subir la música
/subiɾ la musika/from spelling rules
To turn the music up in Spanish, you say subir la música.
The phrase is used when you want to increase the volume of a music player or an instrument.
What does it mean word for word?
The verb subir means to raise or to go up, which is why it is used to express turning up the volume.
Which one should you use?
If you want to say 'to turn the music down' instead, use bajar la música. You can also use the phrase subir el volumen to specifically refer to the volume level.
How does it change in a sentence?
When giving a command to a single person, the form changes. Use the informal imperative sube in sube la música, and use the polite/formal imperative suba in suba la música.
Did you know?
- The verb subir used in subir la música comes from the Latin word subīre, which originally meant 'to approach' or 'to go under' rather than 'to go up'.
- The verb subir is used not only for volume but also for climbing stairs or moving to a higher position, treating sound as a physical elevation.
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking to subir la música is common during a fiesta, where high volume is a social signal of celebration.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, ¿podría subir la música, por favor?Excuse me, could you please turn the music up?
- Dale más caña a la música, ¡hoy es una fiesta!Give the music more power, today's a party!
- Voy a subir la música para la fiesta.I am going to turn the music up for the party.
- No oigo nada, ¿puedes subir la música?I can't hear anything, can you turn the music up?
Example conversation
Daniel and María are dancing in the living room.
- DanielMaría, me encanta esta canción.María, I love this song.
- María¡Sí! ¿Puedes subir la música, Daniel?Yes! Can you turn the music up, Daniel?
- DanielClaro, voy a subir la música ahora.Sure, I'm going to turn the music up now.
- María¡Mucho mejor, gracias!Much better, thanks!
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries la, música, subir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
