The tables below give Italian, German and French words for common performance directions, divided into “tempo”, “dynamic” and “mood” performance directions. But first is a set of “qualifying” words (e.g. adverbs) that are used in combination with other words. These “qualifying words” are often a favourite exam question!
Try to remember words within these categories and then test your memory
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English |
Italian |
German |
French |
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“ a little”/"rather" |
poco |
Wenig Etwas (somewhat) |
peu |
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“very” |
assai |
sehr |
tres |
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“but” |
ma |
aber |
mais |
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“more” |
piu |
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plus |
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“enough/sufficiently" |
Assai |
Etwas ziemlich |
assez |
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“with” |
con |
mit |
avec |
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“well” |
Ben,bene |
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“and” |
E,ed |
und |
et |
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“always” |
sempre |
immer |
toujours |
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“speed”, time |
tempo |
zietmass |
temps |
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“very much” |
molto |
viel |
trop |
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“less” |
meno |
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moins |
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“little by little” |
Poco a poco |
Nach und nach |
Peu et peu |
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“not” |
non |
nicht |
non |
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“without” |
senza |
ohne |
sans |
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“suddenly” |
Subito,sub. |
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“Half” ( not too much) |
mezzo |
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“below/under” |
sotto |
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sous |
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“above/over” |
sopra |
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sur |
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Metronome mark q= 100 - h = 60 - | |||
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Very slow |
Largo Grave Larghetto |
Sehr Langsam |
Grave |
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Slow |
Lento Adagio |
Langsam |
Lent |
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Easy comfortable pace |
Andante Andantino Moderato Tempo comodo |
Massig |
Modere |
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Quite Fast |
Allegretto |
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Fast |
Allegro |
Schnell Lebhaft |
Vite |
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Very fast |
Presto Prestissimo |
Sehr Schnell Ausserst rasch |
Tres vite |
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Tempo - | |||
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Get slower |
Ritardando, rit. Rallentando,rall. Ritenuto, rit. |
Langsamer |
En retenant Retenu Moins vite Cedez ralentir |
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Get faster |
Accelerando Stringendo |
Schneller Noch rascher Lebhafter |
En serrant En pressant Serrer, serrez Plus vites |
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In time, return to original speed |
A tempo Primo tempo |
Erstes tempo |
(Au) mouvement Premiere mouvement |
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Double speed |
Doppio movimento |
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With some freedom of time |
rubato |
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Go straight on (with next section of music) |
attaca |
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Play freely in time |
Ad libitum, ad lib. |
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In strict time |
Tempo giusto |
Ballmassig |
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Forced/accented/ |
Sforzando,sFz |
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Getting louder |
Crescendo,cresc. |
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Getting softer |
Diminuendo,dim. |
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Dying away (in volume and getting slower) |
Calando Smorzando Morendo |
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Broadening (getting slower and louder) |
allargando |
Breit(er) |
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Strongly accentend, "Hammered out" |
Martellato |
Kraftig |
Martele |
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Lightly/light (in touch) |
leggiero |
leicht |
Legerement leger |
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Heavy (in touch/mood) |
pesante |
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En dehors |
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"Half voice", subdued |
Mezzo voce |
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"Below the voice", in an undertone |
Sotto voce |
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Prominent "outside" |
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En dehors |
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Agitated Restless |
Agitato Inquieto |
bewegt |
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Passionately |
Appassionato |
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passionnement |
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Furiously With Fire Fierce |
Furioso Con fuoco feroce |
feurig |
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Lively |
Vivace |
Munter lebhaft |
Vivement vif |
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Animated,lively |
Animato |
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Anime |
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With spirit/vigour |
Con brio vigoroso |
frisch |
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Brilliant |
Brillante Bravura |
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brillant |
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Happy, joyful |
Giocoso Giojoso Felice |
Lustig frohlich |
joyeux |
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Easy Simply |
Facile semplice |
einfach |
Facile |
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Calm, peaceful Tranquil |
Placido,calmato Tranquillo |
ruhig |
calme |
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Warmly |
Calaroso |
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amabile |
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Sweetly Lovingly Tenderly |
dolce Amoroso affetuoso |
zart |
Douce,doux |
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Singing(ly) |
Cantabile |
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Sad,Sadly Tearfully |
Doloroso,dolente Lacrimoso tristamente |
Traurig |
Triste melancolique |
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Whimsical (free) Playfully/jokily |
Capriccioso scherzando |
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Graceful Delicate |
Grazioso delicato |
zart |
gracieux |
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Majestic Martial Nobly |
Maestoso Marziale noblimente |
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Mysteriously Shadowy |
Misterioso tenebraeoso |
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Expressivley |
Espressivo |
Empfindung |
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