Inklingo

How to Say "rhythm" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ritmo

REET-mohˈritmo

nounA1general
Use 'ritmo' for the general musical beat, pattern, or flow of music, or even a non-musical sense of cadence or pace.
A simple illustration of a drum being played. A drumstick hits the center, and three clear, repeating, wavy blue sound lines move away from the drum, representing the musical rhythm.

Examples

Me encanta el ritmo de la música latina; es muy contagioso.

I love the rhythm of Latin music; it's very contagious.

Perdí el ritmo y no pude seguir bailando.

I lost the beat and couldn't keep dancing.

El baterista mantuvo un ritmo constante durante toda la canción.

The drummer kept a steady rhythm throughout the whole song.

Gender Trap

Even though 'ritmo' ends in -o, it's a masculine noun, so it always uses 'el' (el ritmo) and masculine adjectives.

Confusing Noun and Adjective

Mistake: “Usar 'rítmico' cuando se quiere decir 'ritmo'. (e.g., 'El rítmico es lento.')”

Correction: Use the noun 'ritmo'. The adjective 'rítmico' means 'rhythmic'. (e.g., 'El ritmo es lento.')

compás

nounA2general
Use 'compás' when referring specifically to the beat, time signature, or the steady pulse that you follow in music or dance.

Examples

Tienes que seguir el compás de la música.

You have to follow the beat of the music.

aires

AY-rehsˈai̯ɾes

nounB1specific/stylistic
Use 'aires' to describe the specific style, mood, or characteristic musical beat associated with a particular genre or region.
Colorful musical notes floating out of the end of a simple wooden flute.

Examples

Me encanta la música andaluza, especialmente los aires de flamenco.

I love Andalusian music, especially the flamenco tunes/rhythms.

El compositor le dio a la pieza unos aires muy melancólicos.

The composer gave the piece a very melancholic tune/feel.

Cultural Context

This usage is common when discussing traditional music, especially in Spain and Latin America, where 'aires' describes the characteristic sound of a regional genre.

General Beat vs. Specific Style

The most common mistake is using 'ritmo' or 'compás' when you mean a specific style of music. Remember that 'aires' refers to the characteristic feel or mood of a particular genre, like flamenco or jazz.

Related Translations

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