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cante

KAHN-teh/ˈkante/

singing

Also: song
NounmB1
Spain
A man in traditional Spanish clothing with his head tilted back and mouth open as if singing flamenco.

📝 In Action

Me encanta el cante jondo por su intensidad.

B1

I love the 'cante jondo' (deep singing) because of its intensity.

El cante de ese gitano era puro sentimiento.

B2

That gypsy's singing was pure emotion.

Hay diferentes tipos de cante en el flamenco.

B1

There are different types of singing in flamenco.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • canto (singing/song)
  • copla (folk song/verse)

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • cante flamenco – flamenco singing
  • cante jondo – deep, traditional flamenco singing
  • el cante y el baile – the singing and the dancing

sing

Also: that I sing / that he or she sings
VerbA2regular ar
A person standing on a small wooden stage with arms open wide and mouth open as if singing a song.
gerundcantando
past Participlecantado
infinitivecantar

📝 In Action

Señora, cante usted una canción.

A2

Ma'am, please sing a song.

Espero que ella cante en la boda.

B1

I hope that she sings at the wedding.

No creo que yo cante bien hoy.

B1

I don't think I'll sing well today.

Word Connections

Synonyms

Common Collocations

  • que cante – let him/her sing / I hope he/she sings
  • cante conmigo – sing with me (polite)

scene

Also: bad smell
NounmC1informal
Spain
A person in a quiet library knocking over a large stack of books, making a loud scene while everyone looks.

📝 In Action

Ese color de pelo da un poco el cante.

C1

That hair color stands out a bit too much (it's a bit flashy).

No grites en el cine, que das el cante.

B2

Don't shout in the cinema, you're making a scene.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • espectáculo (spectacle/scene)

Antonyms

  • discreción (discretion)

Common Collocations

  • dar el cante – to stand out negatively / to make a scene

Idioms & Expressions

  • dar el cante – To draw unwanted attention by being eccentric, behaving badly, or even smelling bad.

🔄 Conjugations

subjunctive

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedescantaran
yocantara
túcantaras
vosotroscantarais
nosotroscantáramos
él/ella/ustedcantara

present

ellos/ellas/ustedescanten
yocante
túcantes
vosotroscantéis
nosotroscantemos
él/ella/ustedcante

indicative

preterite

ellos/ellas/ustedescantaron
yocanté
túcantaste
vosotroscantasteis
nosotroscantamos
él/ella/ustedcantó

imperfect

ellos/ellas/ustedescantaban
yocantaba
túcantabas
vosotroscantabais
nosotroscantábamos
él/ella/ustedcantaba

present

ellos/ellas/ustedescantan
yocanto
túcantas
vosotroscantáis
nosotroscantamos
él/ella/ustedcanta
View All Tenses & Moods →

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "cante" in Spanish:

bad smell→scene→sing→singing→song→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: cante

Question 1 of 3

If you are at a flamenco show and someone refers to 'el cante', what are they talking about?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
cantar(to sing) — Verb
cantante(singer) — Noun
canción(song) — Noun
cantautor(singer-songwriter) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

From the Latin word 'cantus', which means singing or song. Over time, in Spanish, it branched into 'canto' (general singing) and 'cante' (specifically for the folk traditions of Spain).

First recorded: 13th century (general roots), 18th century (specific flamenco usage)

Cognates (Related words)

Italian: cantoFrench: chantEnglish: chant

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 'canto' and 'cante'?

In general terms, 'canto' is the standard word for 'singing' or 'song' (like opera or pop). 'Cante' is reserved for flamenco or folk singing in Spain, or used as a specific form of the verb 'cantar'.

When do I use 'cante' instead of 'canta'?

Use 'canta' for friends (informal) or when stating a fact (he sings). Use 'cante' when being polite/formal (Cante usted) or when expressing a wish (Espero que cante).

Can 'cante' mean a bad smell?

Yes, in very informal Spanish slang, 'dar el cante' can figuratively mean someone has strong, noticeable body odor.