canción
/kanˈθjon/
The English phrase "song" is translated into Spanish as canción.
A canción refers to a piece of music that is sung.
Which one should you use?
While canción specifically refers to a song that is sung, pieza is a more general term for a musical piece that may or may not be vocal.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In northern regions of Mexico, tono is used as a synonym for canción.
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun canción is feminine and takes the definite article la. The plural form of canción is canciones.
How do you pronounce it?
/kanˈθjon/
When do people say it?
The colloquial term temazo is used in Spain and parts of Latin America to refer to a great song.
Did you know?
- In Spanish, the phrase cantar las cuarenta does not involve a song, but means to tell someone off or speak the blunt truth to them.
- In some Latin American contexts, the word copla refers to a specific type of traditional song that often consists of short, rhyming stanzas used to tell a story.
- The word canción is a semi-learned borrowing from Latin, meaning it was partially recreated by scholars rather than evolving naturally through every stage of speech.
Examples in context
- El tema musical fue un gran éxito en toda América Latina.The song was a big hit throughout Latin America.
- ¡Esta canción es genial!This song is awesome!
- ¡Esa nueva canción de reggaeton es un temazo!That new reggaeton song is a hit!
- Esta canción es muy bonita.This song is very beautiful.
- ¿Cuál es tu canción favorita?What is your favorite song?
- No recuerdo el nombre de la canción.I don't remember the name of the song.
Example conversation
Sofía and Alejandro are listening to the radio in a car.
- SofíaMe encanta esta canción.I love this song.
- AlejandroEs una canción muy alegre.It is a very happy song.
- SofíaAlejandro, ¿sabes quién la canta?Alejandro, do you know who sings it?
- AlejandroNo, no estoy seguro.No, I am not sure.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry canción, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries canción, CC BY-SA 4.0.
