Tempo, or the speed of a song, is marked at the beginning of notation and may be written using different methods. For example, you will often see numbers next to a small music note (♩ = 70) that indicate an exact BPM (beats per minute); or, you’ll find it expressed in word form.
These words tend to be Italian, and they correspond to a BPM. This list will show you the most common Italian tempo commands organized by their speed, and give you other common synonyms you are likely to encounter in piano music.
Italian
BPM
French
German
larghissimo
< 40
extrêmement large
sehr breit
solenne / grave
≈ 40
grave
schwer
largo
42 - 66
large / largement
breit
lentissimo
< 48
très lent
sehr langsam
adagissimo
≈ 52
lentement modéré
sehr ruhig
lento
52 - 68
lent
langsam
larghetto
56 - 64
assez large
etwas breit
adagio
60 - 80 (66-76)*
à l’aise
gemächlich
adagietto
68 - 76
assez vite
ziemlich ruhig
tranquillo
≈ 80
tranquil
ruhig
andante
80 - 100 (76-108)*
allant
gehend
moderato
88 - 112
modéré
mässig
allegretto
100 - 128
assez vite
ein wenig schnell
allegro
112 - 160
allègre / vite
fröhlich / lustig
vivace
≈ 140
vif
lebhaft
presto
140 - 200 (168-208)*
rapide
sehr schnell
allegrissimo
≈ 168
très vite
geschwind
vivacissimo
≈ 200
extrêmement vif
sehr rasch
prestissimo
188 - 220
très rapide
äusserst schnell
traditional metronome BPM
Speed-Changing Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
accelerando
gradual speed-up
accélérez
beschleunigend
ritardando
gradual slow-down
retardez
verzögernd
allargando
widen & slow the beats
en élargissant
verbreiternd
rallentando
gradual, rolling stop
ralentissez
verlangsamend
tempo primo
back to original tempo
au mouvement
Hauptzeitmass
Other Common Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
tempo giusto
keep strict tempo
mouvement exact
im angemessenen Zeitmass
a piacere
ad lib.; rhythm at player’s will
à volonté
nach Gefallen
alla breve
in cut-time
à la blanche
Takt in Halben Noten
Printable Piano Lesson Book
An Introduction to the Elements of Music
rolled chord
The Staff in Music Notation
Musical Symbols in Piano Music
What Is Tempo?
What Are Keynotes and Tonics?
rest
Top 24 Composers of the Romantic Era
The Italian Commands of Piano Music
The Musical Term Allegro and Its Lively Definition
beats per minute
great stave
The Definition and Purpose of Mässig Music
whole note
The Tranquillo Meaning In Music
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
Tempo, or the speed of a song, is marked at the beginning of notation and may be written using different methods. For example, you will often see numbers next to a small music note (♩ = 70) that indicate an exact BPM (beats per minute); or, you’ll find it expressed in word form.
These words tend to be Italian, and they correspond to a BPM. This list will show you the most common Italian tempo commands organized by their speed, and give you other common synonyms you are likely to encounter in piano music.
Italian
BPM
French
German
larghissimo
< 40
extrêmement large
sehr breit
solenne / grave
≈ 40
grave
schwer
largo
42 - 66
large / largement
breit
lentissimo
< 48
très lent
sehr langsam
adagissimo
≈ 52
lentement modéré
sehr ruhig
lento
52 - 68
lent
langsam
larghetto
56 - 64
assez large
etwas breit
adagio
60 - 80 (66-76)*
à l’aise
gemächlich
adagietto
68 - 76
assez vite
ziemlich ruhig
tranquillo
≈ 80
tranquil
ruhig
andante
80 - 100 (76-108)*
allant
gehend
moderato
88 - 112
modéré
mässig
allegretto
100 - 128
assez vite
ein wenig schnell
allegro
112 - 160
allègre / vite
fröhlich / lustig
vivace
≈ 140
vif
lebhaft
presto
140 - 200 (168-208)*
rapide
sehr schnell
allegrissimo
≈ 168
très vite
geschwind
vivacissimo
≈ 200
extrêmement vif
sehr rasch
prestissimo
188 - 220
très rapide
äusserst schnell
traditional metronome BPM
Speed-Changing Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
accelerando
gradual speed-up
accélérez
beschleunigend
ritardando
gradual slow-down
retardez
verzögernd
allargando
widen & slow the beats
en élargissant
verbreiternd
rallentando
gradual, rolling stop
ralentissez
verlangsamend
tempo primo
back to original tempo
au mouvement
Hauptzeitmass
Other Common Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
tempo giusto
keep strict tempo
mouvement exact
im angemessenen Zeitmass
a piacere
ad lib.; rhythm at player’s will
à volonté
nach Gefallen
alla breve
in cut-time
à la blanche
Takt in Halben Noten
Printable Piano Lesson Book
An Introduction to the Elements of Music
rolled chord
The Staff in Music Notation
Musical Symbols in Piano Music
What Is Tempo?
What Are Keynotes and Tonics?
rest
Top 24 Composers of the Romantic Era
The Italian Commands of Piano Music
The Musical Term Allegro and Its Lively Definition
beats per minute
great stave
The Definition and Purpose of Mässig Music
whole note
The Tranquillo Meaning In Music
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
Tempo, or the speed of a song, is marked at the beginning of notation and may be written using different methods. For example, you will often see numbers next to a small music note (♩ = 70) that indicate an exact BPM (beats per minute); or, you’ll find it expressed in word form.
These words tend to be Italian, and they correspond to a BPM. This list will show you the most common Italian tempo commands organized by their speed, and give you other common synonyms you are likely to encounter in piano music.
Italian
BPM
French
German
larghissimo
< 40
extrêmement large
sehr breit
solenne / grave
≈ 40
grave
schwer
largo
42 - 66
large / largement
breit
lentissimo
< 48
très lent
sehr langsam
adagissimo
≈ 52
lentement modéré
sehr ruhig
lento
52 - 68
lent
langsam
larghetto
56 - 64
assez large
etwas breit
adagio
60 - 80 (66-76)*
à l’aise
gemächlich
adagietto
68 - 76
assez vite
ziemlich ruhig
tranquillo
≈ 80
tranquil
ruhig
andante
80 - 100 (76-108)*
allant
gehend
moderato
88 - 112
modéré
mässig
allegretto
100 - 128
assez vite
ein wenig schnell
allegro
112 - 160
allègre / vite
fröhlich / lustig
vivace
≈ 140
vif
lebhaft
presto
140 - 200 (168-208)*
rapide
sehr schnell
allegrissimo
≈ 168
très vite
geschwind
vivacissimo
≈ 200
extrêmement vif
sehr rasch
prestissimo
188 - 220
très rapide
äusserst schnell
traditional metronome BPM
Speed-Changing Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
accelerando
gradual speed-up
accélérez
beschleunigend
ritardando
gradual slow-down
retardez
verzögernd
allargando
widen & slow the beats
en élargissant
verbreiternd
rallentando
gradual, rolling stop
ralentissez
verlangsamend
tempo primo
back to original tempo
au mouvement
Hauptzeitmass
Other Common Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
tempo giusto
keep strict tempo
mouvement exact
im angemessenen Zeitmass
a piacere
ad lib.; rhythm at player’s will
à volonté
nach Gefallen
alla breve
in cut-time
à la blanche
Takt in Halben Noten
Printable Piano Lesson Book
An Introduction to the Elements of Music
rolled chord
The Staff in Music Notation
Musical Symbols in Piano Music
What Is Tempo?
What Are Keynotes and Tonics?
rest
Top 24 Composers of the Romantic Era
The Italian Commands of Piano Music
The Musical Term Allegro and Its Lively Definition
beats per minute
great stave
The Definition and Purpose of Mässig Music
whole note
The Tranquillo Meaning In Music
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
Tempo, or the speed of a song, is marked at the beginning of notation and may be written using different methods. For example, you will often see numbers next to a small music note (♩ = 70) that indicate an exact BPM (beats per minute); or, you’ll find it expressed in word form.
These words tend to be Italian, and they correspond to a BPM. This list will show you the most common Italian tempo commands organized by their speed, and give you other common synonyms you are likely to encounter in piano music.
Italian
BPM
French
German
larghissimo
< 40
extrêmement large
sehr breit
solenne / grave
≈ 40
grave
schwer
largo
42 - 66
large / largement
breit
lentissimo
< 48
très lent
sehr langsam
adagissimo
≈ 52
lentement modéré
sehr ruhig
lento
52 - 68
lent
langsam
larghetto
56 - 64
assez large
etwas breit
adagio
60 - 80 (66-76)*
à l’aise
gemächlich
adagietto
68 - 76
assez vite
ziemlich ruhig
tranquillo
≈ 80
tranquil
ruhig
andante
80 - 100 (76-108)*
allant
gehend
moderato
88 - 112
modéré
mässig
allegretto
100 - 128
assez vite
ein wenig schnell
allegro
112 - 160
allègre / vite
fröhlich / lustig
vivace
≈ 140
vif
lebhaft
presto
140 - 200 (168-208)*
rapide
sehr schnell
allegrissimo
≈ 168
très vite
geschwind
vivacissimo
≈ 200
extrêmement vif
sehr rasch
prestissimo
188 - 220
très rapide
äusserst schnell
traditional metronome BPM
Speed-Changing Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
accelerando
gradual speed-up
accélérez
beschleunigend
ritardando
gradual slow-down
retardez
verzögernd
allargando
widen & slow the beats
en élargissant
verbreiternd
rallentando
gradual, rolling stop
ralentissez
verlangsamend
tempo primo
back to original tempo
au mouvement
Hauptzeitmass
Other Common Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
tempo giusto
keep strict tempo
mouvement exact
im angemessenen Zeitmass
a piacere
ad lib.; rhythm at player’s will
à volonté
nach Gefallen
alla breve
in cut-time
à la blanche
Takt in Halben Noten
Printable Piano Lesson Book
An Introduction to the Elements of Music
rolled chord
The Staff in Music Notation
Musical Symbols in Piano Music
What Is Tempo?
What Are Keynotes and Tonics?
rest
Top 24 Composers of the Romantic Era
The Italian Commands of Piano Music
The Musical Term Allegro and Its Lively Definition
beats per minute
great stave
The Definition and Purpose of Mässig Music
whole note
The Tranquillo Meaning In Music
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
- traditional metronome BPM
Speed-Changing Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
accelerando
gradual speed-up
accélérez
beschleunigend
ritardando
gradual slow-down
retardez
verzögernd
allargando
widen & slow the beats
en élargissant
verbreiternd
rallentando
gradual, rolling stop
ralentissez
verlangsamend
tempo primo
back to original tempo
au mouvement
Hauptzeitmass
Other Common Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
tempo giusto
keep strict tempo
mouvement exact
im angemessenen Zeitmass
a piacere
ad lib.; rhythm at player’s will
à volonté
nach Gefallen
alla breve
in cut-time
à la blanche
Takt in Halben Noten
Other Common Tempo Commands
Italian
Meaning
French
German
tempo giusto
keep strict tempo
mouvement exact
im angemessenen Zeitmass
a piacere
ad lib.; rhythm at player’s will
à volonté
nach Gefallen
alla breve
in cut-time
à la blanche
Takt in Halben Noten
Printable Piano Lesson Book
An Introduction to the Elements of Music
rolled chord
The Staff in Music Notation
Musical Symbols in Piano Music
What Is Tempo?
What Are Keynotes and Tonics?
rest
Top 24 Composers of the Romantic Era
The Italian Commands of Piano Music
The Musical Term Allegro and Its Lively Definition
beats per minute
great stave
The Definition and Purpose of Mässig Music
whole note
The Tranquillo Meaning In Music
Printable Piano Lesson Book
Printable Piano Lesson Book
An Introduction to the Elements of Music
An Introduction to the Elements of Music
rolled chord
rolled chord
The Staff in Music Notation
The Staff in Music Notation
Musical Symbols in Piano Music
Musical Symbols in Piano Music
What Is Tempo?
What Is Tempo?
What Are Keynotes and Tonics?
What Are Keynotes and Tonics?
rest
rest
Top 24 Composers of the Romantic Era
Top 24 Composers of the Romantic Era
The Italian Commands of Piano Music
The Italian Commands of Piano Music
The Musical Term Allegro and Its Lively Definition
The Musical Term Allegro and Its Lively Definition
beats per minute
beats per minute
great stave
great stave
The Definition and Purpose of Mässig Music
The Definition and Purpose of Mässig Music
whole note
whole note
The Tranquillo Meaning In Music
The Tranquillo Meaning In Music
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
Home
Home
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
About Us Advertise Careers Privacy Policy Editorial Guidelines Contact Terms of Use EU Privacy
About Us
Advertise
Careers
Privacy Policy
Editorial Guidelines
Contact
Terms of Use
EU Privacy
Entertainment
Careers
Activities
Humor
LiveAbout is part of the Dotdash Meredith publishing family.
When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept Cookies
