How to Say "melody" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “melody” is “melodía” — use 'melodía' for the general concept of a sequence of musical notes, especially when referring to a catchy or memorable tune in any song..
English → Spanish
melodía
nounA2general
Use 'melodía' for the general concept of a sequence of musical notes, especially when referring to a catchy or memorable tune in any song.
Examples
La melodía de esa canción es muy pegajosa.
The melody of that song is very catchy.
aire
/ai-reh//ˈai.ɾe/
nounB2general
Use 'aire' when referring to a specific tune, often a traditional, folk, or regional one, or when talking about the style or 'air' of a piece of music.
Examples
El flautista tocó un aire popular de su región.
The flutist played a popular tune from his region.
La canción tiene un aire melancólico.
The song has a melancholic air/melody.
Choosing Between 'Melodía' and 'Aire'
Learners often default to 'aire' for any sequence of notes, but 'melodía' is the more common and versatile translation. Reserve 'aire' for when you specifically mean a folk tune or a song's distinct style, rather than just the tune itself.
Learn Spanish with Inklingo
Interactive stories, personalized learning, and more.