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tango

TAHN-go/ˈtaŋɡo/

tango

Also: tango music
NounmA1
Argentina and Uruguay
A man and a woman performing a dramatic tango dance pose with a single red rose.

📝 In Action

El tango es un baile muy elegante y apasionado.

A1

The tango is a very elegant and passionate dance.

Me gusta escuchar tango mientras tomo un café.

A2

I like listening to tango while I have a coffee.

Buenos Aires es la capital mundial del tango.

B1

Buenos Aires is the tango capital of the world.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • milonga (a style of music related to tango or a place to dance it)

Common Collocations

  • bailar tango – to dance the tango
  • clases de tango – tango classes
  • orquesta de tango – tango orchestra

Idioms & Expressions

  • se necesitan dos para bailar un tango – both people involved in a situation are responsible for it

fuss / scene

Also: mess
NounmC1informal
Spain
A person standing in the middle of a room with many tangled colorful balls of yarn, looking overwhelmed.

📝 In Action

No me vengas con tangos y dime la verdad.

C1

Don't come to me with these stories (don't give me that runaround) and tell me the truth.

Se armó un tango en la oficina por el aire acondicionado.

C1

A huge scene/fuss broke out in the office because of the air conditioning.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • lío (mess/fuss)
  • cuento (story/excuse)

Common Collocations

  • armar un tango – to make a scene or cause a fuss
  • venir con tangos – to come with excuses or tall tales

Vocabulary Collections

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "tango" in Spanish:

mess→tango→tango music→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: tango

Question 1 of 3

What is the correct gender for 'tango' when referring to the dance?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
tanguero(tango lover or dancer) — Noun
tanguear(to dance tango) — Verb
tanguillo(a style of dance from Cádiz) — Noun
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼

The word likely comes from African languages (possibly Ibibio or Yoruba), meaning 'drums' or 'place to dance'. It was brought to the Americas by enslaved Africans and eventually merged with European and local influences in the 19th century.

First recorded: Early 19th century

Cognates (Related words)

English: tangoFrench: tango

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Frequently Asked Questions

Where does the word 'tango' actually come from?

While it's famous in Argentina, the word itself has African roots, originally referring to a place where people gathered to play drums and dance.

Is it capitalized in Spanish?

No, like other musical genres (rock, salsa, jazz), it is written in lowercase unless it starts a sentence.

Can 'tango' be a verb?

Technically, 'tango' is the 'I' form (yo) of the verb 'tanguear' (to dance tango), but people usually just say 'bailo tango' instead.