Inklingo

How to Say "note" in Spanish

The most common Spanish word for “note” is “nota” — use 'nota' for a brief, informal written message or memo, like a reminder or a short letter..

English → Spanish

nota

NOH-tah/ˈno.ta/

nounA1general
Use 'nota' for a brief, informal written message or memo, like a reminder or a short letter.
A single yellow square sticky note attached to a wooden surface, with a pencil resting beside it, representing a short memo.

Examples

Dejé una nota a mi compañero de piso antes de salir.

I left a note for my roommate before leaving.

El director tomó nota de todos nuestros comentarios.

The director made a note of all our comments.

El piano tocó la nota más alta de la melodía.

The piano played the highest note of the melody.

Hay una nota de tristeza en su voz.

There is a note of sadness in his voice.

'Tomar nota'

The fixed phrase 'tomar nota' means 'to write something down' or 'to pay attention to something so you remember it later.' Do not use 'hacer' (to make) a note.

Figurative Use

Like in English, 'nota' can be used figuratively to mean 'a hint,' 'a touch,' or 'a feeling' within a situation, emotion, or piece of art (e.g., 'una nota de ironía').

Using 'hacer' with notes

Mistake: “Hice una nota.”

Correction: Escribí una nota (I wrote a note) or Tomé una nota (I took a note).

mensaje

/men-SA-heh//menˈsa.xe/

nounA1general
Use 'mensaje' for a short communication, especially one sent electronically (like a text message) or a spoken message.
A small, brightly colored bird flying across a sunny sky, carrying a tiny rolled-up scroll tied to its leg, representing a communication being sent.

Examples

Te envié un mensaje esta mañana. ¿Lo viste?

I sent you a message this morning. Did you see it?

Por favor, déjale un mensaje a tu hermana de mi parte.

Please, leave a message for your sister from me.

Recibí un mensaje de voz de un número desconocido.

I received a voicemail message from an unknown number.

Always Masculine: 'el mensaje'

Even though it ends in '-e', 'mensaje' is a masculine word. A helpful trick: nearly all Spanish nouns that end in '-aje' are masculine, like 'el viaje' (the trip) and 'el garaje' (the garage).

Don't Mix Up with 'Masaje'

Mistake: “Quiero un mensaje, por favor.”

Correction: Quiero un masaje, por favor. 'Masaje' means 'massage'. They sound similar but mean very different things!

tono

/TOH-noh//ˈtono/

nounA2musical
Use 'tono' when referring to the pitch or quality of a sound, particularly in a musical context.
A single, large, colorful musical note, specifically an eighth note, floating in the air to represent sound.

Examples

El piano necesita afinación, el tono está un poco bajo.

The piano needs tuning, the tone is a little flat.

Su voz tiene un tono muy grave y resonante.

His voice has a very deep and resonant pitch.

El tono de llamada de mi móvil es una melodía clásica.

My cell phone ringtone is a classical melody.

Masculine Noun Rule

Remember that 'tono' is a masculine noun, so you must use 'el' or 'un' before it, and any describing words (adjectives) must also end in -o (e.g., 'el tono fuerte').

nota

NOH-tah/ˈno.ta/

nounB1musical
Use 'nota' for a single musical sound or pitch within a melody or chord.
A single yellow square sticky note attached to a wooden surface, with a pencil resting beside it, representing a short memo.

Examples

El piano tocó la nota más alta de la melodía.

The piano played the highest note of the melody.

Dejé una nota a mi compañero de piso antes de salir.

I left a note for my roommate before leaving.

El director tomó nota de todos nuestros comentarios.

The director made a note of all our comments.

Hay una nota de tristeza en su voz.

There is a note of sadness in his voice.

'Tomar nota'

The fixed phrase 'tomar nota' means 'to write something down' or 'to pay attention to something so you remember it later.' Do not use 'hacer' (to make) a note.

Figurative Use

Like in English, 'nota' can be used figuratively to mean 'a hint,' 'a touch,' or 'a feeling' within a situation, emotion, or piece of art (e.g., 'una nota de ironía').

Using 'hacer' with notes

Mistake: “Hice una nota.”

Correction: Escribí una nota (I wrote a note) or Tomé una nota (I took a note).

observación

nounB2formal
Use 'observación' for a written comment, remark, or critique, often in an academic or professional setting.

Examples

El profesor hizo una observación muy pertinente sobre mi tesis.

The professor made a very relevant comment about my thesis.

advertencia

ahd-vehr-TEHN-syah/að.βeɾˈten.sja/

nounB2formal
Use 'advertencia' for a formal warning or a preliminary remark, often to alert someone to something important or sensitive.
A figure standing behind a simple counter with both hands raised and open, indicating a gesture of non-involvement or relinquishing responsibility for a large, closed box resting on the customer side of the counter.

Examples

La novela comenzaba con una advertencia sobre el contenido sensible.

The novel began with a disclaimer about the sensitive content.

Por favor, lea la advertencia legal antes de usar el software.

Please read the legal notice before using the software.

Written Messages vs. Musical Notes

The most common confusion is between 'nota' as a written message and 'nota' as a musical note. Always consider the context: are you leaving a reminder, or are you talking about music? Use 'nota' for both, but context is key.

Related Translations

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