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Grade Five Music Theory - Lesson 2: Foreign Terms Alphabetical List
Foreign Terms
For Grade 5 Theory, you need to try to learn all the foreign terms listed below. (This list includes all the terms from grades 1-4, which you will also need to know!) On this page you will find the terms in alphabetical order, for reference.
If you want to start learning the terms, we recommend using our easy-to-learn groups. You can see the whole list of terms arranged into categories and easily test yourself.
You can also try a fun Musical Terms Quiz to see how many terms you know!
| A tempo |
In time |
| Aber |
But |
| Accelerando (Accel) |
Gradually getting faster |
| Ad libitum (Ad lib.) |
At choice |
| Adagietto |
Rather slow |
| Adagio |
Slow |
| Affettuoso |
Tenderly |
| Affrettando |
Hurrying |
| Agitato |
Agitated |
| Al, alla |
In the style of |
| Alla breve |
With a minim beat |
| Alla misura |
In strict time |
| Allargando |
Broadening |
| Allegretto |
Fairly quick |
| Allegro |
Fast |
| Allegro assai |
Very fast |
| Allegro moderato |
Moderately fast |
| Amabile |
Amiable, pleasant |
| Amore |
Love |
| Amoroso |
Loving |
| Andante |
At a walking pace |
| Andantino |
Slightly faster than andante |
| Anima |
Spirit |
| Animando |
Becoming more lively |
| Animato |
Animated, lively |
| Anime |
Animated, lively |
| Appassionato |
With passion |
| Assai |
Very |
| Assez |
Enough |
| Attacca |
Go immediately to next section |
| Ausdruck |
Expression |
| Avec |
With |
| Ben |
Well |
| Bewegt |
With movement, agitated |
| Breit |
Broad, expansive |
| Brio |
Vigour |
| Calando |
Getting softer, dying away |
| Cantabile |
In a singing style |
| Cantando |
Singing |
| Cedez |
Yield, relax the speed |
| Come |
As, similar to |
| Comodo |
At a comfortable speed |
| Con, col |
With |
| Crescendo (Cresc.) |
Gradually getting louder |
| Da capo (DC) |
Repeat from beginning |
| Dal segno (DS) |
Repeat from "S" sign |
| Deciso |
With detemination |
| Decrescendo (Decresc.) |
Gradually getting quieter |
| Delicato |
Delicate |
| Diminuendo (Dim.) |
Gradually getting quieter |
| Dolce |
Sweet, soft |
| Dolente |
Sad, mournful |
| Dolore |
Grief |
| Doloroso |
Sorrowful |
| Doppio movimento |
Twice as fast |
| Douce |
Sweet |
| E, ed |
And |
| Ein |
One |
| Einfach |
Simple |
| En dehors |
Prominent |
| En pressant |
hurrying |
| En retenant |
Holding back, slowing a little |
| Energico |
Energetic |
| Espressivo |
Expressive |
| Estinto |
As soft as possible |
| Et |
And |
| Etwas |
Somewhat, rather |
| Facile |
Easy |
| Fine |
The end |
| Forte (F) |
Loud |
| Fortepiano (FP) |
Loud, then immediately soft |
| Fortissimo (FF) |
Very Loud |
| Forza |
Force |
| Fruhlich |
Cheerful, joyful |
| Fuoco |
Fire |
| Giocoso |
Playful, merry |
| Giusto |
Propert, exact |
| Grave |
Very slow, solemn |
| Grazioso |
Graceful |
| Immer |
Always |
| Incalzando |
Getting quicker |
| Lacrimoso |
Sad |
| Langsam |
Slow |
| Largamente |
Broadly |
| Larghetto |
Rather slow |
| Largo |
Slow and stately |
| Lebhaft |
Lively |
| Legato |
Smoothly |
| Legerement |
Light |
| Leggiero |
Light, nimble |
| Lent |
Slow |
| Lento |
Slow |
| Lunga |
Long |
| Lunga pausa |
Long pause |
| Lusingando |
Coaxing |
| Ma |
But |
| Maestoso |
Majestic |
| Mais |
But |
| Marcato |
Emphatic, accented |
| Marziale |
In a military style |
| Massig |
At a moderate speed |
| Meno |
Less |
| Mesto |
Sad |
| Mezzo |
Half |
| Mezzo forte (MF) |
Moderately loud |
| Mezzo piano (MP) |
Moderately quiet |
| Misura |
Measure |
| Mit |
With |
| Moderato |
Moderate speed |
| Modere |
At a moderate speed |
| Moins |
Less |
| Molto |
Very much |
| Morendo |
Dying away |
| Mosso |
Movement |
| Nicht |
Not |
| Niente |
Nothing (silence) |
| Nobilmente |
Nobly |
| Non |
Not |
| Non |
Not |
| Ohne |
Without |
| Ossia |
Or, alternatively |
| Perdendosi |
Dying away |
| Pesante |
Heavy |
| Peu |
Little |
| Piacevole |
Pleasant |
| Piangevole |
Plaintive, like a lament |
| Pianissimo (PP) |
Very quiet |
| Piano (P) |
Quiet |
| Piu |
More |
| Plus |
More |
| Pochettino |
Rather little |
| Poco |
A little |
| Possibile |
Possible |
| Presser |
hurry |
| Presto |
Fast (faster than allegro) |
| Prima volta |
First time |
| Prima, primo |
First |
| Quasi |
As if, resembling |
| Ralentir |
Slow down |
| Rallentando (Rall.) |
Gradually getting slower |
| Retenu |
Held back |
| Rinforzando (RF, RFZ) |
Reinforcing |
| Risoluto |
Bold, strong |
| Ritardando (Rit.) |
Gradually getting slower |
| Ritenuto (Rit.) |
Held back |
| Ritmico |
Rhythmically |
| Rubato |
With some freedom of time |
| Ruhig |
Peaceful |
| Sans |
Without |
| Scherzando |
Playfully, joking |
| Schnell |
Fast |
| Seconda volta |
Second time |
| Seconda, secondo |
Second |
| Segue |
Go straight on without stopping |
| Sehr |
Very |
| Semplice |
Simple, plain |
| Sempre |
Always |
| Senza |
Without |
| Senza misura |
In free time |
| Sforzando (SF) |
Forced, accented |
| Sforzato (SFZ) |
Forced, accented |
| Simile (sim.) |
In the same way |
| Smorzando |
Dying away in tone and speed |
| Sonoro |
Resonant, with a rich tone |
| Sopra |
Above |
| Sostenuto |
Sustained |
| Sotto |
Below |
| Staccato (Stacc.) |
Detached |
| Stringendo |
Gradually getting faster |
| Subito |
Suddenly |
| Suss |
Sweet |
| Tanta |
So much |
| Tempo |
Speed, time |
| Teneramente |
Tenderly |
| Tenerezza |
Tenderly |
| Tenuto |
Held |
| Tosto |
Swift, Rapid |
| Tranquillo |
Calm |
| Traurig |
Sad |
| Tres |
Very |
| Tristamento, Triste |
Sorrowful |
| Troppo |
Too much |
| Un, Une |
One |
| Und |
And |
| Veloce |
Swift |
| Vif |
Lively |
| Vite |
Quick |
| Vivace, vivo |
Lively, quick |
| Voce |
Voice |
| Volante |
Flying, fast |
| Voll |
Full |
| Wenig |
Little |
| Wieder |
Again |
| Zart |
Tender, delicate |
| Zu |
To, too |
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Grade Five 
