ABRSM Grade 1 to 5 Theory Terms and Signs

a tempo

return to the original tempo

accelerando (accel.)

gradually getting faster

adagio

slowly

allegretto

moderately fast

allegro

fast

andante

walking tempo

cantabile

in a singing style

crescendo (cresc.)

gradually getting louder

Da Capo (D.C.)

repeat from the beginning to the coda

decrescendo (decresc.)

gradually getting quieter

diminuendo (dim.)

gradually getting quieter

dolce

sweetly

Forte (f)

loud

Fortissimo (ff)

very loud

fine, al fine

to the end

legato

smoothly

mezzo forte (mf)

moderately loud

moderato

moderate tempo

mezzo piano (mp)

moderately quiet

piano

quiet

pianissimo

very quiet

rallentando (rall.)

gradually getting slower

ritardando (ritard., rit.)

gradually slowing

staccato

short and detached

crescendo

decrescendo

legato

tie

staccato

accent

(fermata) pause

alla marcia

in the style of a march

allargando

gradually slower and broader

con moto

with movement

con, col

with

Dal Segno (D.S.)

repeat from the sign

e, ed

and

espressivo (espr.)

expressively

Forte-piano (fp)

loud, then immediately soft

grave

very slow, solemn

grazioso

gracefully

largo

rather slow, stately

lento

slowly

ma

but

meno

less

meno mosso

less movement, slower

molto

much

non troppo

not too much

più

more

più messo

more quickly

poco (poco a poco)

a little, little by little

presto

very fast

ritenuto (riten. or rit.)

immediately slower, held back

senza

without

vivace, vivo

lively

strong accent

semi-staccato

staccatissimo

legato accent/ tenuto

8va - played at an octave higher or lower

agitato

agitated; rapid

andantino

slightly faster than andante

animato

animated, lively, spirited

ben

well

con forza

with force, strength

energico

energetic

giocoso

playful

leggerio

lightly

maestoso

majestically

marcato, marc.

emphatic, accented

pesante

heavy

prestissimo

as fast as possible, faster than presto

prima, primo

first

risoluto

bold, strong, resolute

scherzando

playfully, jokingly

semplice

simple

sempre

always

sforzando, sforzato, sf, sfz

forced, accented

simile (sim.)

in the same style

sostenuto (sost.)

sustained and connected

subito (sub.)

suddenly

tranquillo

quiet, calm

triste, tristamente

sad, sorrowful

affettuoso

tenderly, affectionate

alla breve

2/2 time, cut time

amabile

amiable, pleasant, lovely

appassionato

passionate

assai

very, much

come prima

as before

comodo, tempo comodo

convenient, at a comfortable speed

con brio

with spirit

deciso

with determination

larghetto

slow, but not as slow as largo

mesto

sad

misterioso

mysterious

ritmico

rhythmically

rubato, tempo rubato

with some freedom of time

stringendo

pressing, gradually getting faster

animé

lively

douce

sweet