top-selling tropical salsa artists of all time. 
• Julieta Venegas (“Limón y Sal,” “Andar Conmigo”). A Mexican singer-songwriter who blends rock, pop and folk influences.
• Café Tacvba (“Eres,” “Ingrata”). A Mexican alternative rock band known for their innovative sound that fuses rock, punk and traditional Mexican music.
• Thalía (“Amor a la Mexicana,” “Piel Morena”). A Mexican singer, actress and entrepreneur known for her versatile talents in music and entertainment. 
• Juan Gabriel (“Querida,” “Amor Eterno”). A Mexican singer and songwriter who became one of the most prominent figures in Latin music history.

You can read more about Spanish-language musicians here:

Sing your way to a better vocabulary with this extensive list of Spanish music vocabulary!

And One More Thing…

If you've made it this far that means you probably enjoy learning Spanish with engaging material and will then love FluentU.

Other sites use scripted content. FluentU uses a natural approach that helps you ease into the Spanish language and culture over time. You’ll learn Spanish as it’s actually spoken by real people.

FluentU has a wide variety of videos, as you can see here:

FluentU brings native videos within reach with interactive transcripts. You can tap on any word to look it up instantly. Every definition has examples that have been written to help you understand how the word is used. If you see an interesting word you don’t know, you can add it to a vocab list.

Review a complete interactive transcript under the Dialogue tab, and find words and phrases listed under Vocab.

Learn all the vocabulary in any video with FluentU’s robust learning engine. Swipe left or right to see more examples of the word you’re on.

The best part is that FluentU keeps track of the vocabulary that you’re learning, and gives you extra practice with difficult words. It'll even remind you when it’s time to review what you’ve learned. Every learner has a truly personalized experience, even if they’re learning with the same video.

Start using the FluentU website on your computer or tablet or, better yet, download the FluentU app from the iTunes or Google Play store. Click here to take advantage of our current sale! (Expires at the end of this month.)