Music is an essential part of culture and daily life in most Spanish-speaking countries, and that is no different here in Mexico. From the infectious rhythms of salsa to the romantic ballads of mariachi, there is a wide variety of genres and styles to explore. In this article, you will learn how to talk about music in Spanish, including common terms, names of popular genres and instruments, and generic terms that make discussing music easier. This guide is designed for pre-intermediate level students (A2-B1) but also includes some more advanced vocabulary and expressions.

General Terms

To start talking about music, it’s useful to know some basic terms:

• Música - Music

• Canción - Song

• Melodía - Melody

• Ritmo - Rhythm

• Letra - Lyrics

• Banda - Band

• Grupo - Group

• Cantate - Singer

• Artista - Artist

• Álbum - Album

• Concierto - Concert

• Gira - Tour

Examples of Use

• ¿Cuál es tu canción favorita? - What is your favorite song?

• Me gusta el ritmo de esta música. - I like the rhythm of this music.

• La letra de esta canción es muy bonita. -  The lyrics of this song are very beautiful.

• Es una canción muy pegajosa. - It's a very catchy song.

• Quiero ir al concierto de ese grupo famoso. - I want to go to that famous group's concert.

• Voy a lanzar mi primer álbum el mes que viene, estoy tan emocionado/a. - I am going to release my first album next month, I am so excited.

• ¿Oíste que ella va a visitar México en su gira mundial? - Did you hear that she is going to visit Mexico on her world tour?

Musical Genres

Spanish music covers a wide range of genres, but it's also useful to know the names of popular genres from around the world. Here are some of the most popular ones:

Genres from Spanish-Speaking Countries:

Reguetón - Reggaeton is a blend of latin reggae, dance hall and hip-hop influences.

Mariachi - A distinctive Mexican musical style originating in the state of Jalisco,incorporating brass and string instruments and singing in harmonies. Groups wear traditional charro clothing and are one of Mexico’s most recognizable cultural symbols.

Banda - Similar to mariachi in some ways, this style originating in the northern state of Sinola eschews the stringed instruments of its cousin and focuses on the brass instruments.

Ranchera - Traditional Mexican folk songs, often sentinel or agrarian in content and usually sung by a solo male voice accompanied by a guitar.

Norteño - A Mexican regional umbrella term that covers a few similar musical styles originating in the north of Mexico.

Corridos - A term for a type of Mexican ballad usually focusing on the vaquero (Mexican cowboy) lifestyle and eulogizing its struggles both within and outside the law.

Salsa - Often used to describe dance music of Latin origin, although the term originates with Cuban-influenced music created in New York.

Cumbia - A musical style with origins in Afro-Colombian traditions blending Indigenous and African influences.

Bachata - A heavily rhythmic musical style originating in the Dominican Republic.

Flamenco - Folkloric music originating from the Andalusia region of southern Spain.

Bolero - This can refer to two styles of music, one being a traditional Spanish style and the other being a Cuban evolution of Mexican ranchera music.

Merengue - A high tempo melodic dance music developed in the Dominican Republic.

Tango - A distinctive dance style of music developed in Argentina and Uruguay blending African and European styles. It is known for its specific four beat rhythm.

Rumba - An upbeat secular Cuban musical genre derived from slaves songs.

Mambo -  An Afro-Cuban blend of jazz and big band styles into a dancehall genre similar to rumba.

Trova - A Cuban style combining guitar and vocal harmonies using poetic lyrics. Normally performed by a lone singer-songwriter.

Vallenato - Music that originates from the valleys of Colombia’s Atlantic coast, often using instruments of European origin but blending Indigenous sounds and rhythms.

Trap Latino: Latin Trap is a subgenre of hip-hop from Puerto Rico that is similar to Reggaeton.

Jazz Latino: Latin Jazz is an umbrella term for the fusion of Jazz style music with Latin American rhythm.

The Yucatan Peninsula also has other popular styles due to its geographic reason with Belizean Creole Punta Rock and French Caribbean inspired Calypso being particularly widely listened. too. 

International Genres

Most international genres retain their names in Spanish, however there are some differences in spelling in some cases. Those with changes are marked with an asterisk

Pop: Pop

Rock: Rock

Hip Hop: Hip Hop

Rap: Rap

R&B: R&B

Jazz: Jazz

Blues: Blues

Country: Country

Electronic: Electrónic*: 

House: House

Techno: Techno

Reggae: Reggae

Funk: Funk

Soul: Soul

Disco: Disco

Heavy Metal: Heavy Metal or Musica de rock pesada

Punk: Punk

Grunge: Grunge

Indie: Indie

K-Pop: K-Pop

Bossa Nova: Bossa Nova

Gospel: Gospel

Classical: Clásica*

Opera: Ópera*

Examples of Use

• Me encanta la salsa porque es muy bailable. - I love salsa because it's very danceable.

• El reguetón es muy popular en América Latina. -  Reggaeton is very popular in Latin America.

• Mi abuelo siempre escucha mariachi. -  My grandfather always listens to mariachi.

• El flamenco tiene una energía muy especial. - Flamenco has a very special energy.

• La bachata es perfecta para bailar en pareja. -  Bachata is perfect for dancing with a partner.

• Me gusta mucho el jazz y el blues. - I really like jazz and blues.

• El hip hop moderno tiene letras muy profundas. -  Modern hip hop has very deep lyrics.

Musical Genres

To talk about music, it's also important to know the names of common instruments:

Examples of Use

• Mi hermano toca la guitarra en una banda. - My brother plays the guitar in a band.

• La trompeta es un instrumento clave en el mariachi. - The trumpet is a key instrument in mariachi.

• Me gustaría aprender a tocar el piano. - I would like to learn to play the piano.

• El saxofón suena increíble en el jazz latino. - The saxophone sounds amazing in Latin jazz.

• La flauta tiene un sonido muy dulce. -  The flute has a very sweet sound.

Useful Expressions

To enrich your vocabulary, here are some expressions and phrases that will help you talk about music more fluently:

• ¿Qué tipo de música te gusta? - What kind of music do you like?

• Estoy escuchando la nueva canción de …… - I'm listening to……’s new song.

• ¿Has oído la nueva canción de...? - Have you heard the new song by...?

• Me encanta el ritmo de esta canción -  I love the rhythm of this song.

• La letra de esta canción es muy profunda. -  The lyrics of this song are very deep.

• Voy a un concierto esta noche con mi novio. - I'm going to a concert tonight with my boyfriend.

• Esta banda tiene mucho talento. - This band is very talented.

Beyond the Basics

For those who want to go a bit deeper, here are some more advanced words and expressions:

• Compositor: Composer

• Arreglo: Arrangement

• Improvisación: Improvisation

• Afinar: To tune

• A capella: A cappella

• Solista: Soloist

• Corista: Backup singer

Examples of Use

• El compositor de esta canción es muy famoso. - The composer of this song is very famous.

• La banda hizo un arreglo nuevo para esta canción. - The band made a new arrangement for this song.

• La improvisación de la guitarrista fue impresionante. - The guitarist's improvisation was impressive.

Talking about music in Spanish can be an enriching and fun experience. With these terms and expressions, you'll be better prepared to share your musical tastes and enjoy conversations about your favorite artists and genres. Don't hesitate to practice with friends or whenever you get the opportunity.

Listening to music can also be a great way to practice and improve your Spanish. Our Na’atik teachers often use music in the classroom to illustrate the use of grammar and vocabulary. Check out the Na’atik Spotify Channel for some playlists of songs our teachers recommend.

Is there another Spanish language topic that you are struggling with or would like to read an article about? Let us know at communications@naatikmexico.org. You can find our other Spanish language blogs here. 

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If you would like to take the next step in your language journey, Na’atik offers a unique nonprofit language immersion program, where your Spanish or Maya lessons are enhanced by a homestay experience in the town of Felipe Carrillo Puerto. Sharing meals and spare time with local and Indigenous people makes this a unique opportunity to see authentic Mexico. Online classes are also available. Every visit and online package helps us to provide life-changing educational opportunities to local children.Visit our Immersion page or contact us on mas@naatikmexico.org to find out more.