Inklingo

How to Say "timbre" in Spanish

English → Spanish

ring

/reen//riŋ/

nounA1
Use 'ring' for the sound a bell or phone makes, essentially the act of ringing.
A golden bell swinging and vibrating to show it is making a sound.

Examples

Esperaba el ring del teléfono, pero nunca llamó.

I was waiting for the phone to ring, but she never called.

Sounds as Nouns

Spanish often uses the English word for a sound as a noun. You can say 'el ring' to refer to the noise itself.

timbre

TEEM-bray/ˈtim.bɾe/

nounB1
Use 'timbre' to describe the unique tonal quality or character of a sound, like a voice or a musical instrument.
A simplified illustration showing a stylized musical note symbol floating above an open mouth, representing the unique tone quality of a sound.

Examples

Su voz tiene un timbre muy dulce y reconocible.

Her voice has a very sweet and recognizable timbre (tone quality).

El violín y el chelo tienen timbres distintos, aunque toquen la misma nota.

The violin and the cello have distinct timbres, even if they play the same note.

What Timbre Means

This meaning of 'timbre' refers to the unique characteristic that makes a particular sound or voice recognizable, separate from its pitch or loudness.

Ring vs. Timbre

Learners often confuse 'ring' and 'timbre' because both relate to sound. Remember that 'ring' is the action or sound of a bell/phone, while 'timbre' is the characteristic quality of a sound, like the 'color' of a voice.

Related Translations

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