rock

rohk/rok/

“rock” means “rock (music)” in Spanish (musical genre).

rock (music)

Also: rock and roll

NounmA2

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A simple storybook illustration showing a bright red electric guitar with colorful musical notes floating above the strings.

📝 In Action

¿Prefieres el rock o la música pop?

Do you prefer rock or pop music?

Mi padre creció escuchando rock clásico de los 70.

My father grew up listening to classic rock from the 70s.

Esta banda de rock toca en vivo esta noche.

This rock band is playing live tonight.

Word Connections

Synonyms

música rock (rock music)

Common Collocations

banda de rock – rock band
concierto de rock – rock concert
rock pesado – heavy rock/metal

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: rock

Question 1 of 2

If you are talking about a type of music, which article should you use with 'rock'?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼

rockero(rocker/rock fan) — Noun

rockear(to rock out (informal)) — Verb

rocanrol(rock and roll (phonetic spelling)) — Noun

🎵 Rhymes▼

stockshock

📚 Etymology▼

This word is a direct borrowing (an anglicism) from the English term 'rock and roll,' which was shortened to 'rock.' It entered Spanish through the massive cultural influence of American music starting in the mid-20th century.

First recorded: Mid-20th century (1950s/1960s)

Cognates (Related words)

English: rockFrench: rock

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use 'roca' instead of 'rock'?

No. 'Roca' means a literal stone or boulder (like in geology). If you are talking about the musical genre, you must use the English spelling 'rock' and treat it as a foreign word.

Is 'rock' capitalized in Spanish?

No. Unless it starts a sentence, musical genres are written in lowercase in Spanish: 'Me gusta el rock and roll'.