A happy child standing and singing into a simple, old-fashioned microphone. Bright, colorful musical notes and sound waves float around the child's head, representing the song.

canción

/kan-SYON/

NounfA1

song?a piece of music with words that is sung

Also:tune?referring to the melody,anthem?a formal song for a group or country

📝 In Action

¿Cuál es tu canción favorita?

What is your favorite song?

Estamos escuchando una canción muy bonita.

We are listening to a very beautiful song.

El cantante escribió una nueva canción sobre su ciudad.

The singer wrote a new song about his city.

La letra de esa canción es muy profunda.

The lyrics of that song are very deep.

Word Connections

Synonyms

tema (track / theme)
melodía (melody)
copla (couplet / folk song)

Common Collocations

letra de la canción – song lyrics
escribir una canción – to write a song
cantar una canción – to sing a song
canción de cuna – lullaby
canción de amor – love song

Idioms & Expressions

ser otro cantar – to be a different story / a whole other matter
cantarle las cuarenta a alguien – to tell someone off / to give someone a piece of your mind

💡 Grammar Points

Always Feminine: 'la canción'

Remember that 'canción' is a feminine word, so you always use 'la' or 'una' with it (la canción, una canción). Here's a great tip: almost all Spanish nouns ending in '-ción', '-sión', or '-dad' are feminine!

❌ Common Pitfalls

'Canción' vs. 'Música'

Mistake: ""Me gusta la canción clásica.""

Correction: "Me gusta la música clásica." (I like classical music.) A 'canción' is one specific song, usually with lyrics. 'Música' is the general word for all music.

⭐ Usage Tips

Talking About Your Taste

When someone asks about your favorite music, you can answer with a specific 'canción' or talk about a 'tipo de música' (type of music). For example: 'Mi canción favorita es...' or 'Me gusta la música rock'.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: canción

Question 1 of 1

Which of the following is the best example of a 'canción'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

cantar(to sing) - verb

cantante(singer) - noun

cantautor(singer-songwriter) - noun

canto(singing / song) - noun

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.