Dutch Music Vocabulary
It is of course not possible to put all Dutch music words on this
page. I've tried to put together the most common and useful. Heather
Jones of New Mexico suggested the page and contributed words; a large
part of the page was contributed by my in-house music consultants.
Many Italian music words like pianissimo, glissando, pizzicato and
tremolo go untranslated, as do many English words like jazz, blues and
rock, bottleneck and steel guitar.
de / het / 't
(the)
een, 'n
-
2
(a, an)
één
(one)
>>
(het) geluid
('sound')
-
(de) muziek
2
('music')
-
(het) lawaai
('noise')
-
(het) kabaal
('noise')
‑>>
(het) muziekinstrument
musical instrument
(het) instrument
2
instrument
(de) piano
piano
(de) toetsen
2
3
keys (not: lock keys)
think of: 'touch'
(het) pedaal
2
pedal
(de) vleugel
grand piano (also: wing )
(de) elektrische piano
electric piano
(de) viool
violin
(de) strijkstok
bow
(de) altviool
2
viola
(de) cello
cello
(de) bas
bass
(de) contrabas
bass
(de) akoestische bas
acoustic bass
(de) staande bas
upright bass
(de) mondharmonica
mouth harp
(de) blokfluit
recorder
(de) saxofoon
2
saxophone
(de) klarinet
clarinet
(de) trompet
trumpet
(de) trombone
trombone
(de) schuiftrompet
trombone (slightly derogatory)
(de) tuba
tuba
(de) dwarsfluit
2
flute
(de) hobo
2
3
oboe
(de) fagot
2
bassoon
(de) waldhoorn
2
3
French horn
(het) orgel
organ (not: body part)
(de) orgelpijp
2
organ pipe
(de) doedelzak
bagpipes
(het) elektronisch orgel
2
3
electronic organ
(de) xylofoon
xylophone
(de) harp
harp
(de) luit
lute
(de) gitaar
guitar
(de) akoestische gitaar
2
acoustic guitar
(de) elektrische gitaar
electric guitar
(de) gitaarsolo
guitar solo
(de) slaggitaar
rhythm guitar
(het) ritme
rhythm
(het) akkoord
chord (also: agreement )
(de) mandoline
mandolin
(de) banjo
2
banjo
(de) trommel
drum (also: jar, cookie- )
trommelen
2
to drum
(de) pauken
kettledrums
(het) bekken
cymbal (also: basin; pelvis )
(de) triangel
triangle (not in geometry)
(de) drums
drums
(het) slagwerk
drums (old-fashioned)
(de) stemvork
2
tuning fork
(de) pianostemmer
piano tuner
absoluut gehoor
perfect pitch
zuiver
on pitch
vals
off-pitch
(de) stemschroef
peg
(de) snaar
string
plural: snaren
2
strings
(de) hals
neck
(de) fret
fret
(de) klankkast
2
[sound box] (string instrument) body
(de) kam
bridge (also: comb )
(het) plectrum
guitar pick
(de) aanslag
touch
(de) metronoom
2
metronome
(de) blokfluit
(de) mondharmonica
(de) gitaar
viool met strijkstok
2
(de) piano
Barok
Baroque
Klassiek
Classical
Romantisch
Romantic
Hedendaags
2
Contemporary
(de) kamermuziek
2
chamber music
(de) opera
opera
(de) wals
waltz
(de) mars
march
(de) klassieke muziek
2
3
classical music
(het) concert
concert
(de) dirigent
conductor
(de) toegift
2
encore
(de) solist
2
3
soloist
(het) optreden
performance, appearance
(het) orkest
2
orchestra
(het) koor
choir
(de) stem
voice (also: vote )
(de) zang
vocals
zangeres
2
lady singer
zanger
male singer
(de) sopraan
soprano
(de) alt
2
alto
tenor
tenor
(de) bas
bass
blazers
2
players of wood instruments
strijkers
players of violins, cellos etc.
(het) strijkkwartet
string quartet
pianist
2
concert pianist
violist
2
concert violinist
organist
2
organ player
(de) componist
composer
(het) concert
concert
(de) sonate
sonata
(de) symfonie
symphony
(de) partituur
music score
arrangeren
to write a score
(de) bladmuziek
sheet music
eerste
2
'first' -
tweede
2
'second' -
derde
2
'third' -
vierde
2
'fourth' -
vijfde
2
'fifth' -
negende
2
3
'ninth'
- ordinal numbers
een geweldig concert
2
3
a great, fantastic concert
muziek maken
to make music
zingen
to sing
spelen
to play
optreden
to perform
more about verbs
below
oefenen
2
to practice
(de) vingeroefeningen
warm-up exercises
melodie
melody
(het) thema
theme, figure
(de) begeleiding
2
accompaniment
(het) refrein
chorus
(de) coupletten
verses
(de) tekst
2
lyrics
less serious music:
(het) liedje
2
song (not rock)
(het) wijsje
tune
(het) deuntje
tune
For Rock songs, I use the English word 'song.'
Lied and liedje are a bit frivolous, like pop.
hard
loud
zacht
soft, quiet
zachte muziek
2
3
soft music (not loud)
lyrisch
lyrical
(de) toon
2
tone
hoog
high (treble)
laag
low (bass)
(de) microfoon
microphone
(de) opname
2
recording
(de) sessie
session
(de) geluidstechnicus
2
3
sound engineer
stereo
stereo (sound)
(de) echo
2
echo
(de) toonladder
2
scale
do re mi fa sol la ti do
do re mi fa so la ti do
(de) toonsoorten
keys
C
C
Cis
C sharp
Des
D flat
D
D
Dis
D sharp
Es
E flat
E
E
F
F
Fis
F sharp
Ges
G flat
G
G
As
A flat
A
A
Bes
B flat
B
B
mol
flat
Dutch
as
also means 'ashes'
and Dutch
mol
is also the digging animal 'mole' and the chemistry unit.
(de) noot
note (also: nut - not: message)
(de) halve noot
1/2 note
(de) kwart noot
1/4 note
(de) achtste noot
1/8 note
(de) notenbalk
2
3
staff
(de) G-sleutel
2
treble clef
(de) F-sleutel
2
bass clef
(de) voortekening
key signature
(de) voorslag
2
grace note
(de) opmaat
2
upbeat
(de) maat
measure
(de) driekwartsmaat
three-four (3/4) time
(het) tempo
tempo
(het) octaaf
octave
(de) rust
rest
(de) dynamiek
dynamics
(de) harmonie
harmony
(het) akkoord
chord (also: agreement )
majeur
2
3
(4 )
major
mineur
minor
(het) septiem akkoord
7th chord
(de) kwintencirkel
circle of fifths
(het) interval
interval
verminderd
diminished
rein
perfect
overmatig
augmented
klein
2
minor (also: small )
groot
2
major (also: big, large, tall )
(de) terts
third, tierce
(de) drieklank
triad
dominant
dominant
consonant
consonant
dissonant
dissonant
(de) tonica
tonic
(de) grondtoon
tonic
(de) grondligging
2
root position
(de) omkering
inversion
(de) toonsoort
tonality
(de) leidtoon
2
leading tone
(de) modulatie
2
modulation
diatonisch
diatonic
chromatisch
chromatic
meerstemmig
polyphonic
(het) vibrato
2
vibrato, tremolo
de toetsen zijn wit en zwart - de witte toetsen en de zwarte toetsen
-
2
de ivoren bakjes en lepeltjes - de bakjes en lepeltjes zijn van ivoor
(de) koptelefoon
(de) luidspreker
>>
stemmen - to tune / also: to vote
more about verbs
infinitive
(I )
(you [singular])
(he )
(we )
(you [plural])
(they )
(you [polite])
stemmen
ik stem
jij stemt
hij stemt
wij stemmen
jullie stemmen
zij stemmen
U stemt
(to tune)
(I tune)
(you tune)
(he tunes)
(we tune)
(you tune)
(they tune)
(you tune)
stemmen
ik stemde
jij stemde
hij stemde
wij stemden
jullie stemden
zij stemden
U stemde
(to tune)
(I tuned)
(you tuned)
(he tuned)
(we tuned)
(you tuned)
(they tuned)
(you tuned)
ik heb gestemd
2
(I have tuned)
In the present tense, Dutch verbs have three forms:
the 'stem' for ik ('I')
the 'stem' +T for je/jij (singular 'you') and
hij/zij/het ('he/she/it')
the 'infinitive' ('stem' +EN) for plurals
Dutch Verbs
In question mode and in some sentence structures the verb will precede
the personal pronoun;
in those cases, for second person singular
(je, jij) the
't' will be dropped. (Only in the present tense.)
stem jij?
- are you tuning?
stemde jij?
- did you tune?
heb je al gestemd?
2
'did you vote (or: tune up) already?'
English Dutch infinitive
simple present singular
simple present plural
simple past singular
simple past plural
perfect tense
to walk (example)
I walk we walk
I walked we walked
I have walked
to play spelen
ik speel wij spelen
ik speelde wij speelden
ik heb gespeeld
2
- more below
to sing zingen
ik zing wij zingen
ik zong wij zongen
ik heb gezongen
2
- more
to practice oefenen
ik oefen wij oefenen
ik oefende wij oefenden
ik heb geoefend
2
to perform optreden
ik treed op wij treden op
ik trad op wij traden op
ik heb opgetreden
also: to intervene, to act
to hear horen
ik hoor wij horen
ik hoorde wij hoorden
ik heb gehoord
- more
- 2
to listen luisteren
ik luister wij luisteren
ik luisterde wij luisterden
ik heb geluisterd
2
- more
Hij speelt gitaar.
He plays the guitar.
Hij speelt een akkoord.
He plays a chord.
Zij speelt saxofoon.
She plays the saxophone.
Hij speelt heel goed gitaar.
He plays the guitar very well.
(more 'spelen' below )
Zij zingt.
She sings.
Zij zingt een lied.
She is singing a song.
Zij is een zangeres.
She is a singer.
Willen jullie meezingen?
Would you (all) like to sing along?
Ik hoor een vliegtuig.
I hear a plane.
De muziek begint.
The music is starting.
De muziek begon.
The music started.
Als de muziek begint moet je stil zijn.
When the music starts you'll have to be quiet
Hij stemt de gitaar.
He is tuning the guitar
Hij zingt een lied.
2
He's singing a song.
Hij zingt vals.
2
His singing is off-pitch.
Hij kan geen wijs houden
2
He cannot carry a tune.
Zij brachten haar een serenade.
They serenaded her.
Zij brengen haar een aubade.
They are singing an aubade to her.
(Aubade - (early) morning; serenade -
evening or night)
"Houd jij van opera? - Ik niet."
"Do you like opera? - I don't."
naar muziek luisteren
2
3
listening to music
Ik heb een paar jaar pianoles gehad.
I have had piano lessons for a [couple of] few years.
Maar ik had beter
gitaar kunnen leren spelen.
But learning to play the guitar
would have [been better] made more sense.
Ik speel zelf geen piano
2
I don't play the piano myself
(but most people around me do)
Nero speelde viool terwijl Rome in
brand stond
2
Nero was fiddling, playing violin
while Rome was burning
Hij speelt op een dure gitaar
2
3
He plays an expensive guitar
Spelen
is also 'to play' like children and carefree spirits do etc.
(het) spel
game, play
Kom je buiten spelen?
2
Will you come outside to play?
(het) speelgoed
toys
(de) speelgoedwinkel
2
toy store
(de) speeltuin
2
playground
‑>>
speels
playful
ludiek
2
3
4
playful (usually said about somewhat disruptive
protests or actions)
een spelletje
2
3
a (little, friendly, pleasant) game
- but also: 'runaround,' not
dealing with someone straight and fair
but in a crooked or manipulative way
spelenderwijs
2
3
'like play,' without much effort, with much ease
toneelspelen
2
to act (on a stage)
‑>>
(de) langspeelplaat
[long-playing disk]
- 33rpm ~45-minutes vinyl music album
Spelen met vuur
2
3
4
'Playing with fire' - doing dangerous things,
taking stupid risks
vrij spel
2
3
hebben
~ having no restraints, no limitations in action
Hij heeft vrij spel
2
3
~He can do as he pleases, no limitationss
English says 'to play soccer,'
'to play
chess,' 'to play cards' etc. - Dutch has one
specific verb for most sports and games
voetballen
2
3
4
to play soccer
tennissen
2
3
to play tennis
volleyballen
2
3
to play volleyball
honkballen
2
3
to play ~baseball
schaken
to play chess
hockeyen
2
3
to play field hockey
sporten
2
3
to play sports, exercise
kaarten
to play cards
korfballen
2
3
to play 'korfbal,' a kind of basketball
dammen
2
3
to play a kind of checkers on a 10x10 fields board
See also: Conversation Subjects: Sports ,
Chess and
Cards and Dice
English 'play' can also be a dramatic work on a stage in a theatre,
costumes, dialogue etc. The Dutch word for that is
(het) toneelstuk
and as already mentioned above, toneelspelen
2
is 'to act. more
Do note that zij and ze can mean both 'she' and 'they'
- but you can tell the difference because the verb form is different for
plural and singular:
Zij zingen een lied voor mij.
2
They are singing a song for me.
Zij zingt een lied.
She is singing a song.
See and hear also: Media -
Days of Old -
'Dutch' Musicians
Dutch singing (of variable quality and artistry)
children's song 1
- children's song 2
- the Dutch Anthem
- Birthday Songs
- Dutch 'Santa Claus' songs
- A Rhythmical Poem
- Dutch bad country music
-
2A
-
2B
-
3
-
4
-
5
-
6A -
6B
The lyrics of the last four are at the bottom of
this page
More Words Lists, pages like this:
Sports -
Grammar -
Military -
Medieval
-
Fairy Tales -
Religion -
Chemistry -
Medical
-
Emergency Preparedness -
The News
See and Hear also: Pictures Dictionary
email -
Copyright © Marco Schuffelen 2009.
All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, redistributed,
or hotlinked to.
Don't be a
dief (thief) /
dievegge (female thief) -
diefstal (theft) -
stelen (to steal) -
heler (dealer in stolen goods) -
hear Dutch -
2