cantar
/kanˈtaɾ/
To sing in Spanish is cantar.
cantar is the most common and general term used to express the act of producing harmonious sounds with one's voice.
Meaning: to produce harmonious sounds with one’s voice (verb)
Which one should you use?
While cantar is the standard verb, other terms exist for specific contexts. Entonar is used when describing singing with appropriate intonation or singing in tune. Interpretar is used specifically when referring to the performance of a song. For casual or soft singing, such as humming, you can use canturrear.
How does it change in a sentence?
When describing actions in the past, the form of the verb changes based on the nature of the action. Use the third-person singular preterite form cantó to say he or she sang. Use the imperfect indicative form cantaba to describe singing that was habitual or ongoing in the past.
How do you pronounce it?
/kanˈtaɾ/
Did you know?
- The phrase cantar las cuarenta means to tell someone off or speak the blunt truth to them. It literally translates to 'to sing the forty'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, if someone says me cantaron, they might not mean they were literally sung to, but rather that they were 'snitched' on or 'sang' to the police.
- In some Spanish-speaking regions, the expression cantar un gol describes the act of celebrating a goal before the ball has actually entered the net.
Examples in context
- Pua va a cantar.Pua is going to sing.This sentence shows how to use cantar to indicate a future intention.Tatoeba #3203275 by cueyayotl, translation #3155276 by CN
- Él me hizo cantar.He made me sing.This sentence demonstrates using cantar after a causative verb.Tatoeba #1059015 by Shishir, translation #297721 by CK
- Ella le oyó cantar.She heard him sing.This sentence shows how to use cantar following a verb of perception.Tatoeba #892141 by Shishir, translation #887198 by CK
- Me encanta cantar en coro.I love to sing in a choir.
- Mi profesor me enseñó a entonar correctamente.My teacher taught me how to sing in tune.
- Mi amiga interpretó una hermosa canción en el concierto.My friend performed a beautiful song at the concert.
- Mientras cocino, me gusta canturrear mis canciones favoritas.While cooking, I like to hum my favorite songs.
- 204 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mateo and Sofía are at a karaoke party.
- MateoSofía, ¿quieres cantar una canción?Sofía, do you want to sing a song?
- SofíaNo me gusta cantar frente a la gente.I don't like to sing in front of people.
- MateoPero puedes cantar conmigo.But you can sing with me.
- SofíaEstá bien, vamos a cantar juntos.Alright, let's sing together.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “sing” translations and entries cantar, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
