Grade Five Music Theory - Lesson 2: Foreign Terms Alphabetical List
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Foreign Terms (Updated July 2020 with the new ABRSM list of 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. Follow that link to also try a fun Musical Terms Quiz to see how many terms you know!
| A tempo |
In time |
| Accelerando (Accel) |
Gradually getting faster |
| Ad libitum (Ad lib.) |
At choice |
| Adagio |
Slow |
| Affettuoso |
Tenderly |
| Agitato |
Agitated |
| Al, alla |
In the style of |
| Alla breve |
With a minim beat |
| Allargando |
Broadening |
| Allegretto |
Fairly quick |
| Allegro |
Fast |
| Allegro assai |
Very fast |
| Allegro moderato |
Moderately fast |
| Amabile |
Amiable, pleasant |
| Andante |
At a walking pace |
| Andantino |
Slightly faster than andante |
| Animato |
Animated, lively |
| Animé |
Animated, lively |
| Appassionato |
With passion |
| Assai |
Very |
| Attacca |
Go immediately to next section |
| Ben |
Well |
| Brio |
Vigour |
| Cantabile |
In a singing style |
| Cantando |
Singing |
| Come |
As, similar to |
| Comodo |
At a comfortable speed |
| Con, col |
With |
| Crescendo (Cresc.) |
Gradually getting louder |
| Da capo (D.C.) |
Repeat from beginning |
| Dal segno (D.S.) |
Repeat from "S" sign |
| Deciso |
With determination |
| Decrescendo (Decresc.) |
Gradually getting quieter |
| Diminuendo (Dim.) |
Gradually getting quieter |
| Dolce |
Sweet, soft |
| Dolore |
Grief, sorrow |
| Doloroso |
Sorrowful |
| Douce |
Sweet |
| E, ed |
And |
| Energico |
Energetic |
| Espressivo (espress.) |
Expressive |
| Fine |
The end |
| Forte (f) |
Loud |
| Fortepiano (fp) |
Loud, then immediately soft |
| Fortissimo (ff) |
Very Loud |
| Forza |
Force |
| Giocoso |
Playful, merry |
| Grave |
Very slow, solemn |
| Grazioso |
Graceful |
| Langsam |
Slow |
| Largamente |
Broadly |
| Larghetto |
Rather slow |
| Largo |
Slow and stately |
| Lebhaft |
Lively |
| Legato |
Smoothly |
| Leggiero |
Light, nimble |
| Lent |
Slow |
| Lento |
Slow |
| Ma |
But |
| Maestoso |
Majestic |
| Marcato (marc.) |
Emphatic, accented |
| Marcia |
March |
| Mässig |
At a moderate speed |
| Meno |
Less |
| Mesto |
Sad |
| Mezzo |
Half |
| Mezzo forte (mf) |
Moderately loud |
| Mezzo piano (mp) |
Moderately quiet |
| Misterioso |
Mysteriously |
| Moderato |
Moderate speed |
| Modéré |
At a moderate speed |
| Molto |
Very much |
| Morendo |
Dying away |
| Mosso |
Movement |
| Moto |
Movement |
| Niente |
Nothing (silence) |
| Non |
Not |
| Perdendosi |
Dying away |
| Pesante |
Heavy |
| Pianissimo (pp) |
Very quiet |
| Piano (p) |
Quiet |
| Più |
More |
| Poco |
A little |
| Poco a poco |
Little by little |
| Prestissimo |
As fast as possible |
| Presto |
Fast (faster than allegro) |
| Prima, primo |
First |
| Quasi |
As if, resembling |
| Rallentando (Rall.) |
Gradually getting slower |
| Retenu |
Held back |
| Rinforzando (rf, rfz, rinf.) |
Reinforcing |
| Risoluto |
Bold, strong |
| Ritardando (rit., ritard.) |
Gradually getting slower |
| Ritenuto (rit., riten.) |
Held back |
| Ritmico |
Rhythmically |
| Rubato |
With some freedom of time |
| Ruhig |
Peaceful |
| Scherzando |
Playfully, joking |
| Schnell |
Fast |
| Semplice |
Simple, plain |
| Sempre |
Always |
| Senza |
Without |
| Sforzando (sf) |
Forced, accented |
| Sforzato (sfz) |
Forced, accented |
| Simile (sim.) |
In the same way |
| Smorzando (smorz.) |
Dying away in tone and speed |
| Sonoro |
Resonant, with a rich tone |
| Sostenuto |
Sustained |
| Sotto voce |
In an undertone |
| Spirito |
Spirit |
| Staccato (stacc.) |
Detached |
| Stringendo |
Gradually getting faster |
| Subito (sub.) |
Suddenly |
| Tempo |
Speed, time |
| Tenuto |
Held |
| Tranquillo |
Calm |
| Traurig |
Sad |
| Tristamente, Triste |
Sorrowful |
| Troppo |
Too much |
| Vite |
Quick |
| Vivace, vivo |
Lively, quick |
