canción
“canción” means “song” in Spanish (a piece of music with words that is sung).
song
Also: tune, anthem
📝 In Action
¿Cuál es tu canción favorita?
A1What is your favorite song?
Estamos escuchando una canción muy bonita.
A1We are listening to a very beautiful song.
El cantante escribió una nueva canción sobre su ciudad.
A2The singer wrote a new song about his city.
La letra de esa canción es muy profunda.
B1The lyrics of that song are very deep.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: canción
Question 1 of 1
Which of the following is the best example of a 'canción'?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
This word comes directly from the Latin word 'cantiō', which meant... 'song'! It's built from the Latin verb 'canere', meaning 'to sing'. This same root gives us many related words in both Spanish and English, like 'cantar' (to sing), 'cantante' (singer), and even the English word 'chant'.
First recorded: Around the 12th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'canción' and 'música'?
Think of it like 'song' versus 'music' in English. A 'canción' is one single, specific song, usually with a singer and lyrics. 'Música' is the big, general idea of music—it can be a whole album, a genre like rock or classical, or instrumental music without any words.
How do I say 'song lyrics' in Spanish?
You say 'la letra de la canción'. 'Letra' literally means 'letter', but in this context, it means the words of the song.